Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport

Two airports get new play areas for kids

Kids, ,

Airport play areas come in handy if you’re traveling with kids who need to burn off some energy before the flight.

We can’t promise you that all airports offer this amenity, but we’re pleased to share news of two airports with fresh play spaces for kids.

In South Carolina, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) is teaming up with the Upstate Children’s Museum and local toy company Plus Plus USA for its new kid zone.

The play area, called GSPlay, features colorful large interlocking toy pieces that kids can connect in endless shapes and layouts, a scavenger hunt and an interactive map that invites children to mark their next destination.

First kid’s play area at Denver International Airport


At the end of December, Denver International Airport (DEN) debuted its first play area for kids.

Located on Concourse C, near Gate C48, the play area has an outer space and alien theme (a nod to the alien conspiracy theories about DEN) and features colorful climbing structures for young kids.

And kids, their parents and just about every traveler will surely smile when they spot the newest art installation at DEN Airport.

“It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” by Thomas ‘Detour’ Evans, is made of colorful upcycled luggage and is on Concourse B-East near Gate B60.

Travel Tidbits from here and there

Food, , , , ,

Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food and a dish many people turn to when they are stressed.

So where better to open a restaurant with a full menu of mac and cheese dishes than in an airport?

San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) is now home to the first airport mac and cheese restaurant: San José Mac + Cheese Kitchen.

Located in Terminal B, across from Gate 19, the restaurant is serving up a Signature Mac along with a wide variety of customizable mac and cheese dishes with cheddar cheese sauce, 5-cheese white sauce, grilled chicken, smoked bacon, and BBQ pulled pork.

The menu also includes Grilled Mac + Cheese Sandwiches, Breakfast Mac + Cheese Burritos, and a full bar.

Very comforting!

More airport comfort

Speaking of comfort, we spotted some comforting touches at South Carolina’s Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) Sunday morning as we made our way to a very early flight.

First, we spotted these very comfy chairs right by the baggage claim carousels.

Then, once through security, we made our way down a hallway filled with useful – and tempting – vending machines.

We’ve seen the Fuel Rod machine that dispenses handy fully-charged chargers in quite a few airports. But the machine that’s ” a carwash for glasses and jewelry,” and the one that dispenses tins filled with licorice aren’t as common. Yet.

And how’s this for service?

We saw a gate agent sprint off towards the security checkpoint and wondered what was up. In just a few minutes she came running back with a young man in tow who would have missed his flight had she not rushed over and hustled him to the front of the security checkpoint line.

At the Airport: News from GSP, FLL & Alaska Airlines

Art, , ,

GSP Airport Debuts a History Museum

South Carolina’s Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) celebrated its Dedication Day on November 4, 1962.

Fifty-nine years later, the airport unveiled its History Museum, detailing decades of serving the community.

The 350 square foot History Museum is near the Escape Lounge in GSP’s Grand Hall and is accessible to departing and arriving passengers 24 hours a day.

The museum gives visitors a detailed look at GSP from the founders’ vision in the 1940s through the present day and on to future plans. Exhibits include photos, videos, and first-hand accounts of the airport’s impact on the region. A special section is dedicated to the Flatwood Peaches baseball team that played on fields where the airport is located.

Airport Employees Share Their Art at FLL

In Florida, Broward County’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is hosting the sixth installment of its employee artwork exhibition titled I Bet You Didn’t Know. This year, the exhibit showcases 46 artworks by 28 FLL employees and is on view through March 17, 2022, in the walkway connecting Terminals 3 and 4.

The work includes paintings, drawings, collages and acrylic pours, by artists whose airport jobs include security personnel, vendor operators, flight attendants, and other professions.

You can see all the works in the FLL exhibition online here.

John Berry ‘Jurassic Airport’

Alaska Airlines Now Serves Boxed Water

Next time you’re served a cup of water on Alaska Airlines, you’ll notice it being poured out of a box, not a plastic bottle into a paper, not a plastic cup.

This week Alaska Airlines did a great thing for the environment by swapping out single-use plastic water bottles and plastic cups for Boxed Water Is Better brand cartons and recyclable paper cups in the main cabin on all its flights.

The carrier made the switch in the First Class cabin a while back, so now Alaska is laying claim to the title of the first in the industry to move completely away from plastic for its water service.

That’s a big deal because this will eliminate about 32 million plastic water bottles and 22 million plastics cups per year from Alaska flights. The 1.8 million pounds of single use plastics per year avoided is equivalent to 18 Boeing 737s. You can read more about the program and the Boxed Water is Better Brand company in the story we wrote for The Points Guy.

Tune in to these airport podcasts

Airport guides, , , , ,
Courtesy Library of Congress

Airport podcasts

If you like airports and podcasts, then you should probably be listening to airport podcasts.

We’re not sure we have them all, but we’re starting to put a list together. Let us know what we’re missing,

Here’s what we have so far.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is hosting a new podcast called the Austin Approach. They kicked it off just in time to dig into some unusual weather issues, such as snow.

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) hosts Carolina Traveler. Season one episodes highlight attractions and activities in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, as well as GSP’s economic impact on the Upstate.

At Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), airport CEO Chellie Cameron has been sharing news about the airport in Chellie’s Podcasts.

The podcast from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is called The Fly Angle. Episodes so far have covered how the airport attracts new air service, shopping at the airport, aircraft noise, and where to find great craft beer at the airport.

More ways to mask up at airports

Health, , , , , ,
Courtesy Ashley Chung

More ways to mask up at airports

A few weeks back we celebrated Mask Monday with some fun “Wear your mask” reminders from airports.

Since then, many airports have gotten in touch to show off their branded masks and the creative ways they are reminding travelers to mask up.

Here’s a sampling. Let us know if you have one to add.

Here’s how Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) encourages passengers to mask up.

Here’s a snazzy mask from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

This one, from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, glows in the dark! (You can buy one at Mr. Boxer in the C Concourse)

These are from Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)

This snazzy mask is for sale in the gift shops at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport (ICT)

And the masks below, along with everything else you see pictured, are from Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) and are for sale in the GSP online store.

Have an airport-branded mask to show off? Send it along.