Saving Money at the Airport
You do not have to do much traveling to know that when you travel, if you have to buy something at the airport, it is usually pricey. If you are traveling for business and are on someone else’s expense, you might not think twice about paying $10 for a bad sandwich. However, if you are traveling on your dime, you probably cringe when you hear the kids say, “I’m hungry.”
There is no way to completely avoid the outrageous prices at airports short of simply not buying anything at all. This might be easier if your travel does not include any connecting flights, but if you have a connection, you can count on spending most of your day at the airport. This makes it hard to not buy anything, especially if you are traveling with younger children.
The good news is that with a little planning, you can eliminate some of cost and also eat healthier (which is a bonus). To begin with, drinks are the hardest to overcome, because you cannot take liquids (except a small amount) through the security checkpoint at the airport. However, you can grab a plastic cup when you leave the house and throw it in your carry-on bag. There are always plenty of water fountains in the airport, so you should have no trouble filling your cup and then tossing it when you are done.
Remember to bring snack foods with you to the airport. You should not have trouble getting those through the airport security checkpoints. About anything goes here, but remember, things can get warm in your purse or carry-on bag, so things like candy bars may not be the best choice because they could melt. Good snacks include packages of peanut butter and crackers, packages of nuts, and various types of chips. It is easier and cleaner to carry individual portions rather than larger sizes of these items.
In certain cases, you will be eating in restaurants. If you find yourself in the conventional sit-down restaurant, you can probably save by ordering water with your meal rather than something else. If you go for alcoholic beverages, expect to pay top dollar, so I would certainly avoid those. Fast food restaurants are going to be cheaper than the sit-down restaurants that take you to your table. The value meals are not too expensive, but probably at least 25% more than if you hit the same fast food place in the city. If you can manage to stay away from the restaurants, it will be to your advantage.
Outside of food items, try and bring everything else you need with you to the airport. Gum and candy are going to be about twice what you would pay at the super market. If you buy something like cold medicine or even aspirin, that is also top dollar. The one item that is not marked up is magazines and newspapers. You will pay the same thing for them as you would at the newsstand. If you are a cost conscience traveler, try a few of these tips on your next trip and hopefully you can save a little money.
You do not have to do much traveling to know that when you travel, if you have to buy something at the airport, it is usually pricey. If you are traveling for business and are on someone else’s expense, you might not think twice about paying $10 for a bad sandwich. However, if you are traveling on your dime, you probably cringe when you hear the kids say, “I’m hungry.”
There is no way to completely avoid the outrageous prices at airports short of simply not buying anything at all. This might be easier if your travel does not include any connecting flights, but if you have a connection, you can count on spending most of your day at the airport. This makes it hard to not buy anything, especially if you are traveling with younger children.
The good news is that with a little planning, you can eliminate some of cost and also eat healthier (which is a bonus). To begin with, drinks are the hardest to overcome, because you cannot take liquids (except a small amount) through the security checkpoint at the airport. However, you can grab a plastic cup when you leave the house and throw it in your carry-on bag. There are always plenty of water fountains in the airport, so you should have no trouble filling your cup and then tossing it when you are done.
Remember to bring snack foods with you to the airport. You should not have trouble getting those through the airport security checkpoints. About anything goes here, but remember, things can get warm in your purse or carry-on bag, so things like candy bars may not be the best choice because they could melt. Good snacks include packages of peanut butter and crackers, packages of nuts, and various types of chips. It is easier and cleaner to carry individual portions rather than larger sizes of these items.
In certain cases, you will be eating in restaurants. If you find yourself in the conventional sit-down restaurant, you can probably save by ordering water with your meal rather than something else. If you go for alcoholic beverages, expect to pay top dollar, so I would certainly avoid those. Fast food restaurants are going to be cheaper than the sit-down restaurants that take you to your table. The value meals are not too expensive, but probably at least 25% more than if you hit the same fast food place in the city. If you can manage to stay away from the restaurants, it will be to your advantage.
Outside of food items, try and bring everything else you need with you to the airport. Gum and candy are going to be about twice what you would pay at the super market. If you buy something like cold medicine or even aspirin, that is also top dollar. The one item that is not marked up is magazines and newspapers. You will pay the same thing for them as you would at the newsstand. If you are a cost conscience traveler, try a few of these tips on your next trip and hopefully you can save a little money.