A type of amenity is popping up at many different airports, and it promises to give travelers a space they can call their own, if only for a few minutes. Small, rentable suites are the newest airport trend, and they are poised to become a mainstay as travelers pack the terminals.
A respite from crowded terminals and packed boarding areas
If you feel like airports are getting increasingly crowded no matter what season it is, it’s not just your imagination. The volume of global passengers traveling by airplane increased by 7% from 2015 to 2016, and the trend shows now signs of slowing down. Experts anticipate that air travel numbers will be double what they are now in just 20 years.
As security lines, gates, and airport restaurants fill with passengers, the need for people to have a private space when they travel becomes more pronounced. The market has found a potential solution, and companies have begun to introduce private, rentable suites that passengers can utilize for one hour or one night. Some of these suites, such as Jabbrrbox in LaGuardia Airport, are about as no-frills as you can get: a desk and chair for working, a wi-fi and USB connection, and some mood lighting.
Others, such as Minute Suites (located in several airports throughout the U.S., offer touches like daybeds to nap on and customizable amenities. Whether a passenger just wants to step away from the mass of humanity for a few minutes or get a full night’s rest, these private suites are becoming an important resource for weary travelers around the world.
Moving beyond the traditional passenger lounges
For years, airline lounges were the oases in the airport deserts for travelers with elite status or extra cash to burn. Now however, many passengers are finding that they, much like the rest of the spaces in an airport, are becoming more and more packed. As the total volume of travelers increases, you can expect that the percentage of people purchasing lounge access will increase in kind. When you add this to the fact that more passengers are achieving elite status levels that often grant lounge access, and that some credit cards now offer complimentary access to cardholders as a perk, it’s easy to see why many of the lounges are starting to resemble the public spaces of an airport, only with free cocktails and a bowl of mixed nuts.
Companies behind many of these private suites believe that they can act as an important complement to the lounge experience. Customers who have purchased access to an airport lounge can escape for a few minutes to a nearby suite, get an hour or two of alone time, and then head back to the lounge for another drink before boarding. Some of these companies are even trying to replicate the lounge experience on a more intimate scale, offering additional features such as door-to-door transportation, private TSA screening on site, and private bathrooms.
Transitioning to a new era of airport luxury
In the era of record airport crowds, privacy and personal space have become the ultimate luxuries. These micro-suites and others like them have made a splash in airports because they offer what was once unattainable and has now become a necessity for some. The next time you find yourself overwhelmed in an airport as you struggle for personal space, consider looking for a private suite to rent so you can arrive at your destination fresh and recharged.
