Nothing tempers the frustration that comes with a delayed flight quite like an excellent airport bar. While some are lackluster, run-of-the-mill stops designed to solely kill time, others go above and beyond, serving up stylish interiors, top-notch beer and cocktail menus, tasty snacks, and front-row seats for plane spotting.
And now that the TSA recommends arriving two hours before domestic flights and three hours prior to international flights due to increased wait times at checkpoints, its high time you become acquainted with the latter.
To help, we scoured the globe and rounded up nine of the best airport watering holes, from a beer garden in Munich to a poolside bar in Singapore. Long layovers never felt so good.
1. Bubbles Seafood & Wine Bar, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
http://instagram.com/p/6r2cmGDLny/embed/
Width: 800px
The name of the game at this trendy airport lounge is champagne with a side of seafood. Grab a stool by the tropical saltwater fish tank and choose from more than 50 types of bubbly, which sit on the bar's blue illuminated shelves. Raw oysters, sushi, and caviar are also offered. Here, the menu items might be pricey, but Wi-Fi is free.
Location: Terminal 2.
2. One Flew South, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
http://instagram.com/p/BA5Mp3LMplQ/embed/
Width: 800px
In 2009, One Flew South became the first upscale restaurant and bar inside the world's busiest airport. (According to Airports Council International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport saw 100 million passengers pass through its terminals in 2015 alone). With its forest wallpaper showcased behind a sushi bar and cream and silver bar chairs, One Flew South offers a relaxing refuge from the bustling take-off area. Travelers can belly up to sushi as well as Southern bites like pork belly sliders, then wash it down with cocktails like a Moscow Mule, Old Fashioned, and more.
Location: Concourse E.
3. The Three Bells, Heathrow Airport
http://instagram.com/p/BF_rNGrrHMW/embed/
Width: 800px
Decked out with bookshelves, Chesterfield sofas, TVs, and a faux fireplace, The Three Bells pub presents a homey atmosphere. Bottoms up to Guinness, Sharp’s Doom Bar, Young’s Bitter, Meantime London Lager, or one of the other beers on tap. An international wine list and cocktail menu, featuring popular drinks like the Buck's Fizz, are also available. Then, soak it all up with bar snacks (think olives and mac and cheese) or entrees from a full dining menu before hopping on the flight. Bonus: Kids can order from the Little Grown-Ups menu.
Location: Terminal 3.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider