What with all the long lines, heavy bags and huge crowds of people, air travel can be excessively stressful. While many choose to go to a spa in the city they are travelling to, many airports have spas within the airport itself, to ease the stress of travel and to give travellers something to indulge in during the long waits. Massage areas, manicures and oxygen therapies can certainly help to ease the stress. Here are some of our favourite airport spas in North America.
   

Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey

Newark Liberty International has dedicated its resources to create spa areas throughout the airport. Its interesting-named ‘D_parture’ spa areas offer chair massage, pedicure, manicure and massage combos, as well as hair styling. In terminals B and C there are oxygen therapy stations where travellers can sit down and breathe-in some pure oxygen scented with calming oils for quick 15 minute break. D_parture has also gone one step further and created private rooms that are a little more spa-like, where guests can get full body massages and European facials.
   

JFK International Airport, New York City

With all the Starbucks and Subway Sandwich franchises that are packed into airports, it was only a matter of time before a spa franchise decided to move in. A new full-service branch of the beloved New York-based Oasis Day Spa has opened its doors right by terminal 6 in JFK International Airport. With a variety of packages, the spa has every sort of treatment tailored for travellers. With express options, it offers a 30-minute full body table massage, as well as the quicker chair massage. Facials, manicures and waxing are also available upon request.
   

Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia

Throughout Vancouver's International Airport there are three locations for Canada's largest and most luxurious spa chain, Absolute Spa. The chain has been voted best spa 67 times by a variety of international magazines. It offers massages – both chair and full body – pedicures, manicures, facials and oxygen treatments. Absolute Spas are located before the security gates in the International Departure areas, past the security in the U.S. departure area and in the Fairmont Hotel in the International Terminal.
  

Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania

Located just past security at concourse A lies Pittsburgh International Airport's beautifying station, which is simply named ‘Polished’. Polished offers massages to the feet, hands, back, neck and shoulders. It also offers a slew of nail treatments, as well as the traditional manicure and pedicures. The men's grooming services (including haircut, shave and dying services), make-up applications, and cut and colour services make Polished a popular stop for many of the business people who are making their way through the airport. Polished is also located at Boston's Logan Airport, Baltimore's International Airport, and Maine's Portland International Airport.
     

Detroit International Airport, Michigan

Detroit International Airport is unique in a variety of ways, mainly due to the underground passage which sports a light show and New Age music for those travelling from concourse B to concourse C. However, if you need a little more relaxation, check out OraOxygen. Located by gate A45 it is well known for its variety of scented oil oxygen treatments. It has also expanded to include facials, manicures, pedicures and wonderful full body and foot massages. It is certainly unique for an airport spa, as it offers a soothing 90-minute hot stone treatment for those who have extra time on their hands. It also provides private shower services. OraOxygen also has branches in the Calgary International Airport in Alberta and Schiphol Airport across the pond in Amsterdam.
   

O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois

The massive O'Hare airport offers the chair-rub hubs, small oxygen therapy stations and mani-pedi stations. Alas, none of these stations are all located in the same place, so travellers really have to do some hunting to get what they want. If you need a steam or a full body Swedish massage, head on through the pedestrian tunnel from terminal 3 for the health club at the O'Hare Hilton.