Take a Swim at One of These Airport Pools - Thrillist

Layovers are objectively one of the most annoying parts about travel. You could hit up an airport lounge to kill time, sure, but access to lounges is increasingly difficult these days. Soon you’ll have to sell a kidney for that sweet WiFi access from a comfortable seat (plus free booze).

But there are other ways to mitigate the boredom, especially as airports are becoming destinations in themselves and amping up their amenities. No more hanging out at airport bars or spending your time dabbing yourself with testers at duty free. These days airports offer libraries, manicures, massages, movie theaters, and more. O’Hare in Chicago offers a yoga room, airports like SFO double as art galleries, and Istanbul’s airport museum has actual historical artifacts.

But recently a friend told me about an amenity he’d experienced that I’d never dared to dream about. When flying out of the Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic, he made sure he was early, and had his swimsuit handy.—because he was going to spend his extra time in the airport’s VIP Lounge pool. “I was the only swimmer, so never really crowded,” says my friend of the experience. “Plus that day it was in the upper 80 degrees in Punta Cana…so the swim felt great.”

The airport pool feels like the height of decadence, but in Punta Cana you don’t actually have to fly business or first class to access the lounge. My friend used his Priority Pass, but anyone can walk up and pay the $50 USD entry fee (swimming pools, it seems, aren’t exempt from the airport mark-up). Then it’s margaritas and sunny skies, as you float in the infinity pool, watching planes take off below.

It turns out, there are a few airports with swimming pools accessible to the public, perfect to kill time between flights. We’ve listed four of them below where you can soak the time away. Can your lounge do that?

Punta Cana International Airport holds its position as the second busiest and most connected airport in the Caribbean, so a respite from the crowds is all but a necessity. The VIP lounge in Terminal B eases the frustration of travel by offering its very own outdoor infinity pool, with unobstructed views of the runways below. If you have a boarding pass from Terminal B, access is granted through membership programs like Priority Pass, Lounge Club, Lounge Key and Diner’s Club. If you’re paying, it’s $35 with an American Express, and $50 otherwise. Children 2 to 7 years old are $15.

Changi Airport’s reputation precedes it. It’s more like a massive interactive mall that happens to offer flights. It’s also one of those airports that actually is a destination in itself, with visitors coming in daily just to see the nature-themed complex, Jewel, which includes wedding venues and the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. But if you’re more about getting in the water itself, the Aerotel Singapore Transit Hotel can accommodate your needs, with its own outdoor swimming pool which the public can access for around $21 USD.

Near the C,D, and E gates in the Doha airport you’ll find the Oryx hotel, owned by Qatar airlines. In it, on the fourth floor, is the Vitality Wellbeing & Fitness Centre. $48 will gain you access for four hours to a virtual playground, including a squash court, golf simulator, spa, and hydrotherapy pools. You’ll also find a narrow 25-meter swimming pool encased in glass, like swimming in a diamond. You won’t have views of planes here, but you’ll be getting on one of those soon enough.

One of the best-kept secrets in New York is the TWA Hotel at JFK airport. A midcentury modern masterpiece designed in 1962 by Eero Saarinen, it was a cutting-edge Jet Age design that elevated the standard of what an airport terminal was expected to be, and today feels like stepping back in time. The architecture alone is worth a day trip or layover. But for AV geeks,the rooftop provides some of the best plane spotting in the world—so much so that it is the viewpoint of choice when planespotters L.A Flights are in town. The rooftop, infinity pool, and pool bar are open year-round and accessible to the public for reservations in 1 hour and 45 minute increments. Prices are subject to change, but currently it’s $50 for adults and $25 for children 2 to 12.

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.