America's Healthiest Airports

If you're traveling, chances are you're not looking forward to spending time in a crowded, stressful airport. Faced with the prospect of long waits, deafening public-address systems, and indigestion, you may quickly lose that travel buzz.

Still, airports are not all bad. In fact, based on research Health has done to find America's healthiest airports, some are actually working hard to make your traveling experience healthier by offering nutritious food, special relaxation zones, walking paths, the latest safety technology and a whole lot more.

We scored the nation's major airports and then asked a panel of expert judges to help us choose the top 10. Congratulations to the winners. And to those airports that failed to make our list: Please shape up!

No. 1: Phoenix Sky Harbor International—42 million passengers per year

Our top scorer won rave reviews for its commitment to a comfortable, low-stress experience for fliers. Sky Harbor's healthful dining options scored well on the annual Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) airport-food scale, which measures the percentage of eateries with healthy offerings at major airports. Tempting low-fat choices include Yoshi's Asian Grill's avocado cucumber sushi and edamame, Roadhouse 66 Bar's veggie burgers, and Oaxaca's vegetable burrito. "Burrito spots are great in airports because they often have several options that are healthy and fast," says judge Amy Lanou, Ph.D., a senior nutrition scientist for PCRM.

Also elevating the Phoenix experience is a video paging system that lists and announces names, making it accessible amid the usual din. There are even two pet parks where traveling canines can work off energy before or after a flight. And the airport is always open to change: After a family with a disabled son suggested upgrades, the airport recently added adult changing stations to its family bathrooms. Plus, the airports bathrooms are widely known as some of the nation's cleanest.

No. 2: Baltimore/Washington International—21 million passengers per year

Baltimore/Washington International now features soft music and comfortable lighting at one of its key security checkpoints, instead of the usual crowding and confusion. The changes are part of the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) new Checkpoint Evolution program designed to reduce stress and hike safety. "High-stress areas are the perfect camouflage for bad guys," says TSA spokesperson Christopher White.

To take stress down another notch, walk the BWI Trail, a 12.5-mile hiking-and-biking path that circles the airport and goes through wetlands and forest areas; it's accessible from public areas of the terminal. Still stressed? Get a seated massage at the Destination Relaxation spa.

No. 3: O'Hare International (Chicago)—76 million passengers per year

Big airports usually have a great selection of healthy food, Lanou says. That's one reason why O'Hare International, the second-busiest airport in the world, is in PCRM's top 10. More than 90 percent of its 100 restaurants offer low-fat, fiber-rich, veggie-heavy meals. CIBO Express, for instance, has grilled veggie salads and kosher crackers and chips.

O'Hare also wins points for its super-fun children's play areas and the fitness facility in its on-site Hilton Hotel, which offers workout equipment plus massages, a sauna, a lap pool, showers, and a Jacuzzi. Day passes are $15.

No. 4: Detroit Metropolitan—36 million passengers per year

A white Christmas is wonderful—except when it ruins your travel plans or makes them unsafe. Detroit Metro is working hard to limit the risks. The National Weather Service recently recognized the airport as the nation's first "StormReady airport system." Airport police officers, firefighters, and field-maintenance and security personnel are being trained as weather spotters; if they're aware of approaching storms, they alert airline employees (who consider boarding delays), disseminate information to keep ticket-holders from being stuck at gates without knowing why, and develop evacuation and sheltering plans.

And should the weather delay you in Detroit—always a possibility during the winter—finding a healthy meal is easy. The airport partners with local health organizations to flag heart-healthy dishes on restaurant menus. Sushi, anyone?

No. 5: Denver International—50 million passengers per year

The largest airport in the United States can also boast about its energy efficiency. Acres of solar panels provide enough electricity to run half the airport's train system. The green electricity dramatically reduces carbon emissions—equal to the impact of 255,000 gallons of gasoline (enough to power 500 cars for a year).

The airport also has a recycling system built into the runways and taxiways to collect 70 percent of the glycol used to de-ice aircraft. "You've got to tip your hat to Denver International for establishing themselves as a model," says judge Steve Howards, executive director of the Clean Airport Partnership, a non-profit group devoted to improving environmental quality and energy efficiency at airports.

Denver also receives high marks for its close-to-75-percent on-time arrival and departure rates, the second-largest public art collection in Colorado, free Wi-Fi, and healthy restaurant choices.