From spas to massages, airports offer stress relief on the fly

— -- One sure-bet souvenir of air travel these days is stress. That's probably why airport concourses are dotted with bars, and why those bars always are always full of cranky road warriors.

But those seeking relief from the tensions of travel have an expanding choice of more soothing options: In addition to sports bars and wine bars, more and more airports are now home to massage bars, oxygen bars and places to get pampered.

Here's a snapshot of just some of what's out there:

New terminals; new spa services

When the new Indianapolis International Airport officially opens on November 12th, travelers will find fresh artwork, new restaurants and shops, and an expanded menu of holistic services at the airport spa. The post-security Enroute Massage and Spa (formerly Passport Travel Spa) will offer manicures and pedicures, chair and table massages, and a new 20-minute, three-technician, three-service treatment (the "3 in 20") that offers time-pressed travelers a neck and shoulder massage as well as hand and foot treatments — all at the same time.

While the Elemis Travel Spa in Terminal 7 at John F. Kennedy International Airport offers complimentary massages only to British Airways' top-tier travelers, passengers will find pay-as-you-go services ranging from head, foot, leg, back and shoulder massages to manicures, pedicures and facials at the new XpresSpa in JetBlue's new Terminal 5. XpresSpa recently opened another branch at New York's LaGuardia Airport, bringing to 25 the number of airports in the United States, Mexico, and Europe with on-site XpresSpas, with eleven more branches set to open within the next six months.

Airport spas battle travel blahs

XpresSpa may be the largest airport spa chain, but it's certainly not the only one. The Jetsetter Mini Spa, with branches in Boston Logan and Miami International airports, offers chair and table massages, manicures, pedicures and facials. (The Miami branch also has a sleep pod for napping). The Massage Bar, which started seated massage services at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport back in 1993, now has branches in five other airports, including Dulles, Nashville, Newark, Sacramento, and Columbus, Ohio. In addition to heat therapy, foot massages and a variety of seated massage services, the Massage Bar offers happy hour discounts.