Super Bowl

Football fun at Newark Liberty Airport

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Newark Liberty International is pretty excited about all the people who will be passing through for the Super Bowl and has lined up a full schedule of special events in the terminals and discount offers in the shops.

Here are some of the highlights:

Terminal A

Live Music on Level 1 & Food Court 9am – 7pm from January 27 – February 3rd by various local New Jersey musicians.

Fan Zone on Level 3 with Football Toss, Foosball Tables, Massage Chairs, Hi Boy Table & Interactive games

Beer Gardens Gates A10-18, A 20-28 & A 30-39

Terminal B

Live Music on Level 2, 3 & in the Food Court 9am – 7pm from January 27- February 3rd, by various local New Jersey musicians from NJPAC

Fan Zone on Level 3 with Football Toss, Foosball Tables, Massage Chairs, Hi Boy Table, Charging Stations & interactive game

There will be also pop-up shops with official Super Bowl licensed merchandise and many shops will be offering discounts for those wearing football jerseys.  For hungry fans, the food courts in both the A and B Terminals will be open for 24 hours on Sunday Feb 2 into Monday Feb 3.

In Terminal C, there’s a full schedule of food sampling, entertainment and events as well as a Football Frenzy photo booth in C1 food court on the 31st from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a green screen so passengers can choose from one of three football related backgrounds. Here’s a link to the Terminal C events.

Flight searches may predict the Super Bowl match-up

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Courtesy Miami University Libraries via Flickr Commons

There are all manner of predictions about which NFL teams will meet at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Feb. 2 for Super Bowl XLVIII and which team will leave the field hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

But online travel agency Expedia suggests that spikes in Super Bowl weekend travel searches offer a good indication of which teams fans believe will actually end up in the championship game.

“For the eight remaining teams in the playoffs, demand for flights into New York is the strongest out of Seattle, followed by San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham and Denver,” said Jeremy Boore, travel analyst for Expedia.com.

Though Super Bowl favorites the Denver Broncos “had a slight hiccup” in week 15 of the season after losing to the San Diego Chargers, searches for flights into New York from that area have grown “at about the same rate as their probability of playing in the big game,” Boore said.

The probabilities, from Massey-Peabody Analytics, are determined by teams’ Massey-Peabody ranking and home-field advantage, as well as by chance.

The Bronco’s favored opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, “had a similar hiccup” in week 16 after losing to the Arizona Cardinals. However, Boore said, they not only remain the odds-on favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl “but have the highest volume of searches for flights into the NYC area for each of the past eight weeks of the season.”

And though the San Francisco 49ers have just a 5 percent probability of making another appearance in the final game, according to Massey-Peabody analysis, on Expedia the team has the second-most searches for flights into NYC over Super Bowl weekend. That correlates with many pundits’ laying odds that the 49ers will win the game.

Of course, any fan planning to be at the Super Bowl in person will soon have to stop searching for fares and actually buy a plane ticket and a game ticket, and find a place to stay.

Travelocity reports that for Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, round-trip airfares below $385 are currently available between New York-New Jersey area airports and most all Super Bowl-hopeful cities.

On Jan. 6, fares could be found from Denver for $266, New Orleans for $216, Charlotte for $299, San Diego for $379, Boston for $199, Seattle for $385, San Francisco for $318 and from Indianapolis for $358.

It’s no surprise that hotel rates for Super Bowl weekend are extremely high in the areas around the stadium, and are up appreciably in New York City compared with the same weekend in 2013 and to other weekends in February 2014.

In New York, “expect to pay an average of $300 per night with restrictions and minimum stay requirements,” said Courtney Scott, Travelocity’s senior editor. “Although cheaper rates may be found by booking a flight and hotel vacation, or by searching hotels across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the New Jersey metro area.”

Hotels closest to the Super Bowl venue are the ones charging the most, “and there have been reports of a hotel in New Jersey charging $1,000 a night,” said John Fox, of hotel advisory firm PKF Consulting.

But people don’t just go to the Super Bowl for the football. Many related events will be held in Manhattan, including a four-day celebration in Times Square.

“Remember, New York City has almost 100,000 hotel rooms,” Fox said. “That’s considerably more than most past host cities. And the city is already geared up to welcome more than 55 million visitors, overall, this year.”

While the Super Bowl may push up nightly hotel tabs in the city to match those during the peak holiday weeks in December, Fox said, “there should be plenty of options of finding a place to stay.”

(My story about getting ready to head to the Super Bowl first appeared on CNBC Road Warrior)

At New Orleans Airport: hello & goodbye Super Bowl fans

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The Super Bowl party is underway at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport(MSY).

 

Arriving fans were greeted with live music by the Iguanas and many other bands on Thursday and Friday, but there’s plenty of music still on tap for Saturday. Check the schedule here.

The TSA, which has nearly doubled the number of checkpoint screening lanes at MSY for the post-game period, has issued its own list of tips for Super Bowl fans and, on its blog, listed “Items you may WANT to bring on the plane; but CAN’T…”

The list includes air horns and flasks filled with liquor, especially “concealment flasks” disguised as something else: “Binocular flasks, beer bellies, cell phone flasks, cane flasks, pen flasks, flip-flop flasks, you name it… You may be able to sneak these into concerts and sporting events, but we’ll find them at the airport,” the TSA warns on its blog.

The TSA also urged Baltimore Ravens fans traveling with a live ravens to check with their airlines for the rules on traveling with pets and warned fans of the San Francisco 49ers that gold mining implements such as pick axes and shovels are prohibited as carry-on items.

Sports fans planning tailgating events were reminded to leave propane tanks, gas heaters and stoves out of checked or carry-on baggage and that, due to restrictions on carrying more than 3.4 ounces of liquids in carry-on bags, food items such as dips, spreads, BBQ sauce, peanut butter, salsa and other items more than 3.4 ounces should be put in checked, not carry-on bags.

Monday, February 4th will likely be the busiest post-game day at the airport, and on that day the TSA will have checkpoints open 24/7.

If you’re flying in on Saturday or flying out after the game, here are some transportation tips from New Orleans Host Committee and from Airport Chatter.

(Photo courtesy NewOrleansOnline.com)

Forget the Super Bowl. Party at the New Orleans airport.

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The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is all gussied up and ready for the throngs of football fans making their way to town for the Super Bowl XLVII festivities.

New Orleans mugs

In addition to Super Bowl souvenirs already on sale at the airport, there are many new restaurants and shops. And the airport has a stellar line-up of music planned to entertain arriving passengers. From Thursday, January 31, through Saturday, February 2, here are the bands on tap:

new orleans music

The exact music schedule won’t be out until Wednesday. And while you might not get a police escort like the one the Baltimore Ravens got on arrival, it’s a sure bet that anytime you touch down in New Orleans this week, it’s going to be a party.

NEW ORLEANS RAVENS police escort

(Photos courtesy Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport)

Super Bowl bound? The New Orleans Airport is ready

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Going to New Orleans for the Super Bowl?

Chances are you’ll be flying in and arriving at Louis Armstrong-New Orleans International Airport (MSY). And if you haven’t been there for a while, you may be surprised.  As part of a $300 million modernization project finished just in time for the big game – and all those visitors – the airport now has several new concessions, including a New Orleans Saints store, and a nice variety of local brand restaurants.

MSY Zatarains Kitchen

Look for Dooky Chase’s (Parabola Lobby), Ye Olde College Inn (Concourse D), Copeland’s Cheesecake Scoops (Concourse D), Wow Wingery (D), Copeland’s Gourmet Kitchen (C), Le Petit Bistro (B), Zatarians (B), Praline Connection (B), Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuit (Terminal), West Beignet (Parabola Lobby) and Lucky Dog – on all concourses.

The airport also has a special Super Bowl section on its website outlining some of the special treats they have in store for visitors and some advice for making your way to and through the airport before, during and after game time.

Flying tips for Super Bowl fans

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If you’re flying to or from Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI this weekend, the TSA has some advice for you.

Packing for the game? TSA blogger Bob Burns lists some popular game-day items that won’t fly. Those include air horns (compressed air) and propane tanks (compressed gas), which are prohibited from both carry-on and checked baggage. Gas heaters and stoves (popular tailgating accessories) are permitted, but they may be turned away if they smell of gas.

For travelers determined to bring their own refreshments to the game in a concealment flask, Burns notes: “We’ve seen them all. Binocular flasks, beer bellies, cell phone flasks … You may be able to sneak these into concerts and sporting events, but we’ll find them at the airport.”

His advice? Pack your libations in your luggage or stock up once you arrive in Indianapolis. Although he does point out that travelers are permitted to put bottles of liquid 3.4 oz or less in those carry-on zippered baggies.

TSA will use generic-image, millimeter wave scanners at Indianapolis International Airport, and the agency will work with law enforcement at the Super Bowl. Contrary to rumors, Burns said the TSA will not be employing body scanners at the stadium.

Planning your game day outfit? Burns suggests that anyone wearing a loose-fitting sports jersey as outerwear may be asked to remove it at a security checkpoint. He adds that New England Patriot fans should be ready to remove their tri-cornered hats (Cheeseheads, he said, get the same treatment) and that New York Giants fans should be prepared to duck when going through the airport metal detectors and scanners.

Cue the rim shot….

If you’ve got some extra time to spend at the IND airport, keep in mind that many shops will be offering special Super Bowl souvenirs (including championship items rushed to the airport when the game is over).  There’s also a pop-up, hotel-style lobby from Courtyard Marriott on Concourse A, just past the security checkpoint, and a full day of entertainment on tap Monday in the airport’s pre-security Civic Plaza lobby.

Check here for the latest information about extended hours and offerings at IND airport.

IND Airport pop-up lobby, courtesy Courtyard Marriott

 

 

Make it a museum weekend

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 I’m a big fan of museums and a big fan of free.

So that makes me a big fan of Bank of America’s  Museums on Us program, which offers Bank of America and Merrill Lynch debit and/or credit cardholders free admission to more than 100 museums, zoos, science centers and other cultural attractions around the country on the first full weekend of each month.

This is February’s first full weekend, so if you’ve got one of these cards – and supposedly one out of every two households does – it’s time to check the list and go see a museum for free.

The list of participating institutions recently expanded from 100 to 150 museums, so there’s a good chance you’ll find a free museum in your city or in the city you’re visiting.

Where can you go? The list includes the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC, the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, CA, MUZEO, Los Angeles, and the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, MO.  

And  if you happen to be in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and aren’t into football,  you can use your card to get free admission to the Dallas Museum of Art  and the Museum of Nature & Science in Dallas  and the Museum of Science and History in Fort Worth, which includes the Fort Worth Children’s Museum, a planetarium, dinosaurs, an exhibition on energy that includes a 30-foot tall drilling apparatus and the Cattle Raisers Museum, which tells the story of Texas and Southwestern cattle raisers.

Tidbits for travelers: Pep rally at PIT, Oompah at Gatwick, Kong at Orlando Airport

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PIT T REX Steelers

(Even PIT’s T Rex is excited about the Steelers being in the Super Bowl)

Super Bowl mania is reaching into airports: four airlines have added extra flights from Pittsburgh to Dallas for the Super Bowl and on Friday morning (February 4th), Pittsburgh International Airport will be hosting a black-and-gold-themed pep rally for Arlington-bound Steelers fans.

The rally will take place in the airside terminal between 8:30 and noon and feature live music, special guests, “Hudsy” the Dog from Hudson Booksellers, Steelers merchandise and lots of excited fans.

To celebrate two new airberlin routes, The Bavarian Strollers will be playing oompah-filled songs at Gatwick Airport and Victoria Station on Monday, February 7th. The song list will be made up of requests voted on via Twitter and four random voters will win airberlin tickets from Gatwick Airport to Nuremburg or Hanover.  Details on the airberlin oompah contest here.

And there’s a new video arcade at Orlando International Airport: the “King of Kong” arcade is in the main terminal near the food court.  At the grand opening Twin Galaxies, the authority on video game high scores and world records, unveiled a set of video-game-related trading cards. The first two cards in the series feature Billy Mitchell and Walter Day. Mitchell has numerous world records for Donkey Kong and Pac-Man; Day is known as the founding father of organized video game playing and competitions.