The Airport of the Future May Evolve From Transport Hub to Attraction
Photo Credit: Architects at HKS designed an airport of the future for a recent competition. HKS
Skift Take
Airport architects are busy rethinking the terminal experience, and that's a good thing. But don't expect any major changes, at least not soon. Instead, travelers will get incremental improvements.
It's not happening fast enough for many travelers, but many of the world's airports have over several years morphed into community spaces, where travelers can spend time in a yoga room, beer hall, butterfly garden, or children's playground before they fly.
So far, this is a trend most often seen at forward-thinking airports, such as Singapore Changi, with its butterfly garden, Hong Kong's airport with its IMAX movie theater, and Seoul Incheon with its indoor skating rink. In the United States, one of the most innovative amenities is the yoga room at San Francisco International — a unique spot, but nothing amazing.
Those global perks get considerable media attention and often ensure these facilities make various lists of the world's best airports. But the impressive amenities are still most often reserved for the world's largest gateways, often in the Middle East and Asia, usually at airports with big construction budgets. The typical American or European hub is still more in
