Updated 9/27/2006 7:42 AM ET
By Robert DiGiacomo, Special for USA TODAY
Between terrorist warnings, crowded flights and tight connections, traveling by plane can stress the body and mind.
But thanks to a new generation of airport-based spas, it’s possible to relax — even find a bit of serenity — before you dash off to the gate.
“The best thing you can do is condition yourself for the trip and prepare your body for the journey,” says Moreton Binn, CEO of XpresSpa, which operates spa facilities in several airports, including John F. Kennedy International, San Francisco and Philadelphia.
Unlike their city- or resort-based counterparts, airport spas generally don’t require an appointment and offer streamlined services geared to the flier in a time crunch.
Here’s a guide to facilities at some airports around the country:
•Boston Logan. Jetsetter Mini Spa (www.jetsetterspa.com) offers facials, manicures, pedicures and massage. The Journeyman ($85), for men, combines a manicure or pedicure, a facial, brow waxing and 10-minute chair massage. The Red Eye ($40) is a 25-minute hydrating treatment designed to reduce puffiness and make skin appear younger. The Hilton Health Club and Spa (www.bostonlogan.hilton.com/healthclubandspa) features cardio equipment and weights, whirlpool and a day spa; treatments include a 30-minute full-body massage ($45) and the 30-minute Happy Feet ($50).
•Chicago O’Hare. Like its Boston airport counterpart, the Hilton Athletic Club (www.hilton.com) is a full-service gym with workout equipment, lap pool, steam room and sauna. Swedish or deep-tissue massage costs $50 or $100 for 30 or 60 minutes. The Backrub Hub at Terminal Three can soothe the savage back with 10- to 30-minute chair massages ($15-$35) by licensed therapists.
•Denver. A Massage Inc. on concourses A (303-342-6821) and B (303-342-6821) offers chair massages (10 to 30 minutes, $13-$36), as well as full-body table Swedish or deep-tissue table massages (one hour for $72).
•Detroit. In a serenely minimalist white and chrome environment, OraOxygen Wellness Spa (www.oraoxygen.net) features a menu of traditional massage and facial options, but what’s unique are oxygen stations purporting to stop jet lag, soothe the nervous system and help you sleep better; a 15-minute session costs $18. Showers ($15 or $10 with treatment) also are available.
•Indianapolis. With a location in Terminal C and four other kiosks, Passport Travel Spa (www.passporttravelspa.com) specializes in fast-track treatments. Massages (chair only) start at $18 for 15 minutes. Foot massage: $1.50 a minute.
•New York John F. Kennedy. XpresSpa (www.xpresspa.com), which operates its flagship facility here and is at five other airports, offers services on the go in a traditional spa atmosphere with wood floors, indirect lighting and live bamboo trees. Clients can receive several treatments simultaneously while relaxing in custom-automated massage chairs. Services include a 30-minute seaweed facial ($60) and a traditional Swedish massage ($60 for 30 minutes, $110 for one hour). Sites: JFK (Terminal 1, 718-751-2235); LaGuardia (scheduled to open this year); Philadelphia International (Concourse C, 215-365-2515); Pittsburgh (Terminal A, 412-472-5136); Raleigh-Durham (Terminals A and C; scheduled to open this year); and San Francisco (International Terminal Boarding Area A, 650-821-1042).
•Newark Liberty. D-partures Spa (www.departurespa.com) at Terminals B and C is a full-service facility offering everything from haircuts and blowouts to manicure-pedicures and massage. The Weary Traveler ($85) is a 45-to-60-minute treatment combining a pedicure with a heated massage, 10-minute foot rub and paraffin treatment, plus extra time for a power nap, depending on your flight schedule. A 10-minute chair massage goes for $10.
•Seattle-Tacoma. Massage Bar (www.massagebar.com, 206-985-7177) is a chain with locations here (C concourse and North-Satellite), as well as Columbus International in Ohio (concourse B), Nashville (B and C concourses), Newark Liberty (A Terminal and A-3 Connector) and Washington Dulles International (B concourse).
Available are chair massages as single (15 minutes for $20) and double shots (30 minutes for $35), as well as 10-minute foot reflexology sessions ($12); prices are slightly higher at Newark and Dulles. Each site also features a happy hour with $1 discounts on services; check the website for details.
•Vancouver, British Columbia. At two locations within the airport and a third at the Fairmont Airport Hotel, Absolute Spa (www.absolutespa.com) caters to travelers seeking a bit of luxury, with a full menu of services from a haircut and facial to hydrotherapy and massage.
The Flight Delay Package ($75 Canadian) pairs a 15-minute oxygen treatment with a 15-minute chair massage and 30-minute manicure. Those in a hurry can opt for a 20-minute Circulator Anti-Swelling Leg Massage ($30 Canadian). Locations: Level 3, Domestic Departures; Level 3, U.S. Departures Gates; Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel, Level 3 (604-248-2772).
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