It’s only Thursday, but we’re declaring the free car wash offered at Spokane International Airport the airport amenity of the week.

Opened in November – right before big Thanksgiving travel rush – the car wash at GEG is already quite popular. Complimentary for anyone who parks in the airport garages ($10/day) or on in the outside lot ($8/day), in December 889 cars got a free bath. In In January – 1,360.

Why would an airport offer a free car wash?

Airport spokesman Todd Woodard explains it this way:

“We serve a geographically diverse 80,000 square mile region that covers parts of three States and two Canadian Provinces. As a regional transportation asset, we feel a particular obligation to express our appreciation as many drive significant distances to access our air service.”