Skin Care - Airport Spas Provide Relief From Travel Stress

When lines are long, flights are cancelled, and you're facing a four-hour delay, the skies may not seem so friendly when it comes to air travel. Fortunately, airports are responding with the addition of spas whose services are more than a welcome relief from the stresses of air travel - and no reservations are required.

Geared towards travelers who have only a little time, airport spa services are condensed and focus on rejuvenating and relaxing customers before their next flight. However, some airport spas do offer full salon services such as cut and color, pedicures and manicures, or full-body massages for those with more time on their hands.

One of the more typical airport spa services is the chair massage. Fully clothed, travelers sit in a specially designed seat that cradles the face while the massage therapist works on the back and shoulders. With all the heavy bags being toted around an airport, this service is a welcome treatment for weary travelers and is offered for as short as 15 minutes. At the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, travelers can catch a quick treatment in the chair-massage kiosk on Pier B or on Pier D, where table massages, as well as foot and hand rubs, are also offered. For those making their way through Pittsburgh International Airport, the Xpress Spa offers a plush massage lounger to melt into while up to three attendants treat the face, feet and hands to restore full-body circulation.

With three locations in Manhattan, the luxury Oasis Day Spa recently opened a new location at the JFK's JetBlue Terminal. The full-service spa features massage, skincare, and nail care for travelers seeking a quick treatment or those in need of a full-body massage. Travel can wreck havoc on skin with all the impurities found in the airport and on planes. Oasis Day Spa's mediBac Acne Treatment was created for adult acne and features a mineral essential sulfur and charcoal mask to clear acne-causing bacteria. Soothing licorice and caffeine diminishes post extraction inflammation for this 90-minute treatment.

Travelers don't mind getting to the airport early for some pampering at d_parture spa in the Newark Liberty International Airport. d_parture has two spa locations at the Newark airport in Terminal B and Terminal C. A delayed flight seems a little less irritating when travelers can treat themselves to a relaxing massage, haircut, facial, or manicure and pedicure while waiting for their flight to finally take off. The 50-minute European Body Massage is offered for $90.

Another popular airport spa treatment is Oxygen Therapy. Travelers relax in a comfortable chair with a two-pronged plastic tube inserted in the nose, breathing in oxygen scented with essential oils. The treatment, usually offered for 15 minutes, helps travelers relax or boost their immune system. At OraOxygen in Detroit's International Airport, travelers enjoy a 15-minute oxygen session for $15. The wellness spa also features showers to refresh and rehydrate after a long flight. OraOxygen also offers branches in Alberta's Calgary International Airport and in Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

At both Boston Logan and Chicago O'Hare, full gym and spa services can be found through The Hilton Health Club and Spa and Hilton Athletic Club, respectively. At Boston Logan, travelers may take part in workouts, the whirlpool and day spa. In Chicago, a full-service gym, lap pool, steam room and sauna await travelers.

Massage Bar, with two locations at Seattle-Tacoma, is recognized as the pioneer and leader in airport seated massage and wellness services. With locations in Columbus, Nasvhille, Newark, and Washington Dulles, Massage Bar techniques have relaxed more than half a million travelers to date. Fifteen-minute chair massages for $20 as well as 10-minute foot reflexology sessions for $12 (prices slightly higher at Newark and Dulles) are offered, along with a $1 discount on services for happy hours.