Air travel rarely inspires thoughts of relaxation and calm, particularly during the holiday season, but one major U.S. airport is joining a growing list of airports looking to change that.


Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, one of the nation's busiest and most delay-prone[1] airports, on Tuesday marked the grand opening of a new addition to help stressed-out travelers relax: a yoga room.


According to ABC Chicago, the room will allow travelers to unwind[2] by doing yoga and meditating.


Chicago Sun-Times reporter Tina Sfondeles got a peek of the new yoga room on Tuesday:





O'Hare is far from the first airport to offer space for travelers to practice yoga. San Francisco International Airport became the world's first to offer the service in 2012[5] and airports in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Albuquerque and elsewhere offer similar services[6] .


In addition to the new yoga room, O'Hare's international terminal is also home to XpresSpa, which offers massages, manicures and hot shaves in addition to yoga[7] and the airport is also on the verge of offering "Minute Suite" nap rooms for travel-weary passengers[8] .



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  • No. 7 Boise Airport, ID (BOI)


    <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-airports-2013/9" title="America's Best Airports" target="_hplink">See More of America's Best Airports</a><br><br>
    Remember those days when your plane landed and took off on time? They live on in Boise, which ranked No. 1 for fewest flight delays. Readers gave it second place for location and third for check-in, suggesting that it’s the very model of an efficient airport. Admittedly, food and shopping are not good reasons to linger, but its small size and free Wi-Fi make it one of the easier airports to handle.
    <br><br><em>Photo: Courtesy of Idaho Commerce</em>




  • No. 6 Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP)


    <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-airports-2013/9" title="America's Best Airports" target="_hplink">See More of America's Best Airports</a><br><br>
    MSP airport loses points for flight delays (ah, those winters), its location relative to downtown, and an often-slow check-in process. The upside is that it scored No. 1 for shopping, with more than 50 options including Authors Bookstore. The airport also came in at No. 2 for food; French Meadow Bakery & CafĂ©, for instance, serves organic dishes. Another perk: two kids’ play areas (one each in Terminal 1 and 2) with child-scale airplanes and control towers with slides.
    <br><br><em>Photo: Jim Gehrz/Minneapolis Star Tribune/ZUMA Press/Alamy</em>




  • No. 5 Indianapolis Airport (IND)


    <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-airports-2013/9" title="America's Best Airports" target="_hplink">See More of America's Best Airports</a><br><br> The top-ranked airport in the Midwest, Indianapolis scores our No. 1 slot for its design, by HOK. The airport's soaring roof and walls of glass, completed in 2008, make you feel as if you're already flying when you arrive. Travelers should also appreciate the free Wi-Fi, ample charging stations, and rental cars that are within easy walking distance from the terminal. <br><br><em>Photo: John Fleck</em>




  • No. 4 T. F. Green Airport, Warwick, RI (PVD)


    <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-airports-2013/9" title="America's Best Airports" target="_hplink">See More of America's Best Airports</a><br><br>
    Six miles south of Providence, T. F. Green snagged our No. 1 ranking for its accessible location and No. 2 for its smooth check-in process. Those are powerful enough endorsements that some travelers actually heading to Boston, an hour away, will choose easy-breezy T. F. Green over congested Logan Airport. The food and shopping may not be something to write home about, but chances are you won’t be stuck here long.
    <br><br><em>Photo: Frank Giuliani</em>




  • No. 3 Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, TX (AUS)


    <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-airports-2013/9" title="America's Best Airports" target="_hplink">See More of America's Best Airports</a><br><br>
    Barbecue, Tex-Mex, and a branch of Saxon’s Pub with live music are just a few of the reasons Austin beat out all other U.S. airports in the food category. But given that flight delays in Austin aren’t a big deal, it’s more likely that you’ll eat and run rather than linger over lunch. You’re likely to be among the happy fliers here, even if there are gripes about the airport’s location (ranked 25 out of 67).
    <br><br><em>Photo: Sandy L. Stevens/Courtesy of City of Austin Aviation</em>




  • No. 2 Tampa International Airport, FL (TPA)


    <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-airports-2013/9" title="America's Best Airports" target="_hplink">See More of America's Best Airports</a><br><br>
    The kudos heaped on Tampa International by T+L readers might be enough to make you plan your next Florida trip around this West Coast city. The light-filled facility is ranked No. 3 for design. “With a layout designed for minimum walking, Tampa spoils you for other airports,” observes reader Judith Rogers of St. Petersburg, FL. A great location, better-than-average food options such as Cigar City Brewing, and shopping choices all contribute to Tampa’s airport appeal. Delays aren’t a problem, although check-in can sometimes be slow.
    <br><br><em>Photo: David Lawrence</em>




  • No. 1 Portland International Airport, OR (PDX)


    <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-airports-2013/9" title="America's Best Airports" target="_hplink">See More of America's Best Airports</a><br><br>
    Portland’s airport knows how to impress. The overall favorite U.S. airport ranked No. 2 for design and for shopping, and third for food; try Stanford’s for fish tacos, burgers, or BLTs. PDX is also likely to keep you on schedule—it has an 87.5 percent on-time departure record, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. While its location was considered a shortcoming, Denver-based reader Jodianne Escalante acknowledges: “I like the light-rail to and from the airport.”
    <br><br><em>Photo: Courtesy of Port of Portland</em>