Airports are the places we simply love to hate. Between delayed flights, extended waiting times, missing luggage, expensive food and queues for days, there isn’t much room for things to go right in airport terminals, much less to actually have a good time in them. But there are a select few that make the stress of travel all the more bearable; from yoga classes to cinema complexes—these are the airports you’re going to want to plan your travels around.
Changi Airport, Singapore (above)
When it comes to airports, even those that make this list pale in comparison to Singapore’s Changi Airport. So what if Seoul has a cinema?—Changi has several that operate 24 hours a day, playing the latest blockbusters at no charge to travellers. And Munich’s beer garden is nothing compared to Changi’s display of gardens; take your pick from sunflowers, orchids and cacti, all of which have their own beautiful space. There is also a butterfly garden, koi pond, a 12-metre slide, and a rooftop pool.
And just this year, a new 137,000 square-metre airport complex called Jewel opened at Changi. Featuring a huge 14,000 square-metre garden space called Canopy Park, it’s home to some 1,400 trees and palms, not to mention the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. There’s also the Changi Experience Studio, a 90-minute virtual reality tour and a host of other cool shopping and dining options. Oh, and did we mention Changi already has three transit hotels, with rooms that can be rented in 6-hour increments, as well as dedicated sleep and relaxation lounges peppered through the airport? Talk about state of the art.
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International airport does a pretty good job at distracting travellers in transit. There is an IMAX theatre where guests can retreat while waiting for connecting flights, and an aviation centre where you can learn exactly how planes get you from A to B. What the international airport does really well though, is offer an array of traditional Cantonese cuisine to try, giving those just stopping by Hong Kong a taste of the city and culture. That, and luxury shopping.
Helsinki Airport
The Finnish airport has a dedicated yoga and relaxation room offering various classes—one of which claims to help relive jet lag. Skeptical? If it works, you’ll be jet lag free for your holiday, and if it doesn’t, at least you got to enjoy a relaxing yoga class in what is typically a very stressful setting. Hey, we’ll try anything once.
John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York
Unlike Australia, travellers in the US are able to bring their pets onboard flights, so long as they are placed in a small crate at the passenger’s feet. Terminal 5 at JFK features a ‘wooftop’— a grassed terrace space where travellers can get some fresh air, stretch their legs and hang out with their pooch prior to boarding their flight. With pets in mind, JFK is also home to The Ark, a dedicated terminal for animals travelling as live cargo, ensuring their safe handling on flights.
Munich International Airport
Click Here: watford fc shirtThanks to a large rooftop space, Munich International Airport features various open-air displays that transform with the seasons. Year round you will find a beer garden equipped with wheat beer and Bavarian dishes, but come August, a giant wave pool is installed for free surfing while you wait for your flight (guests need to register in advance). Now that’s certainly better than wandering around aimlessly and/or scrolling your Instagram feed, wasting your phone’s precious battery life. No wonder it’s won awards for best European airport numerous times.
Queenstown Airport
For an airport with the most remarkable view, Queenstown Airport takes the cake. Situated in a cove off Lake Wakatipu, as you fly in (or out) you are graced with breathtaking views of the Remarkables mountain range on one side, and Coronet Peak on the other. Stunning stuff.
Incheon International Airport, Seoul
How does a free shower with supplied towels and toiletries after a 10-hour flight from Sydney sound? Not a bath person? Why not experience a traditional Korean bath house? Seoul Incheon has all your hygiene needs covered. The airport also features a sky garden, various beauty salons, a sauna and spa, an ice-skating rink and cinemas. And if you happen to spill your frozen coke on your white blouse mid-screening of the latest Korean drama, you can pop down to the airport’s very own laundry to fix yourself up.