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Stuck in an airport this holiday season? 7 things to do at some of America’s biggest terminals

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Stuck in an airport this holiday season? 7 things to do at some of America’s biggest terminals

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With holiday travel predicted to soar over pre-pandemic numbers this season, it’s smart to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

According to AAA, air travel set a new record during Thanksgiving, with 5.84 million people flying domestically. That number is an increase of 2% compared to last year and a nearly 11% increase over 2019. The same type of increase is expected for travel between the Christmas and New Year holidays.

With this in mind, we’ve rounded up some interesting ways to spend your extra time in airports across the country, including at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport.

Air travelers in Louisville for instance, can spend time in the airport’s elevated bourbon tasting room. For those traveling through Oregon, therapy llamas roam the concourse at the Portland International Airport. Yoga studios are another calming amenity popular in airports across the country such as Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and more.

Mesmerizing light and music tunnels, like the 700-foot corridor at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, offer a colorful walking journey between concourses, while gourmet restaurants and bars also help travelers pass the time in airports across the country.

To help you fill your time while you wait for take-off, here are seven airports, in alphabetical order, with amenities you might not expect.

Chicago, Illinois, flychicago.com

There is plenty of buzz at Hudson Newsstands located throughout Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. In 2011, O’Hare became the first airport in the US to offer some of its extra space up to 200 bee hives which are managed by BeeLove. The business’s hive-to-jar products, which include jars of local honey and honey-based skincare products, are made from bees living on the premises. BeeLove trains and employs people returning from incarceration.

Bees aren’t the only unique aspect of this Chicagoland airport. O’Hare is home to numerous art installations, children’s play spaces, a 75-foot-long fiberglass replica of a Brachiosaurus skeleton on display in Terminal 1, a yoga studio, and a full-service spa where you can spend your layover having your finger and toe nails painted or enjoy a relaxing massage.

Denver, Colorado, flydenver.com

Looking for something out of this world? Concourse C at Denver International Airport is home to the Meow Wolf gift shop. Meow Wolf, an arts production company that creates immersive, multimedia experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms, has locations in Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Denver, and Grapevine and Houston, Texas.

Fans of Meow Wolf can spend time in this exclusive airport shopping playground where you can snag a piece of the Meow Wolf multiverse. Featuring fantastical artifacts and remnants of the otherworldly portals, travelers can score Cosmic Plushies, Creature Feature Water Bottles, and even Cozy Noodle blankets, plus exclusive Meow Wolf apparel including t-shirts and hoodies.

For those with more time to kill in Denver, enjoy some fresh air at one of the airport’s three outdoor decks. Complete with firepits and modern seating, these outdoor decks are open year-round, subject to weather.

Las Vegas, Nevada, harryreidairport.com

Jackpot! If you are jonesing to try your luck one last time before leaving Las Vegas, get to the airport early.

This November, one lucky airline passenger won a $1.57 million jackpot at a “Wheel of Fortune” slot machine while waiting for his flight at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The machine, located at T1 baggage claim, hit Triple Red Hot Sevens on a gold spin.

Are you feeling lucky? There are dozens of slot machines where travelers can press their luck when departing or arriving on a flight into the famed gaming town.

St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota, mspairport.com

Located in Terminal 1 of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport, you’ll find a Prince-themed store, named just “Prince” after the renowned American singer and multi-instrumentalist. Shop here for Prince-themed apparel, CDs, vinyl, and more. Prince, who died in 2016, was a Minneapolis local and is known as one of the greatest musicians in the world.

For travelers with a longer layover, the airport has teamed up with the American Heart Association’s nationally recognized Start! Walking program to offer a way to stay fit while traveling. Walk the official 1.4-mile walking path at Terminal 1, or kick it up a notch and add a few more concourses.

Want to learn more about the people and culture of Minnesota and the region while traveling through MSP Airport? The See18 film screening room is the perfect place for both.

Located between Gates C18 and C19 at MSP Airport’s Terminal 1, the screening room features 21 new films – most just a few minutes long – around the theme of “Someone That Looks Like Me: Exploring Identity and Place Through Minnesota Arts and Culture.”

Louisville, Kentucky, flylouisville.com

Horse racing, baseball, and bourbon take center stage at the Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville.

Located before you pass through TSA security, the Churchill Downs Store offers Louisville and Kentucky-centric items including plenty of Louisville Slugger merchandise, which is perfect for a last-minute gift purchase. Or if you find yourself post-security with time on your hands, there are specialty retail shops with more unique Kentucky items including the Distillery District Marketplace and Hip & Humble, which sells a variety of unique gifts, travel essentials, and female-forward offerings.

For a final sip of bourbon before you leave Kentucky, stop by the one-of-a-kind bourbon experience at the Bourbon Academy Tasting Room. This elevated bar and dining experience is located post-security featuring a great menu, over 80 of Kentucky’s best bourbons, and a unique view of the tarmac.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, flypittsburgh.com

Fraley’s Robot Repair in the Pittsburg International Airport is not what it looks like. Nothing is for sale here and no robots are repaired at this shop. This is the work of installation artist Toby Fraley, who rearranges the charming scene inside his storefront regularly. Located in  Concourse A, this novelty public art installation called PIT Robot Repair is a faux storefront that emulates an antiquated repair shop – for robots.

Each of the airports we’ve mentioned offers nursing and changing areas for families who are traveling. The Pittsburgh International Airport goes a step further with a special space for air travelers with autism and other neurodevelopmental challenges. The Sensory Room, Presley’s Place, offers a calming space with stuffed chairs, gentle lighting, and an opportunity to participate in a realistic airplane experience.

Portland, Oregon, flypdx.com

Our final stop on this airport tour is ideal for movie buffs on flights that take you through the Pacific Northwest. Oregon’s Portland International Airport is home to a 22-seat microcinema, which shows 10-minute shorts made by regional filmmakers and is located after security in the airport’s C Concourse.

And don’t forget to be on the lookout for the airport’s animal therapy program. Besides adorable canines, llamas and alpacas also help to calm anxious passengers. Additionally, this airport features live trees bathed in natural light and lofty ceilings built with locally sourced Douglas Fir.

Happy travels!

Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

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