By Lebawit Lily Girma, Bloomberg News
Sterile hallways, basic options for food and shopping, no glimpse of the outside world: This is what we often think about U.S. airports.
But as outdated facilities turn into swanky terminals, spending more time at the airport has grown tolerable, if not moderately pleasant. Upgraded concession programs have made for better meals— both sit-down and grab-and-go — while credit card companies have vastly improved the airport lounge game, and you can even get robot manicures from the types of airport “spas” that were once limited to 10-minute chair massages.
Now a new chapter of airport enhancement is kicking off. U.S. airports coast to coast are lately adding all sorts of outdoor spaces for the general flying public to enjoy—regardless of airline status or seat assignment. They include post-security observation decks, open-air lounges and microbrewery-inspired drinking holes that let you relax a bit before boarding your next flight.
Matt Needham, who leads aviation projects for global design and architecture firm HOK, says the trend is a way for airlines to address the increased stress of air travel. Carriers are increasingly thinking about airports as part of their own customer experience, he says, so they’re also signing the checks for these outdoor chill zones. “It makes a difference,” he says, if you can get “a little bit of sunshine and some breeze in your hair before you have to get on that pressurized tube.”
Related Articles
It’s the end of cheap flying as Americans tire of budget airlines
Bed & breakfasts are making a comeback, and here are some of the best towns to find them
The new rules of airline loyalty programs
Planning a trip abroad? Here’s how to protect the data on your devices at U.S. border searches
How cruise ship passengers can stay safe from the latest version of norovirus
Needham is just one of the architects at the forefront of this trend. His team’s most recent projects include such spaces at Salt Lake City International Airport — where the Delta Sky Lounge has an open-air patio with fans and heaters — as well as at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, where the new Capital One Landing lounge will feature an outdoor terrace when it opens later this year. Other firms, like Gensler, are also working on al fresco airport spaces across the country.
Currently, Needham is overseeing Monterey Airport’s new Terminal 1 in California, set to break ground this year and reach completion in late 2027. After travelers pass through its Transportation Security Administration lanes, they’ll find an outdoor terrace with views of the runways, which here are surrounded by towering Monterey pine trees.
But in some places, these outdoor spots can offer far more than a concrete terrace with runway views. In September, San Diego’s Terminal 1 is expected to unveil $3.8 billion in improvements that include a new terminal building, improved roadways, a parking plaza and — you guessed it — a giant outdoor terrace jointly created by Gensler and Turner-Flatiron. Its 5,000 square feet will be accessible from the new terminal’s food court, with a terrace, a complimentary lounge and an outdoor restaurant. And all of it will have sweeping views of San Diego’s harbor, downtown and the mountains to the east.
“If you were in a hotel room with that same view, that would be a $3,000-a-night penthouse suite,” says Terence Young, principal and design director at Gensler. “The sunlight, the sky, the view of the sunset over the masts of the boats — it’s pretty insane.”
Other designs are similarly taking into account a sense of place. By year’s end, four green terraces at Pittsburgh International Airport will evoke the woodsy landscapes of western Pennsylvania with more than 20 native and adaptive plant species such as Red Maple and Quaking Aspen trees. Their arrival comes with a new terminal, the focus of a $1.7 billion airport modernization project.
“We felt this biophilic design would be important for travelers as well as for staff,” says Christina Cassotis, chief executive officer at the airport.
Other major airports have added similar fresh air spaces in the past three years. They include the al fresco Nueces Brewing Bar at Corpus Christi International Airport in Texas, which serves specialty beers and cocktails, and a trio of decks at Denver International Airport — one in each concourse — all with fire pits, runway views and pet-friendly areas.
Given that airports tend to be tight on space and funding but replete with regulatory hurdles, there’s a limit to how far the trend can grow. But Young says airports are increasingly willing to fund these types of improvements for their staff as well as their passengers, especially as awareness grows around mental health and the needs of neurodivergent travelers.
Expect more greenery to make its way inside terminals too. Rooftop bars and outdoor terraces will soon be complemented by koi gardens and indoor greenhouses, say all the designers. Young even imagines farm-to-table airport dining, with the farm onsite. “And you could make it so that it is actually quiet,” he says, dreaming aloud, “even though you’re still at an airport.”
©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Leave a Reply