5 Features We Wish Every Airport Had 

Though some airports have made great strides in recent years in improving the passenger experience, the reality is, many airports still aren’t exactly bastions of comfort. Between security checkpoints, confusing layouts, and uncomfortable (and insufficient) seating, most airports are simply viewed as a necessary evil between point A and point B. The ones that aren’t often have clever amenities that could inspire you to arrive earlier than usual or plot a layover just to avail yourself of them. Here are five of the best airport amenities we wish there were more of.

Sleep Pods and Nap Rooms

Anyone who’s ever been forced to sleep on the floor during a long layover or delay has dreamed of a better way to rest at the airport. Enter: sleep pods and nap rooms. Though they’re still fairly rare, you can find them abroad in cities including Berlin and Seoul, as well as domestically in Detroit and Atlanta. Minute Suites, which are essentially small private rooms, will usually set you back $65 for an hour — which, in the middle of a 24-hour travel day, could feel like a bargain. Other companies offering similar services at a small-but-growing number of airports include Napcabs and GoSleep, a trend we’d like to see more of.

Movie Theaters

Why wait for the in-flight entertainment to see a movie when some airports have actual theaters? Singapore’s famed Changi Airport, consistently ranked the best airport in the world, has a free 50-seat theater that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On the domestic front we have Portland International Airport, whose PDX Airport Microcinema plays short films by local directors, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International, where travelers can stop by the See18 screening room, which also specializes in shorts. And while it might be tough to squeeze in a full movie without showing up especially early or having the mixed blessing of a long layover, it would certainly be nice to have the option in more than just a few airports.

Live Music

Bars, parks, and other public spaces have bands playing all the time, so why not airports? Well, some do — namely Austin and Nashville, cities known for their live music scenes — but they’re vanishingly rare. Since so many terminals have plenty of spots that could double as a makeshift stage, though, we hope to see more of them offer live entertainment — it can be a great distraction from an otherwise stressful travel day.

Libraries and Museums

On the other hand, if you’re seeking some quiet time before your flight, why not a library or museum? Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has you covered; its library and museum are both open to any travelers in search of solitude. Stateside, there’s also the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum and Library at San Francisco International Airport and MIA Galleries in Miami. Increasingly, airports are placing a focus on local art, an effective way to liven up otherwise drab terminal decor and shine a spotlight on homegrown creatives.

Therapy Animals

Should you find yourself at the airport in Dallas, Charlotte, Calgary, or Istanbul sometime soon, you might be lucky enough to be greeted by a therapy dog. They roam the terminal, sometimes wearing vests that say “pet me,” to calm down travelers during what can be a very stressful experience. This raises a very important question: Why doesn’t every airport have friendly pups, kittens, or even llamas asking you to pet them? Hopefully, we’ll see more of these programs rolled out soon.