Downdog on the Go in Airports With Yoga Rooms

What seemed like a humorous one-off a few years ago is now a bona fide trend: Airports are embracing the popularity of yoga by providing special rooms where travelers can practice on the go. Given that air travel is super stressful and yoga is a great way to relax, it makes a lot of sense.

These international airports offer permanent yoga rooms (although a few are in exclusive lounges, limiting their access). Several other airports are experimenting with temporary yoga spaces and even teacher-led classes. If you have a long layover somewhere, it's worth taking a minute to check the airport's website for the latest news on yoga availability.

San Francisco International Airport

SFO lays claim to the first airport yoga amenity. Its yoga room opened in Terminal 2 in January 2012 and offers a quiet, dimly lit space. Bring your own mat or use one of the communal ones available in the room (be sure to disinfect before and after).

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

The DFW Yoga Studio has locations in terminals B and E. These rooms also provide mats, though you may prefer to pack a lightweight travel mat or mat towel if you plan to use a heavily trafficked public yoga space. These yoga rooms also provide instructional videos for a guided practice.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Midway Airport

The O'Hare yoga room opened in December 2013. It is in Terminal 3, on the mezzanine level of the rotunda. Mats are provided, as is a video monitor showing suggested poses and nature imagery. A similar yoga room opened at Midway Airport's concourse C in September 2014.

Burlington International Airport

The yoga room on the second floor of the Burlington, Vermont airport is sponsored by a local yoga studio, which may explain why it looks more like a yoga classroom than some of the other airport yoga spaces.

Miami International Airport

Head to Miami's terminal H for a free, designated yoga room where you can practice before a long-haul flight (note that it is located outside the security checkpoint).

London Heathrow

Space for yoga in London's Heathrow airport is in the Terminal 4 SkyTeam Lounge. Unfortunately, this means the room is not available to all travelers but only to those in first and business class, those who are SkyTeam Elite Plus members, or those who are willing to pay for a day pass.

Hong Kong

Like Heathrow, the yoga room at Hong Kong International Airport is part of the SkyTeam lounge area, and thus not available to all travelers. As a consolation, SkyTeam does provide in-flight yoga videos on most of its member airlines (members include Delta, AirFrance, Alitalia, China Airlines, KLM, and several more).

Helsinki Airport

While not a dedicated yoga space, Helsinki's Kainuu Lounge is a relaxing, quiet area where you may feel comfortable rolling out a mat for a few stretches. It is open 24/7.

Frankfurt Airport

This German airport offers two yoga rooms (in terminals 1 and 2), each open 24 hours a day and free to all travelers. Mats and instructional videos are provided.