Top 10 layover airports

Flyers are spending more and more time in terminals, thanks to long layovers and recommendations that travellers arrive hours before their scheduled departure time. Thankfully, as the wait time has increased, so has the calibre of airports’ amenities – in style and sophistication. The offerings in some terminals – from drinking and dining, to ways and places to relax, to the old favourite, duty-free shopping – mean some travellers may soon be visiting these airports as destinations themselves.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Amsterdam, Netherlands

It’s only fitting that Amsterdam, one of the world’s most memorable cities has one of its most original airports. Inside the airport, there’s a free branch of the national Rijksmuseum where you can take in art from van Gogh and other Dutch masters. Those feeling lucky can try their hands at the in-airport casino for the chance to win big before taking off. If you want to squeeze more time into seeing Amsterdam, high-speed trains run downtown frequently. And Schiphol has one of the coolest offerings of any airport anywhere: a wedding chapel for those wishing to take off in newly wedded bliss.

Singapore Changi Airport – Singapore

The hyper-organized city-state naturally boasts one of the best laid out and passenger-friendly airports in the world. Besides some of the best pre-flight shopping, the airport offers peaceful gardens complete with koi ponds to soak up some relaxation before flying, a live butterfly garden with a 20-foot waterfall, and free movie theatres in two terminals. Those with enough time before takeoff can take the free two-hour tour of Singapore and be back in time for boarding.

San Francisco International Airport – San Francisco, California, United States

Making travel smarter, the brainy city by the Bay has its own major cultural institution. The Airport Museum hosts a plethora of art, science and cultural exhibits, including galleries that show more than 40 exhibits per year. One of the coolest airport features anywhere is the Steinhart Aquarium, which features aquatic wildlife from around the world. To help take the stress out of travel with a little “om”, there’s an in-terminal yoga studio. If you’re travelling with little ones, San Francisco International caters to children, with an array of children’s programs, including educational programming within the airport museum, exhibits of Bay Area students’ artwork, and an educational Kids’ Spot, a play area in conjunction with the city’s Exploratorium science museum.

Munich Airport Centre – Munich, Germany

It’s fitting that passengers transiting or leaving Germany can take advantage themselves of traditional German hospitality and cultural accoutrements. From the wurst-filled Airbräu biergarten to a seasonal traditional Christmas market complete with an outdoor ice skating rink to the beautiful, ultra-modern Terminal 2, flyers are treated to the best of German customs, old and new.

Dubai International Airport – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

With its ambitious and grandiose plans to make itself a world centre, Dubai boasts an airport that is no exception, rapidly closing in on the title of world’s busiest. Besides having some of the best luxury and duty-free shopping anywhere – nearly 50,000 square feet of it – the immaculately kept facilities include a gym and pool for a pre-flight workout, as well as children’s play areas, and a tranquil Zen garden to relieve travel-related stress.

Incheon Airport – Seoul, South Korea

Incheon is both one of the world’s 10 busiest airports and one of the most highly rated by passengers. Fittingly, its amenities and user-friendliness match this. Besides the ubiquitous shopping options, there is a spa for unwinding before and after flights, internet lounges, children’s play areas and even an enormous golf course, practice range included.

London Heathrow Airport – London, England
Paradoxically, for one of the world’s most derided airports, Heathrow in London is very well-regarded in terms of its layover options. Shopping opportunities abound, anchored by an 11,000-square-foot branch of the famous Harrods department store in Terminal 3. There are other luxury British boutiques as well, such as Burberry and Thomas Pink. To catch some Zs, you can check into one of Yotel’s space-stationy, pod-like “rooms,” in Terminal 4, which are available by the hour.

Vancouver International Airport – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
As both the gateway to Canada’s West Coast and the Asia-Pacific region, Vancouver’s ultramodern airport straddles both sides of the world with gleaming style and comfort. Summer features Take Off Fridays, bringing all the aspects of a fair to the airport, including free food, an “Underground Circus” with acrobats, caricaturists, local musicians, and DJs spinning right in the terminals. Befitting its maritime location, there is a branch of Vancouver’s aquarium, with a 31,000-gallon tank inhabited by over 5,000 members of British Columbian sea life, including fish, eels, urchins, and anemones. There’s even a smaller tank, just for showing native jellyfish. If you’re hungry, there are even fine dining options, including a formal Japanese restaurant with a revolving sushi bar showing off the airport’s mountains-meet-ocean location. Native art from the coastal Pacific Northwest adorns the airport throughout, in one of the largest such collections in the world. Search and compare cheap flights to Vancouver.

John F. Kennedy International Airport – New York, New York, United States

The best-known feature of this New York airport is the original TWA terminal, completed in 1962 during the early Jet Age. Its distinctive shape evokes a bird’s wings, and is recognized as an architectural masterpiece and preserved as an official landmark. It was reopened in 2008 as Terminal 5 – or simply T5 – with the building incorporated into JetBlue’s home base, without losing its luster. JetBlue even puts on a series of shows there, known as “Live From T5”, that features acts like Hot Chip, Sarah McLachlan, Kany Garcia and others. Search and compare cheap flights to New York.

Hong Kong International Airport – Hong Kong

This futuristic airport sits on an artificial island off of Hong Kong Harbour and features the world’s second-busiest passenger terminal, with amenities befitting its status. There’s the requisite collection of luxury and duty-free shopping, including Chanel, Prada, and other couture lines, as well as high-end electronics and liquor. Most striking is the SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course, a full 9-hole regulation golf course, where you can yell “Fore!” before taking off. It’s even fully lit for nighttime golfing. For the athletically inclined, there’s iSports, a sports simulator, where you can play basketball, soccer and auto racing. There’s even an IMAX movie theatre, showing immersive hit 2D and 3D films.

(Images: splash, visualpanic; Schiphol, UggBoy♥UggGirl; Singapore Changi, Jos Dielis; Munich, Munich Airport; Dubai, Indichick7; Incheon, WSTAY.com; Heathrow, UggBoy♥UggGirl; Hong Kong, denn; JFK, wallyg; SFO, luisvilla; Vancouver, FHKE)