Lines, security checks and travel delays all add to stress at the airport.
Luckily for travelers, airports are starting to roll out a host of perks that make flying a little more bearable. Here are five airport amenities designed to ease travel stress and maybe even encourage some airport fun.
Therapy Pets
In December, the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) welcomed LiLou, the first known airport therapy pig in the U.S. Decked out in costumes and painted nails, LiLou joined the SFO Wag Brigade, made up of more than 300 dog, cat and rabbit volunteer teams, to perform tricks and provides comfort to nervous travelers. Other airports that offer pet-therapy programs include Miami, San Jose and Los Angeles, to name a few.
Yoga/Meditation Rooms
Another airport-amenity first started at SFO with the introduction of a yoga or meditation room for travelers to distress and properly stretch before boarding a plane. Other airports that have joined the yoga room trend include Dallas-Ft. Worth; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
Nap Pods
Getting some quality rest is close to impossible when you’re traveling, which is why sleeping during a layover can be quite the airport perk. Airports in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas as well as Abu Dhabi, London, Beijing and Tokyo offer their own version of a nap room. All of the private cubicles feature a flat bed, and some even have TVs or work spaces that make the rooms usable for more than just a quick snooze.
Drinks on the Go
Nashville International Airport in Tennessee has an airport-wide, beer-and-liquor license, which allows travelers to carry to-go alcoholic beverages away from the bar and throughout the secure side of the terminal. This way travelers can investigate some of the airport’s other amenities such as massage and manicure services, local artwork and live music.
Aquariums
Vancouver International Airport is continuously ranked one of the world’s best airports year after year, and it likely has a lot to do with the Vancouver Aquarium available for travelers to peruse in the airport’s domestic terminal. The aquarium is comprised of a 30,000-gallon tank with about 5,000 ocean creatures as well as another tank dedicated solely to jellyfish.
