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. The seven international airports listed below 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 look over their website for the latest news on yoga availability.

Given that air travel is super stressful and yoga is a great way to relax, it actually makes a lot of sense if you happen to have a long layover. However, you're still more likely to get your exercise in an airport by sprinting from one end of the terminal to another to make your connection.

San Francisco International Airport

SFO lays claim to the first airport yoga amenity. Their Yoga Room opened in Terminal 2 in January 2012 and has gotten positive reviews on Yelp.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Located near Gate 40 between Terminals B and D, the DFW Yoga Studio provides mats, though it'd be a good idea to pack a lightweight travel mat or mat towel if you plan to use a heavily trafficked public yoga space. DFW's yoga room is part of their effort to become the healthiest airport.

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.

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.

London Gatwick Airport

Gatwick is stepping up the game by offering a specially designed 20-minute video class with yoga teacher Shona Vertue in its Southern Terminal yoga room. They're calling it "floga." (Flight + yoga, get it?)

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 or "SkyTeam Elite Plus" members. Bring yoga to the people, Heathrow!

Hong Kong

Like Heathrow, above, the yoga room at Hong Kong International Airport is part of the SkyTeam Exclusive lounge area. As a consolation, SkyTeam does provide in-flight yoga videos on most of its member airlines flights.

Helsinki Airport and Jet Blue at JFK

These international hubs have recently experimented with providing yoga spaces and even classes but have stopped short of a permanent commitment. If your travel plans include one of these airports, a quick Google search should tell you whether yoga is currently on offer.