Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) will soon be the site of
the first gym in the U.S. to be located within the secured portion of an
airport.
Roam Fitness, an Oregon-based startup, expects to open its
1,175-square-foot facility along the new BWI concourse D and E connector as
soon as the end of the week.
The gym will offer travelers the opportunity to use cardio
equipment, free weights, a pull-up bar, a TRX suspension training system,
medicine balls and yoga mats.
Roam also plans to open a gym at the Charlotte Douglas Airport
during the third quarter of this year and is in talks with other airports, CEO
Cynthia Sandall said.
Fliers could use the gym during a layover or a flight delay.
Sandall also said that Roam's market research has shown that 48% of fliers who
are interested in working out said they'd use it before a flight.
"It's a substitute for things that already exist in the
airport," she said, referencing bars, restaurants, retail outlets and gate
areas. "And it's particularly for people who want to manage their stress
or get an escape rather than just sit in the crowd."
To date, the only airport gyms in the U.S. are at airport
hotels at Chicago O'Hare and Detroit Metro, Sandall said. Fliers can purchase
day passes for both facilities, but the gyms are located outside of TSA
checkpoints.
Roam Fitness will sell day passes for $40, monthly passes
for $175 and annual passes for $600. Those fees include clothing and shoe
rentals, towel service and shower access.
Sandall said the Roam at BWI would open no later than the
end of this month.