Some airports around the country are going all out to celebrate the holidays this year and entertain travelers. Here are some of the fun celebrations we’ve spotted.
More to come. Let us know what we missed.
Denver Int’l Airport’s Purple Elf
Pottery Bike Landing at Philadelphia Int’l Airport
If you’re at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) on Friday, December 16, between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm make your way to the spot between Terminals B and C across from the food court.
PHL Airport will be teaming up with The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, for the second visit of Pottery Unplugged–a people-powered pottery bike.
Passengers and employees will be able to try to throw their own clay vessel or just watch and see how it’s done. The twist here is that the pottery wheel is powered by a bicycle.
“At PHL, we always strive to represent what Philly has to offer artistically and culturally,” says Leah Douglas, PHL’s Director of Guest Experience. “Pottery Unplugged certainly accomplishes that through its creative ingenuity.”
The pandemic put the renovations in the Central Terminal at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) years behind schedule. But just in time for the holidays, the airport has finally opened Salty’s – a welcome sit-down restaurant with great airfield views – and a beer & wine garden.
Now if only the reindeer would return to the airport light rail station…
New eats and seats have arrived in the Central Terminal at SEA with the debut of Salty’s at the SEA and BrewTop Social! Enjoy dramatic airfield views, a new fun sit-down restaurant, and the first-ever beer and wine garden in a U.S. airport.https://t.co/2nv7W837e0pic.twitter.com/4vx9FY9WZv
We’re looking forward to some fun on April 1 as airports, airlines & others (maybe you?) celebrate April 1.
We got a preview earlier this week from Sacramento International Airport (SMF), which alerted fans of the airport’s iconic giant red rabbit that a makeover might be in the cards.
Leap, our iconic red rabbit, is an Instagram favorite but it’s time for a change – we’re painting it spring green! Tune in Friday for its debut! pic.twitter.com/cpZbups1DC
We love this 2022 wayfinding idea from Edmonton International Airport
And, honestly, we’d buy some of these DEN Candles
Here’s the sales pitch and ‘ordering information’ for a new line of DEN-scented candles.
“Who says springcleaning has to be dull? Spice up your home with scents from DEN’s new candle line that include our favorite airport aromas.
Scents include:
Mustang Musk: He’s big, he’s blue and he smells good too! Mustang is one of DEN’s most controversial art pieces and now you can be reminded of his special glow with this amazing candle scent mixed with musk, cedar and sage.
Smells Like Vacation: You’ve got your toes in the water, a cold drink in your hand and the sea breeze in your hair. Want to take a relaxing beach vacation, but can’t get away? Enjoy our “Smells Like Vacation” candle that will bring the sea breeze, coconut and pineapple daiquiri scents straight to your home.
Jet Fuel: No judgment over here. We know you people like this scent. For people who REALLY love to travel. This is one of our most unique scents in the DEN candle line, but one that will no doubt make you feel like you are at the airport waiting for your next flight. Enjoy a mix of fig tree and sandalwood with a hint of kerosene.
DEN Hops and Barley: It’s never too early to enjoy a Colorado local brewed beer. As we like to say, “it’s 8 a.m. somewhere!” Attention beer lovers! This is the candle just for you as you set the mood for your next party or poker night. The scents of citrus, hops and lager will leave you craving your next Colorado-brewed beer at DEN.
Clean Linen Tent: Close your eyes and imagine you’re in the DEN terminal looking up. Those crisp white tents must smell like fresh, clean linen. When it’s time to kick back and relax, make sure to look up and take in the view. Our “Clean Linen Tent” candle should remind you of this architectural wonder and smells like clean linen and eucalyptus.
Gargoyle Garden: This candle is the perfect mix of the DEN gargoyles’ favorite scents: gardenia, fresh rain and good luck. The three DEN gargoyles – two art pieces and one talking gargoyle perched on Level 5 near baggage claim – watch over DEN passengers and provide them with good luck. Now you can bring that luck home as well as the wonderful smells of spring, gardenia and fresh rain.
Want some? DEN says the scented candles are available for $20 each, with a six-pack of candles available for $50, in a collector’s DEN Tents box. And “coming soon are lotions and hand sanitizers.”
Rental cars are hard to get, so LAX is renting cardigans instead
We are so excited to announce that, due to too many guests hopping off a plane at LAX with a dream, but no cardigan, our Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility will instead become the new Consolidated Rent-A-Cardigan Facility when completed in 2023! #PartyInTheUSApic.twitter.com/UbExiE9b4H
Although the Airport has recently achieved a number of top industry accolades, officials have recently determined that…read more. https://t.co/PAQm8UzVDx (2/2)
— New Orleans Airport (@flyneworleans) April 1, 2022
DFW is now FWD
After nearly five decades, we've decided to give Fort Worth it's well-deserved top billing! Starting today, you can call us 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, or 𝐅𝐖𝐃.
After receiving feedback from passengers, @slcairport has decided to rename the facility “Pioneer Children Memorial Airport." Read about the airport's name change at: https://t.co/R54dLKtPU2 (The name change is effective only on April Fool’s Day.) pic.twitter.com/dZffQFk6mS
SURPRISE: Remember our ice skating rink from the 70s? Well, due to popular demand it’s back! We’ve transformed one of our empty hangars into an ice skating rink that will open this summer! pic.twitter.com/eVzsQw4bvb
— Dallas Love Field (@DallasLoveField) April 1, 2022
DCA will now be Cherry Blossom pink year-round
We love Cherry Blossom season SO MUCH that we decided to break out the paint cans and make it a permanent part of the airport. What do you think of our new look? pic.twitter.com/bawgzKMgVF
Need to get from Jamaica to Jackson Heights, but the Van Wyck is jammed? Take our newest route, The Queens Express, the fastest way to get across NYC's biggest borough. Learn more: https://t.co/FqbV8wfnnQpic.twitter.com/0eu83F8c50
Our partners are currently working on fixing the audio in our APMs, but it's great to have a Buddy who can step in when needed.📢 https://t.co/zgz8OFRV4c
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) April 1, 2022
We are over-the-moon to announce the launch of 'Annie's Out Of This World Character Dining'! 🚀 Starting this month, 12pm-3pm, enjoy a stellar cuisine while you meet our mascot Annie, at our Main Terminal food court area! 👩🚀 Reservations & details: https://t.co/smh1SHKQ2ppic.twitter.com/B4S4Q8rbz1
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) April 1, 2022
O’Hare & Midway Airports going to the birds – and the dogs
Celebrate spring with Leap’s fresh new look! What do you think – love the green or miss the red?#AprilFools did we trick you? Don't worry, Leap is still red….we hope you like our Photoshop skills. pic.twitter.com/IKx6ZKjFP2
Llama in training! If you see Matilda, DO NOT PET. She’ll soon become a DEN safety inspection team member. Llamas are social, gentle, their noses are 6x more powerful than dogs & they learn quickly. Matilda will be a great addition to the sniffer team! Her official debut: 5/12 🛅 pic.twitter.com/ZQx98D4tSX
Say hello to our newest edition, the ATL ROCKET! 🚀The ATL ROCKET is a tech savvy SLIDE with state of the art screening capabilities. It ensures you spending more time in the friendly skies than you'll ever spend standing in line pre-security again. #ATLRocket#NewBeginningspic.twitter.com/fPHBC91QF6
Here’s a sampling of Lunar New Year messages for the Year of the Tiger from airports around the world.
If we missed yours, please send it along.
(Up next: Airports mark Black History Month)
Lions 🦁 and tigers 🐅 and dragons 🐉 at SFO to celebrate Lunar New Year. Happy New Year! pic.twitter.com/99xu1aQpsz
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️😷 (@flySFO) February 3, 2022
Gong hei fat choy! To celebrate the Year of the Tiger, travelers were treated to a traditional lion blessing earlier today. The #LunarNewYear festivities were hosted by airport partner, Hospitality Culinaire, operator of our LAS @JambaJuice locations. 🐅🥁 pic.twitter.com/e5yn47vMUm
— Harry Reid International Airport (@LASairport) February 3, 2022
#BCIA wishes you a happy Chinese New Year! Embrace the new and let go of the old and you will find a better version of yourself! Is there anything you wish for in the new year?#HappyChineseNewYearpic.twitter.com/hQ22gEtDfX
— Beijing Capital International Airport (@PEKAirport) February 1, 2022
It’s the Year of the Tiger! Today marks the #LunarNewYear, a festival that’s celebrated across Asia and by more than 1.5 billion people worldwide. This time-honored tradition dates back thousands of years. May it be a year of good luck and good fortune! 🧧🎇🐅 pic.twitter.com/qVU2TeSFTs
Happy Lunar New Year from YVR! If you celebrate this day, we wish you the best luck, health, prosperity and of course, safe travels this year. pic.twitter.com/kRBPJp5tZX
Here’s a hopeful sign that airports are getting their groove back.
On Monday, National Compliment Day, the Kindness Takes Flight team at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) brought back its Free Compliments Campaign.
From a kiosk in the main terminal and via “compliment balloons” spread throughout the airport, passengers and airport visitors received free compliments such as “That color is perfect for you,” “I bet you sweat glitter,” and “You are glowing,”
The plan was to continue the nice-fest “until the complement of compliments is exhausted,” said airport spokeswoman Annie Turner.
You can read more about the plans for the day and the bonus benefits of giving and receiving compliments in the story our compliments correspondent wrote the Points Guy.
But this isn’t the only holiday RNO does right. On National Chocolate Cake Day, volunteers often hand out complimentary chocolate cupcakes. On National Popcorn Day (a high holy day at StuckatTheAirport.com), travelers get free popcorn. And on National Dog Day, traveling pups often receive milk bones.
RNO also has fun on May the Fourth
(Part 1) May The Fourth (and your mask) be with you today. Many airlines require masks or facecoverings for passengers flying right now. Check with your airlines before arriving at RNO. pic.twitter.com/gBIaTedbPr
(This is a slightly different version of a story we prepared for NBC News)
Over this holiday, the Transportation Security Administration is expecting to screen a near pre-pandemic number of passengers.
Many travelers will be visiting an airport for the first time in almost two years but will be pleased to find a wide range of free services and amenities at the ready to help ease the journey.
Security Checkpoint Reservations
Travelers who haven’t paid for expedited security lane access with a TSA PreCheck or CLEAR membership may still be able to skip the long lines. A handful of airports now host free programs that allow travelers to reserve a time slot for going through the security checkpoint during the busiest hours. Look for the SEA Spot Saver Program, the LAX Fast Lane, DFW’s Fast Pass Pilot Program, Newark Liberty International’s Virtual Lane, and Orlando International Airport’s Reservation Lane, operated by CLEAR.
Gate Passes
A handful of airports offer free gate passes to non-ticketed visitors who want to meet an arriving passenger, see someone off at the gate, or spend baggage-free time dining, shopping, or plane spotting in the terminal. Pass seekers apply online ahead of their visit and, if approved by TSA, go through standard security screening. Airports currently offering gate passes include Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), Bishop International (FNT) in Flint, MI, and California’s John Wayne Airport. The gate pass programs at Pittsburgh International and Tampa International airports are still on hold due to the pandemic.
Holiday Entertainment
Many airports have brought back free live concerts, performances, and other forms of entertainment just in time for the holiday season. For example, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) has a bright red mailbox set up to collect letters to Santa and promises a personalized response to anyone who includes their address.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has a robust holiday performance series underway, and the 25-foot-tall water feature in Terminal B at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is rotating in a holiday-themed show with its signature program
Movies and Games
At Dallas Forth International Airport (DFW) there’s a new, free interactive gaming experience at gate D-18 featuring a 40-foot-long media wall with a touchless tracking sensor.
The free 22-seat Hollywood Theatre Microcinema at Portland International Airport (PDX) has reopened, showing short films by Pacific Northwest filmmakers. (The films can also be viewed online). The free Video Arts gallery in the International Terminal at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has reopened as well, showing four new films a month every 20 minutes or less in the gallery and online. Free short films are also screened at the See 18 Film Screen Room (by Gate C18) at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
Free books and short stories
Reading is a great way to pass the time when traveling and a handful of airports offer passengers free reading material.
In Houston, there are two free Little Libraries at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and three inside Hobby Airport (HOU). Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has a book exchange corner in Terminal A West and a machine that dispenses short stories between Terminals D and E. Oakland International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, and Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) in Madison, WI, have short story dispensers too. And at San Jose International Airport (SJC), anyone can access the Pop-Up Library to download and access eBooks from the San Jose Public Library for free.
Free Airport Museums
In addition to permanent and changing art and history exhibits, airports in San Francisco, Miami, Phoenix, Albany, NY, and many other cities have free on-site museums and professional museum programs. For example, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is home to the Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum, with its main exhibit up above baggage claim, and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) recently reopened the Mitchell Gallery of Flight, a free aviation museum open 24/7 in the pre-security area.
More free airport amenities
Look around and you’ll find plenty of other free things to do at airports this season.
Free yoga rooms are available at airports in Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, and Miami. American Heart Association kiosks offering free training in lifesaving, hands-only CPR are operating again at many airports. And cute as a button teams of therapy dogs are out in force in dozens of airports this season offering stress-busting visits and accepting free pats and hugs.
