PHX Perspective

Holiday Happenings around Sky Harbor

Twinkling lights, wreaths, poinsettias, garland, snowmen, Santa, Christmas trees and snowflakes; it is the holiday season and as you walk through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, you’ll notice many of the airline ticket counters, shops and restaurants are looking very festive.

Besides decorations at PHX Sky Harbor, there are also several holiday promotions that allow travelers to find great deals on a variety of items. In fact, many travelers take delight in shopping at the Airport before their flight as they can find unique gifts from the Southwest. For instance, holiday tamales are quite popular. At El Bravo in Terminal 4, green corn chicken, green corn vegetarian and red beef tamales are available for purchase. They are sold for $29.99 per dozen and come in a special holiday bag. El Bravo also offers a special holiday season tamale, the sweet bean, sold by the dozen for $29.99 or individually for $4.49 apiece. El Bravo’s tamales are made fresh daily with no preservatives or animal fat. They are available frozen so that travelers can take them on a flight, then heat them up when they arrive at their destination.

If food isn’t on your gift list, several shops offer unique Southwest items from ceramic goods to jewelry to ornaments. Desert Images in Terminal 3 will be carrying uniquely designed holiday ornaments featuring Southwest images such as brilliant sunsets, chili peppers, blooming cacti, desert vistas and palm trees. These ornaments are offered in a special gift box that can be used for displaying or gift giving. Travelers passing through on Dec. 23 will be able to meet the artist, Brenda Schodt, and have their ornaments signed between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Also, In Celebration of Golf located in Terminal 4 converted 450 square feet of their store into a special section called Red Canoe American Heritage. It specializes in a line of vintage looking aviation product.

If shopping isn’t your thing, perhaps the little ones in your family want to see Santa Claus. Or perhaps you’d like to create a fun holiday greeting card. Southwest Airlines, in partnership with Microsoft, is pleased to offer its passengers free holiday photos. Travelers will be able to have their photos taken with Santa or in a holiday themed background by stopping by Santa’s workshop past security near the Southwest gates in Terminal 4. Once the photos are taken, a Windows 7 Elf will assist travelers through an online experience to edit, share and store their photos for free. Phoenix Sky Harbor is one of 26 airports nationwide where this service is being offered.

In the spirit of the season, Phoenix Sky Harbor and Airport partners are finding creative ways to give back to the community. For instance, the city of Phoenix Aviation Department will have volunteers wrapping gifts for travelers. This will not only help travelers as they won’t have to worry with wrapping gifts beforehand and getting them through security, but all donations from the gift wrapping will benefit local United Way charities through the city of Phoenix Community Service Fund Drive. Gift wrapping stations will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Dec. 20 to Dec. 23, beyond the Terminal 4 Security Checkpoints B and D.

Southwest Airlines will also be making donations to the Make a Wish Foundation. In order to help those in need this holiday season, Southwest has a promotion in which travelers can check in for their flights through Facebook Places on their mobile device through Dec. 25. For each traveler who does so, Southwest will donate $1. Click here to find out more.

Be sure to check back to this page often as we will continue to update holiday happenings and specials. Happy Holidays from Phoenix Sky Harbor!

Last updated: 12/17/2010