Detroit Metro is the latest airport to add a multisensory room
On Friday, the Wayne County Airport Authority and Delta Air Lines unveiled a brand-new multisensory room in the Edward H. McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).
Like similar rooms at airports in Pittsburgh; Seattle; Kansas City, Missouri; Portland, Oregon; and Fort Wayne, Indiana, DTW’s new multisensory room is designed to provide a calm, supportive and safe environment for individuals with sensory sensitivities or cognitive disabilities as well as for their families.
DTW’s newest amenity features calming colors, sounds and activities that allow travelers to take a break from the sights and sounds of a busy airport. This way, they can calmly prepare for the next step of their journey.
Developed in partnership with Delta at a cost of nearly $500,000, DTW’s multisensory room has a variety of spaces and features that help with self-regulation and relaxation.
Those features include a musical wall that lets users create sounds by placing their hands on the surface. There's also a wall that provides visual stimulation with different shapes and textures that help promote relaxation.
Other elements of DTW’s new multisensory room include a beanbag with fiber optic strands that provide predictable visual input and a crash pad that creates deep pressure to reduce anxiety. There’s even a tree with a built-in cubby that can create a sense of safety and allow individuals to escape sensory input from the environment.
Chad Newton, CEO of the Wayne County Airport Authority (which operates DTW), said in a statement that the addition of the multisensory room reflects the authority’s commitment “to reducing the stress of travel and creating an inclusive environment for all of our guests.”
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“At Delta, we believe travel is for everyone and are committed to creating elevated experiences for all our customers,” Hussein Berry, Delta’s vice president of airport operations at DTW, said. “Delta is proud to partner with the Wayne County Airport Authority as DTW joins the list of airports that provide a calming, supportive environment rooted in research for customers with sensory sensitivities and their families as they travel.”
DTW passengers will find the new multisensory room across from Gate A36, behind Pandora. The room is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it has a maximum capacity of six occupants. Anyone who wants to use the room can call ahead to get an access code to enter.
Other sensory rooms of note
DTW is the latest U.S. airport to introduce a multisensory room for travelers, and it’s encouraging that this helpful and inclusive amenity is becoming more common at airports across the country.
Open Doors Organization — a nonprofit that works with airports, airlines and other organizations on accessibility issues — listed more than 30 airports with sensory rooms in May 2023.
When the award-winning new terminal opened at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) in February 2023, it introduced a sensory room as well as the Kansas City Air Travel Experience Room — a space that allows travelers to practice boarding, takeoff and landing.
Portland International Airport (PDX) recently added several rows of airline seats to its sensory room, which opened in 2022.
The airport’s maintenance department took brand-new seats donated by Alaska Airlines and created a small replica section of an airplane cabin against a wall, complete with porthole windows and an overhead bulkhead. The sensory room at PDX is at the end of Concourse D, and you don't need a reservation to use it.
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In September 2024, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) announced that the sensory room would be part of two separate terminal expansions projected to be completed in 2028.
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) recently celebrated the five-year anniversary of Presley’s Place, a 1,500-square-foot series of sensory rooms that opened in 2023.
“Presley’s Place is the result of an initiative from one of our own staff members who came up with the idea for our terminal,” Christina Cassotis, Pittsburgh International Airport CEO, said. “What he and his son Presley did is inspire an industry and show how airports can do more to reach all members of the traveling public."
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.