5 hour layover at BWI

Matt NWAfan: hey, have you ever flown into ISP?
Matt NWAfan: grr... I ment BWI
Melanie Rose: hmm
Melanie Rose: actually, yes....in and out
Matt NWAfan: is there anything to do in the terminal and hows the food? Im going to be stuck there for nearly 5 hrs
Melanie Rose:i dont remember...
Melanie Rose: look online?
Matt NWAfan: i couldn't find anything online
Melanie Rose: or, you know what?!I know this GREAT message board.
Melanie Rose: its fabulous
Melanie Rose: they have a "trip planning" section
Melanie Rose: and members are super helpful



HELP HIM PLEASE. :)

Damn Matt, I didn't know you had five hours there!

Well outside of security there is this little visitors deck indoor type thing with some ok view of the ramp but I imagine you are going to want to stay inside security.

Actually small correction... 3 hrs not 5. That was a mistype

And thanks Mel..... :)

Spotting there is pretty good from inside the terminal. One of the concourses has a GREAT aviaiton painting collection.

If you leave the airport grounds, there's a little area specifically for spotting just beyond the perimeter.

There are several restaurants inthe terminal that aren't too bad either, though I've found service to be slow.

If you are flying Southwest, they use concourse A & B. In between the two is the "food court / shopping mall." If you like seafood, there is a good sit-down restaurant there closer to the A gates. If you just want a quick bite to eat, (pizza, burgers, etc) the food court is the way to go, but as Phil said, the service there is horribly slow. If your connection time is tight, just keep walking.

As for the shopping, there is an electronics store there where you can get everything from laptop accessories, to IPOD accessories to satelite radio recievers. Other than a larger than usual (for an airport) bookstore, again, nothing that will take up too much of your time.

I never had the time to visit the Observation area or painting collections, so I cant comment on those. I usually had 40 mins or less to connect.

With 3 hours you really won't have time to leave the airport and spot.

That said, there is a nice observation deck upstairs, on the second level. I was always on a WN flight when transitting through there so I don't remember having to leave and enter security in order to get there. (Things may have changed though.)

Gordon, is that the one you are talking about?

This Observation area has a chopped up 737 inside...meaning, you'll see a 737 nose, wing, wheels, etc. It's next to a reataurant/bar but if you want food, I reocmmend the AE Phillips for crabcakes, at the far end of one of the terminals.

Also, if spotting from inside, if you to the large food court, it runs parallel one of the runways ( I know not which) but give side on shots through a large open glass.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mirrodie

With 3 hours you really won't have time to leave the airport and spot.

That said, there is a nice observation deck upstairs, on the second level. I was always on a WN flight when transitting through there so I don't remember having to leave and enter security in order to get there. (Things may have changed though.)

Gordon, is that the one you are talking about?

This Observation area has a chopped up 737 inside...meaning, you'll see a 737 nose, wing, wheels, etc. It's next to a reataurant/bar but if you want food, I reocmmend the AE Phillips for crabcakes, at the far end of one of the terminals.

Also, if spotting from inside, if you to the large food court, it runs parallel one of the runways ( I know not which) but give side on shots through a large open glass.

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Where exactly is that deck located?

Thanks for the info guys!

http://www.bwiairport.com/customer_a..._terminal_map/

look there, right hand side, yellow area

The observation deck is between B and C (landside) - pretty comfy, and you're side on for departures off of 28. 33L arrivals are behind the concourse by the time they're near. Airside, down at the end of B, if you can find a clean spot, you may have a chance at shooting some 33L arrivals as they turn off (or 15R departures, if they're going that way). At E, there's a small display of Maryland aviation history, and Phil has already mentioned the art display. Traffic is lots and lots of Southwest, with a bunch of AirTran, also. The observation park is at the end of 33L, and is only accessible by taxi (or bicycle) from the main terminal. Food options are airport food - since you're in Maryland, there will be all sorts of crab cakes, otherwise, lots of standard grab-and-go type things. If you come across it, California Tortilla is a locally-based high-quality mini-chain. Think Chipotle, but edible.

Usual configs are on 33L/off 28 or on 10/off 15R.