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I was six hours into my travels during a recent layover at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport when I happened to walk by a space in Terminal E labeled a “yoga room.” It wasn’t a yoga studio. Although it was a (relatively) quiet place where I could take a few minutes away from the chaos and crowds to focus on my physical and mental well-being. And it was as much a surprise as it was a relief.
That’s exactly what officials at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) had in mind 11 years ago when they redesigned one of their terminals to include a yoga room, says Doug Yakel, public information officer at SFO. “We thought it would be great to have a unique amenity that also reflected that idea of, ‘Let’s make this a place where you can catch your breath and relax a little bit,’” says Yakel.
Travelers responded by clamoring for more. “Every airport should have a yoga room,” blogged yoga teacher Kate Davis after experiencing the area, affirming that it makes “air travel so much more bearable.”
Since then, airports from Miami to Frankfurt have designated similar spaces for weary flyers. Sometimes the yoga rooms mimic yoga studios. Other times there’s less of an emphasis on aesthetics and more on a simple place where you can stretch without having to contend with stares from strangers.
The yoga rooms also remind you that yoga can foster connection not just with yourself but others. Yoga and mindfulness teacher Kate Mitcheom once found herself coming into poses alongside a fellow traveler at Midway International Airport’s yoga room. The strangers mused about their relief at being able to stretch quietly in an airport and then parted ways. Mitcheom said, “I still don’t know who she was/is except that her beautiful practice touched my heart.”
Following are a list of yoga rooms where you can sneak in a practice or a few quiet moments of sitting before your next flight.
9 Best Airports for Practicing Yoga
1. Burlington International Airport (BTV)
Location: Second floor
Hours: 4 a.m.-10 p.m.
The Deets: Can anyplace in an airport be so relaxing you forget you’re in an airport? The yoga room in BTV might be exactly that. Sponsored by a local studio, the space features hardwood floors, pale green walls, soft lighting, and mats and rollers. It’s been lauded by at least one parent traveling with children as a calming space and another traveler, en route to a funeral, wrote in the guest book,“Truly appreciated having this space to center myself before a long day of airports.”
Rating: 5/5
2. O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Location: Terminal 3
Hours: 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
The Deets: One of the world’s busiest airports provides a quiet place for flyers to connect with their breath. Combined with earth tones, natural light, and gentle music, ORD’s yoga room is a “little oasis of relaxation in the desert of chaos that are most modern airports,” according to one Yelp reviewer. A TV screen displays yoga techniques for those practitioners who appreciate reminders.
Rating: 4/5
3. Midway International Airport (MDW)
Location: Concourse C
Hours: 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
The Deets: With its sustainable bamboo floor, natural light, mats, and plants, this yoga room pretty much resembles a small-scale yoga studio. Although there are no blocks or straps, notes blogger Shannan Younger on Between Us Parents, she asserts it still might be “the best kept secret in the airport.”
Rating: 4/5
4. San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Location: Terminals 2 and 3
Hours: 5:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
The Deets: SFO holds the distinction of constructing the world’s first airport yoga room. The sound insulation, low lighting, and stash of free yoga mats makes the designated yoga spaces in both terminals ideal for a restful pre- or post-flight flow.
Rating: 4/5
5. Helsinki Airport (FIN)
Location: Gate 52
Hours: 24 hours
The Deets: While not specifically a yoga space, the Maja Living Room is a place where weary travelers can relax and, if they choose, practice a few poses. It was inspired by requests from flyers who wanted somewhere they could stretch during a long bout of sitting and waiting. The room features wood finishes and ample room to move through a gentle flow (albeit sans mat). It also contains a Quiet Room, which offers exactly what the name implies.
Rating: 3/5
6. Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Location: Terminals 1 and 2
Hours: 24 hours
The Deets: The yoga rooms are open 24 hours, 7 days a week, so you can lose yourself in your flow no matter when you find yourself at this German airport. Free mats, blocks, and cushions support your body and your practice, while floor-to-ceiling mirrors allow you to check your alignment.
Rating: 3/5
7. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Location: Terminal E
Hours: 24 hours
The Deets: Located along the concourse, this designated yoga space is separated from the rest of the terminal by sturdy privacy partitions—yes, the room dividers you wanted in college to create space from your roomie. Still, it serves its intended purpose, which is a place to stretch and decompress. Yoga mats are provided, although, unless your pratyahara practice is strong, you might want your own ear buds to block out ambient noise from the terminal.
Rating: 3/5
8. Miami International Airport (MIA)
Location: Terminal H near Gate 21
Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m
The Deets: Bamboo wallpaper and ambient music help create a tranquil atmosphere in a room that also features a 14-foot mirror wall for alignment adjustments. However, mats aren’t provided.
Rating: 2/5
9. Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
Location: Terminal 3
The Deets: Okay, this spiral-shaped sculpture is situated in the middle of a bustling concourse, not a dedicated yoga room. But the bronze work of art in India’s busiest airport is a lovely reminder of the strength and ease that yoga can cultivate. Created by sculptor Nikhil Bhandari and architect Ayush Kasliwal, the piece is titled “Surya Namaskar” and comprises 12 statues, each of a different pose in the traditional Sun Salutation. Even if you exhale a little more slowly as you walk past, that, too, is yoga.
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), London Heathrow (LHR) and Hong Kong (HKG) also offer yoga lounges, although the services are available exclusively to members or at a cost.
About Our Contributor
Skyler Aikerson is a freelance journalist and copyeditor. She has written for Chicago magazine, In These Times, and Baltimore magazine. She enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and exploring Chicago.
