A new way to hang around between flights: Munich Airport's high-ropes course

In a summer filled with endless flight delays and cancellations, here's a new way to occupy your time at an airport: Climb a three-story-tall ropes course.

From August through mid-September, passengers and visitors at Munich Airport (MUC) can climb, swing on and zoom across an impressively expansive high-ropes course and playground area in a covered terrace space just outside its terminals.

Even if you're grounded between flights, you can still get that feeling of flying. And to add to the fun, the terrace recreation area also has a DJ spinning tunes on Fridays and Saturdays, along with a bar with deck chairs. So you can grab some drinks and watch the fun even if you're not inclined to dangle on the ropes.

For more travel news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for TPG’s daily newsletter.

Munich Airport's high-ropes course

If you're bored waiting between flights at Munich Airport or just arrived a bit early before check-in, then here's a way to get your adrenaline pumping and banish that jet lag. You'll hang nearly 50 feet off the ground in a harness while navigating a series of high-ropes challenges, including swinging steps, wiggling bridges, balance beams and even an airplane-themed zip line. Designed by the KristallTurm company, the course has "36 climbing elements across three levels," according to the designer, with pathways nearly 70 feet long on each level.

Transit passengers and the general public alike can clamber across the many features of this ropes course from now until Sept. 11.

The event takes place in an area of the airport accessible to the general public. Passengers will need to exit from the terminal area to participate. People using the ropes course so far have been evenly split between passengers from the airport and the visiting public, according to the airport.

If you are transiting through Munich Airport, before trying out the ropes course you'll want to make sure you have plenty of time between flights to clear security again to return to the terminals.

The ropes course is located at the Forum in the Munich Airport Center – a roofed, 10,000-square-meter (100,000-square-foot) open-air forum between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. This public events space had hosted many installations and events before COVID-19. The ropes course is the first such activity happening there since 2020. The covered area means it will be open regardless of the weather.

"Events at Munich Airport are known for being 'out of the box' and for not being related to flight operations at all," wrote Corinna Born, the airport's director of media relations, in an email to TPG. "Throughout the year, the creative event team comes up with new ideas for activities and events that will surprise and delight visitors and passengers, and identifies partners with whom this can be realized. Partnering with KristallTurm, a cooperation was formed in which both parties wanted to try something new."

Related: Oktoberfest returns to Munich this fall

Affordable and good for kids

Kids are welcome to hop on Munich Airport's ropes course, but they have to be 50 inches tall. Anyone less than 55 inches must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 18 years of age need the consent of a parent or guardian.

No special skill level or climbing ability is required to tackle the course, but the challenges are best handled by those with at least an average fitness level. Guides are stationed along the course to assist and advise climbers.

The ropes course sells tickets for a very affordable five euros (about $5) for two full hours of climbing in the park. The ticket price includes instruction and guidance — provided in English and German. Safety harnesses are available in multiple sizes, from those for children to adults up to 260 pounds.

Tickets are sold in advance through the airport website and can sell out during busy weekends. But walk-up tickets are available for purchase on weekdays, when the airport reports plenty of climbing capacity to still be open.

Operating hours for the ropes course are from Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m; Friday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m; and Saturday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The company that designed and built the ropes course, KristallTurm, has more than 60 other ropes courses worldwide, including at theme parks, outdoor adventure centers and indoor settings, but this is its first at an airport.

Related: Enjoy these secret airport spots when your flight is delayed