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Most airports are soul-destroying places. But there are some glorious exceptions to the rule — hubs where a flight delay is almost welcome.
The U.S. has more than a few airports that go against the grain in being pleasant places to while away the time. They offer architecture that’s impressive, food and drink outlets that rival city-center hotspots and relaxation spaces fit for luxury hotels. Not to mention actual luxury hotels.
There’s the Minnesota airport with a $150,000 Steinway which passing passengers can play, the California hub where travelers may meet a crew of “therapy” animals, which includes a tutu-wearing pig named LiLou. And the Oregon terminal that’s like a giant community park, complete with trees.
In Colorado, meanwhile, there’s an airport with a bar hidden behind a fake bookshop, and one in Texas where dozens of live music performances take place every week. And there’s a treat for flyers in Tennessee — an airport with awe-inspiring architecture and some of the best chicken in the state.
These are the six U.S. airports that may just make you wish your flight is delayed.
1. Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport — Minnesota
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The vibe: Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport manages to pull off feeling less like a transit hub and more like a high-end mall, despite being set up to funnel more than 33 million passengers through its two terminals every year.
Terminal 1 features huge glass walls, soaring ceilings, and vast stretches of sound-dampening soft flooring. Terminal 2 feels quite boutique — and both are populated with “Minnesota Nice” staff and public pianos, including a $150,000 Steinway, for impromptu recitals.
Food and drink: Forget bland fast food. A delay here is a great excuse to get a taste of the Twin Cities, particularly at the central Airport Mall in Terminal 1.
Head to Stone Arch, near the south end, for Minnesota craft beers (flights from $16) and walleye sandwiches — a state staple — from $22. LoLo American Kitchen, in Concourse P, is the hotspot for gourmet street tacos and craft cocktails ($18 to $25), while that smell of fresh-baked bread wafting through the air you’ll discover is coming from the Angel Food Bakery.
In Terminal 2, try Minnesota Wild Bar for a lively atmosphere amid hockey paraphernalia.
What to do and where to stay: There are “Quiet Seating” zones near the entrance to Concourse E where energy-replenishing naps are possible on armrest-free benches, or you could pay $60 to use the Escape Lounge, which offers runway views and freshly prepared food.
However, the true secret to diminishing missed-flight stress is the InterContinental MSP Airport, which has elegant guest rooms (from $210) with “day stay” options, and is the only hotel with a direct bridge to the terminal.
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2. San Francisco International Airport — California
The vibe: Part airport, part cultural destination. San Francisco International is home to a museum and the architecture is designed to be restorative, with curving, sculpted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass and sound-absorbing materials.
Still feeling frazzled? Seek out the “Wag Brigade” — a team of therapy animals, including tutu-wearing pig LiLou, that roams the terminals to soothe passengers for free.
Food and drink: If you’re delayed, you can use the airport to take a culinary tour of Northern California by visiting Napa Farms Market in Terminal 2, which sells artisanal produce from the Bay Area, including salads, sandwiches and soups.
In Harvey Milk Terminal 1 is Amy’s Drive Thru, where around $12 will get you a delicious organic burger and $8 a vegan shake. And if the delay is lengthy, Bourbon Pub by Michael Mina, also in Terminal 1, offers gourmet comfort food like wagyu burgers for around $26. If you need something to wash it all down with, you won’t have far to go to find a good glass of Napa Valley Chardonnay.
What to do and where to stay: For a thorough wind-down step into one of the complimentary yoga rooms, hushed sanctuaries located post-security in Terminal 2 and in Terminal 3, or pay $75 to enjoy the spa-style showers or relaxation rooms in The Club SFO in Terminal 1.
Or let the SFO Museum distract you. It occupies a dedicated space designed as a 1930s-style passenger lobby pre-security in the International Terminal. There you’ll find an array of aviation exhibits, including a large-scale 1930s United Air Lines Douglas DC-3 model suspended from the ceiling. The rest of the SFO Museum is a “museum without walls,” with over 20 gallery spaces meshed into walkways across all four terminals.
If the delay is overnight, book into the Grand Hyatt (rooms from $309). It’s directly connected to the airport via the AirTrain and offers plush bedrooms with mesmerizing runway views.
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3. Portland International Airport — Oregon
The vibe: Back to nature in spectacular style, with the exotic new Main Terminal enclosed by a nine-acre curved timber roof made of locally sourced Douglas fir, and walkways lined with dozens of trees and thousands of plants. The result is a hub that feels like an enormous park.
Food and drink: Portland’s “food cart” culture is integrated into the airport, with hand-crafted pasta bar Grassa a popular go-to for weary flyers. There’s also Southern-style comfort food institution Screen Door, which serves its much-loved fried chicken and waffles ($21) in Concourse B, and on the Mezzanine Level, a vast wall of 96 beer taps (with pints from around $9 to $12) awaits to tempt you at craft beer hall Loyal Legion.
Thoughtfully, the airport operates a “fair price” policy that means all the terminal meals must cost the same as they do at restaurants in the city.
What to do and where to stay: The most enticing flight-delay hideaway is Hollywood Theatre in Concourse C, a 17-seat micro-cinema where you can enjoy short films by local filmmakers.
If the delay rolls over into the following day, hop on the Max light rail system to the Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center, a deluxe basecamp for stranded travelers where rooms, some of which have Mount Hood views, cost from around $175 and there’s a 55-foot granite bar in the lobby to linger at for drinks.
Read more: 12 state parks that are just as beautiful as national parks — and they’re free
4. Denver International Airport — Colorado
The vibe: Rugged and outdoorsy, with a beautiful, tented roof designed to mimic the snow-capped Rockies beyond and as many passengers in ski and snowboard wear as business attire.
While the space is vast and airy — Denver International Airport, aka “Den,” is one of the biggest hubs in the U.S. — it’s infused with a quirky playfulness. Outside is a huge horse statue with glowing red eyes nicknamed “Blucifer,” talking robot gargoyles guard baggage carousels and murals and installations can be found throughout.
Food and drink: Den is dotted with farm-to-table dining outlets rustling up food that’s a cut above regular airport fare, with Root Down in Concourse C serving organic, locally sourced dishes, such as Colorado lamb sliders for $24; and Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, popular for its “pancake flights” (around $16).
You can also retreat to the airport outpost of legendary Denver speakeasy Williams & Graham, an inviting cocktail haven hidden behind a bookstore façade in Concourse C (near Gate C26).
What to do and where to stay: At the surprisingly underused outdoor decks at the ends of concourses A, B, and C, you can swap recycled terminal air for crisp mountain air and relax by a fire pit.
If the delay is looking severe, reset at The Westin Denver International Airport (rooms from $370), which is directly connected to the main terminal and features an indoor pool and lounge with airfield views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Read more: 10 most anticipated hotels opening in 2026 across the US
5. Austin–Bergstrom International Airport — Texas
The vibe: A live music annex. Austin-Bergstrom, or “Aus,” isn’t just an airport, it’s a stage. There are dozens of live performances per week at venues throughout, from the “Asleep at the Wheel Stage” in the main Barbara Jordan Terminal to “Ray Benson’s Roadhouse” (near Gate 10). Strolling past and listening are everyone from travelers in cowboy boots to those in tech-company hoodies.
Food and drink: Dine like an Austinite at The Salt Lick BBQ (near Gate 21), where you can try its renowned brisket platter for around $22, while Tacodeli (near Gate 23) serves authentic breakfast tacos for about $5 each.
Second Bar + Kitchen (near Gate 16) can furnish you with sophisticated cocktails and small plates, and craft brewery Austin Beerworks operates a bar called The Beerdrop near Gate 12, where a local Pearl-Snap pilsner costs around $10. If you crave seclusion, slide into a cool, dark booth at The Saxon Pub near Gate 19.
What to do and where to stay: Tucked away at the top of a large spiral staircase and easy-to-miss elevator at the far end of the terminal near Gate 1 is the East Terrace, a 4,000-square-foot patio where you can suck in some fresh air and watch aircraft hurtling down the 12,000-foot runway.
If you’re stuck for longer, the Hilton Austin Airport is a great hotel option that’s housed in a repurposed former Air Force headquarters building (rooms from $165).
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6. Nashville International Airport — Tennessee
The vibe: One big architectural ode to music, with a vast new “airwave” roof installed over the airport’s single, central terminal that mimics the curves of a soundwave. Adding to the drama is a 50-foot-tall “glass box” that forms the passenger entrance, gleaming silvery support columns, and a pair of 2,000-square-foot “living” walls that act as natural air filters and sound absorbers.
Food and drink: Lean into the Tennessee heat and stop by Hattie B’s Hot Chicken in Concourse C for a “Shut the Cluck Up” chicken sandwich (around $16). Also in Concourse C are Slim & Husky’s for artisanal flatbreads (around $15) and lively Ole Red (owned by country star Blake Shelton), where you can run down the clock with “Hillbilly Iced Teas” for around $18 and enjoy live music.
Whiskey enthusiast? Nashville Tracks in Concourse D offers tasting flights of local Tennessee bourbon for $25.
What to do and where to stay: Venture to the “Record Node” in the newly expanded Concourse D — it’s home to the airport’s first outdoor observation terrace, which offers panoramic views of the airfield and the downtown Nashville skyline.
For a deeper reset, The Massage Bar near Gate B1 offers sessions for $45, and if news of longer delays hits, rooms start from $320 at the Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal, which is connected to the terminal via a covered walkway and features a rooftop bar with a pool overlooking the runways.
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