Throughout 2023, vacationers returned to the skies in document numbers, and airports did their half to assist clean out the journey journey — or a minimum of make it a bit extra enjoyable and fascinating.
As we look ahead to nice adventures in 2024, this is a glance again at 10 of the most effective new facilities and occasions we noticed in airports in 2023. Tell us if we missed your favourite.
New airport terminal in Kansas Metropolis has that yummy barbecue scent
In February, Kansas Metropolis Worldwide Airport (MCI) opened its long-awaited and much-needed new 40-gate terminal. The $1.5 billion facility dazzles with an enormous check-in corridor, glass jet bridges, nice artwork and a big selection of regionally branded retailers and eating places, together with a barbecue restaurant with the one wood-burning barbecue pit in an airport.
Accessibility guidelines within the new MCI. Along with a aid space for service animals, the brand new MCI has an inclusive play zone, a quiet room, a sensory room, household restrooms and nursing rooms. There’s additionally a mock airplane the place new and nervous flyers can take a look at out the check-in, safety, boarding and flight expertise.
Love within the airport
On Valentine’s Day, vacationers at California’s Lengthy Seashore Airport (LGB) have been capable of get free custom-crafted love poems tapped out on an vintage Remington typewriter by West Hollywood Metropolis Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace. A second typewriter was obtainable for many who wished to kind their very own poems or messages.
The Clark County Clerk’s Workplace in Las Vegas as soon as once more introduced its pop-up marriage license kiosk again to Harry Reid Worldwide Airport (LAS) for Valentine’s Day, permitting {couples} to skip a go to to the license bureau downtown and go on to their wedding ceremony ceremony.
The pop-up marriage license bureau is again at LAS for the final week of December to accommodate all of the lovebirds heading to Las Vegas to get married Dec. 31.
New Yr’s Eve is already a well-liked day to get married in Sin Metropolis, however this yr the date — which might be written as 1-2-3-1-2-3 — is taken into account auspicious.
April Fools’ Day airport pranks
On April Fools’ Day, airports provided vacationers a contemporary batch of enjoyable pranks and fake press releases. Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT) introduced that it was eradicating all its much-loved rocking chairs “to create a extra open really feel” contained in the terminals. Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN) promised the DEN Crimson Eye, the world’s first airport Ferris wheel. And Minneapolis-St. Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP) launched an only-in-Minnesota amenity: the Lutefisk Contemporary merchandising machine.
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Airport youngster care
Some airports across the nation, together with San Franciso Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), supply sponsored youngster care for workers at close by facilities. However in July, Pittsburgh Worldwide Airport (PIT) grew to become the primary airport to open a toddler care middle on-site, in a surplus a part of the terminal as soon as utilized by US Airways.
The middle will not handle your youngsters when you pop into an airport bar for a preflight cocktail, however PIT’s on-site youngster care middle is a welcome amenity for airport staff. A number of different airports, together with Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX), are actively engaged on research and services that increase youngster care choices for workers.
Extra customer move applications
In September, Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO) joined the record of airports that supply an airside customer move. The move presents entry to the MCO’s swanky Terminal C, which opened in September 2022 to rave critiques, because of towering “Eternally Timber” and a collection of immersive artwork installations.
Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL) joined the customer move celebration in October with the introduction of its Wingmate Visitor Cross program, which comes with a bonus of eating and procuring offers from PHL retailers.
Flush with delight: BWI has America’s Finest Restroom
Airports proceed to roll out new and improved restrooms. And people efforts and investments are getting seen.
In September, Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) claimed the throne within the 2023 America’s Finest Restroom contest. New loos at BWI are brilliant and spacious, with home windows that present each pure gentle and privateness, touchless fixtures, full-height stalls and doorways, crimson and inexperienced gentle occupancy indicators for the stalls, and different facilities.
In 2022, Tampa Worldwide Airport (TPA) took the highest spot on this contest.
All LAX terminals now linked post-security. Lastly
Touring by Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) has loads of points and frustrations.
However this yr, one of many extra irritating roadblocks fell away when LAX opened the post-security walkway between Terminal 3 and the Tom Bradley Worldwide Terminal, finishing the post-security connection between all of the terminals at LAX.
A post-security stroll at LAX is about 2 miles from Terminal 1 to Terminal 8. However as soon as you’re post-security in any terminal, you are now capable of make connections extra simply and entry the retailers, eating places, lounges, paintings, leisure and different facilities in all of the terminals.
Fort Wayne Worldwide Airport loves its clients. And feeds them
Yr-round, Hospitality Hosts at Fort Wayne Worldwide Airport (FWA) welcome passengers with a (wrapped) cookie from a close-by bakery. However this yr, throughout Buyer Appreciation Week in October, the airport took issues up a notch by treating passengers to free, enjoyable meals every day. Along with a popcorn bar, a caramel apple bar, a sizzling canine bar and a strolling taco bar with all method of toppings, the airport offered passengers with a espresso and sizzling chocolate bar.
Baggage gargoyles return to Denver Worldwide Airport
In 1995, an artwork piece by Terry Allen titled Notre Denver, made up of two bronze gargoyles sitting inside suitcases, was put in within the east and west bag declare areas at Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN). They have been tasked with ensuring DEN baggage arrived safely, however the ornamental duo spent about 5 years in storage because of airport development.
In October, the gargoyles returned to their perches, simply in time to guard passengers’ vacation baggage. Sadly, there seems to be no plan to deliver again DEN’s chatty gargoyle, which made an look in 2019.
Free books at Miami Worldwide Airport
A handful of airports across the nation, together with Oregon’s Eugene Airport (EUG), have free brief story dispensers on-site. Others, comparable to Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL), have kiosks or guide nooks the place passengers might swap a paperback for one more or obtain free digital books.
Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) is the most recent airport to hop on the guide trade program.
In mid-December, MIA debuted its colourful Books with an Altitude Library within the airport’s South Terminal, between gates H5 and H7. The Miami-Dade Public Library System seeded the library with a donation of 1,000 books, and passengers at the moment are refreshing the choice with their exchanged books.
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