The very best airport facilities of 2024

Airports may be crowded and vexing locations to spend your time. They may also be charming, enjoyable and shocking.

In 2024, Milwaukee Mitchell Worldwide Airport (MKE) introduced again its coat examine service, and Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Worldwide Airport (LAS) hosted one other pop-up marriage license bureau round Valentine’s Day. Plus, throughout this presidential election yr, Oregon’s Rogue Valley Worldwide Medford Airport (MFR) reminded vacationers that there is a reproduction of the Oval Workplace for hire on the airport.

As we begin plotting out 2025 journey adventures, here is a roundup of a few of the finest new facilities and occasions airports across the nation rolled out in 2024.

Shock and delight occasions at IND’s Civic Plaza

Whereas most airports put key providers and facilities behind safety, Indianapolis Worldwide Airport (IND) maintains an lively and welcoming presecurity central corridor referred to as the Civic Plaza. It has a 35-foot-high ceiling and a five-story window wall, in addition to loads of eating venues, retailers and artwork.

And the airport places it to intelligent use.

In January, when Indianapolis hosted NBA All-Star Weekend 2024, a full-size (94-foot by 50-foot) reproduction of a basketball courtroom made with vinyl adhesive appeared within the Civic Plaza. Free throws and pickup video games weren’t allowed, but it surely was a giant hit.

When Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” got here to city in November, the airport turned Civic Plaza into Swift Metropolis. It was full with Woman Scouts making and handing out friendship bracelets, a 30-foot-tall picture of Taylor Swift, dwell music, a concert-themed menu and limited-time souvenirs.

And in December, Santa Claus did a observe run on the airport, racing throughout the taxiway in a hearth truck and coming into Civic Plaza on an airport-themed carpet.

SFO’s silent disco

In step with its standing as a “quiet” airport with minimal overhead bulletins, San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) launched a silent disco in February. It was appropriately dubbed the “San Fran-disco.”

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For a month, passengers have been invited to let their hair down and dance alongside to San Francisco-themed music utilizing their very own headphones in a specifically embellished postsecurity space of Harvey Milk Terminal 1.

Meteorites land at PWM

In March, airports in and across the path of totality for the April 8 whole photo voltaic eclipse have been gearing up for an inflow of passenger site visitors.

Constructing on the joy, Maine’s Portland Worldwide Jetport (PWM) debuted an exhibit of 18 meteorites. Titled “Fly Me to the Moon,” the exhibit included meteorites on mortgage for 5 years from the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum’s world-class meteorite assortment. The specimens embody the second-largest piece of moon on Earth, items of Mars and an iconic Gibeon meteorite that appears rather a lot like Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.”

Airports yuck it up for April Idiot’s Day

Many airports across the nation lean into April Idiot’s Day.

This yr, Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) shared a photograph of a aircraft totally coated in sticky notes.

Reno-Tahoe Worldwide Airport (RNO) launched Journey Tubes — a “human pneumatic tube system permitting you to pre-check within the Ticketing Corridor after which whiz straight to the gate.”

Virginia’s Norfolk Worldwide Airport (ORF) partnered up with its neighbor, Norfolk Botanical Backyard, to offer company a novel technique to journey between the backyard and the airport: a Sky Elevate providing nice views of each the airfield and the backyard’s 175 acres.

Salt Lake Metropolis Worldwide Airport (SLC) teased the opening of an underground tunnel with a serious artwork set up titled “River Tunnel” by claiming that the tunnel can be full of water. “Disneyesque-type boats will exchange shifting walkways and paddles will probably be supplied for passengers who need to row their very own boats,” SLC claimed.

SFO terminals now linked postsecurity

Final yr, we celebrated the truth that sprawling Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX) accomplished the ultimate postsecurity connection between all its terminals.

This yr, SFO did the identical.

In June, the final part of Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at SFO was accomplished. It options new museum galleries, a Transportation Safety Administration checkpoint accessible from the AirTrain station, further plane gates, a 3rd airport yoga room and new concessions. Higher but, there’s now a connecting walkway that hyperlinks all SFO terminals postsecurity.

Extra gate go packages

A rising record of airports presents gate go packages that enable nonticketed company to undergo the TSA safety checkpoint to greet an arriving passenger, spend extra time with a buddy or member of the family, or simply benefit from the terminal’s artwork, retailers and eating places. You’ll be able to apply for a gate go at airports in Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Orlando and Palm Springs, California, along with a handful of different cities.

In July, Nashville Worldwide Airport (BNA) turned the newest airport to undertake its model of the gate go program. The BNA Passport permits nonticketed passengers to benefit from the airport’s strong dwell music on a number of phases. Guests also can get pleasure from its “drinks to-go” coverage, which permits them to mosey across the postsecurity space with a cocktail or beer.

‘My First Flight’ buttons at ORF

Irrespective of in the event you’re a child or an grownup, your first flight on an airplane is an important day.

The workforce at ORF will get that. This yr, the airport purchased a button-making package so it might create memento buttons to assist passengers mark that giddy big day feeling.

ORF’s “My First Flight” buttons can be found on the airport info sales space; the airport’s Volunteer Ambassadors have a stash as properly.

PDX opens a tree-lined essential terminal

In August, Oregon’s Portland Worldwide Airport (PDX) opened its expansive and reimagined essential terminal designed by structure agency ZGF. A part of a $2.15 billion makeover, the spectacular forestlike presecurity area has a hovering timber roof; the newest in check-in and checkpoint expertise; greater than 70 dwell bushes; 5,000-plus dwell vegetation; and loads of artwork, retailers and eating places.

Stadium seating in the principle terminal is ideal for hanging out earlier than a flight with family and friends or listening to dwell music. And there is a deal with within the lounge space atop every financial institution of seating. PDX has faithfully recreated the much-loved teal-and-purple carpet sample that impressed hundreds of shoe selfies.

SLC brings again its world map

In 2024, SLC accomplished the third section of its redevelopment by opening a brand new underground tunnel. It additionally welcomed new artwork installations and shocked the touring public by asserting that the airport’s iconic terrazzo world map (first put in in 1960) had been saved.

When the brand new airport terminal was being constructed, engineers introduced that they could not save the map — however they did. The map is now again on view within the Concourse B Plaza.

LGB caps off its centennial yr with pickleball

California’s Lengthy Seashore Airport (LGB) celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2024 with a yearlong marketing campaign. It reopened its Historic Terminal, issued a collectible collection of posters within the model of the Work Tasks Administration’s nationwide park posters, put in a time capsule and jumped into the pickleball craze with a pop-up pickleball courtroom — simply in time for vacation travels.

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