Over the Thanksgiving travel holiday, the Transportation Security Administration expects to screen a record 26.8 million passengers in U.S. airports. No wonder the week of Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of year to fly.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport calls itself "America's Friendliest Airport." Part of that hospitality is offering a range of amenities to make the flying experience more enjoyable, including several places where you can find a little peace during the hustle and bustle of the holiday travel season.
If you have a little extra time on your hands while waiting for your flight, here are a few spots where you can decompress to check out.
Art galleries
Terminals 3 and 4 have art exhibitswhere you can take a break from the crowd while taking in some great art.
Terminal 3's gallery is after security. Its current exhibit is "Airborne:Inflated Steel Sculpture" by Jeremy Thomas. (You can also spot some of his work near the Sky Train portal before security.) The gallery is open 24 hours a day.
In Terminal 4, the gallery on Level 3, which is outside security, is hosting "Art on a Cellular Level." It's open6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
Other art exhibits are scattered throughout the airport. If taking a stroll will help you pass the time, here's what you'll find:
Terminal 2
- Entryway: "100 Years, 100 Ranchers" photography by Scott Baxter.
Terminal 3
- Level 1: "Weaving Through Time: Grand Canyon National Park - Celebrating 100 Years."
- Level 1: "Making Faces" collage portraitsby Sebastiao Pereira.
- Level 1: "People Watching at the Airport."
- Level 2:"The Story Continues: Pueblo Grande Museum at 90."
- Level 4:"Intimate and Expansive"ceramic art by Tiffany C. Bailey.
Terminal 4
- Level 2: "Shaping Sound," the art of guitar making.
- Level 3:"Memory and Mystery" paintings by James G. Davis.
- Level 3: "From Press to Print, Xico Arte y Cultura.
- Level 3: "Art on a Cellular Level."
Aviation exhibits
If you're into aviation history, the airport has exhibits for that as well. In Terminal 4, Level 3, near the food court, you'll find Hats in the Air, a collection of aviation uniforms.
Pet a Navigator Buddy
If you needs some pets and snuggles, look for one of Sky Harbor's Navigator Buddies. These roaming volunteers — and their people — are part of a registered pet therapy program intended to "create a positive travel experience for travelers by offering assistance, comfortand a way to reduce stress," the airport says.
Visit the chapel
If you need some quiet time to reflect, you might check out the chapel in Terminal 4, Level 3. It's open 24 hours a dayto people of all faiths as well asanyone withsensory issues who might need a place to decompress.
Treat yourself to spa time
Xpress Spa offers massages, manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing in twolocations in Terminal 4. Both are open6 a.m.-10 p.m. Find them near D Gates 1-3 and B Gates 15-28.
Plane spotting
Once you're past security, these places offerthe best views of the runways:
- Terminal 4:D Concourse.
- Terminal 2:South end.
- Terminal 3:South Concourse.
Buy a lounge pass
American, United, British Airways and Delta havelounges at Sky Harbor. Check our our list of all of them and how you can get in.You can buy day passes to United's and American's. Or see if your credit card offers lounge access. Most airline credit cards (minus Southwest) offer some level of access as a benefit.
Aluxe new Centurion lounge, a benefit of the American Express Centurion and Platinum cards,is set toopen at Sky Harbor. In conjunction with the opening of that exclusive club, a newEscape Loungewill offerday passes for $40 online, $45 at the door. You don't have to be an American Express customer.
It would seem smart to open thosein time for the holiday travel season, but reps for the lounges are not giving any hints as to a date.
Sky Harbor no longer offers a lounge with Priority Pass access, a popular benefit of some travel credit cards.
USO Center
If you're a current member of the military or a retiree, theUSO Center at Sky Harboris open to you and your dependents. You'll need to present a valid I.D. and boarding pass.
Play-Viation Park
When Sky Harbor unveiled the revampedTerminal 3, it also unveiled an attraction for the smallest travelers. The Play-ViationPark offers kids a chance to run off some of their energy before boarding. It won't be quiet, but it might help a flight with your kids go more smoothly.
Grab a co*cktail
There have been some additionsto the adult beverage scene at Sky Harbor in the past year.
Terminal 3 now has a SanTan Brewery. You can get a tasting flight that allows you to sample beers while you wait for your actual flight.
Another local favorite, O.H.S.O. Brewery has opened a second Sky Harbor location. It's in Terminal 4 near Gate B9. The original Sky Harbor location is in Terminal 2.
The usual caveat:Please drinkresponsibly.
Is your familytakinga multi-generational trip in 2020? We'dlove to hear your questions about how to plan and waysto keep the peace.We'll share tips in a future column. Email your questions to Arizona Republic Consumer Travel Reporter Melissa Yeager at melissa.yeager@azcentral.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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