Hot take: People overpay for airport food right after they land

I just got back from a trip to Denver and watched everyone from my flight head straight to the expensive cafes in the arrivals hall. I walked 5 minutes to the light rail station instead and grabbed a huge, amazing breakfast burrito from a local spot for $6.50. The airport version was $14 for basically the same thing! I've started planning my first meal after landing just like I plan flights, looking for a cheap gem near the transit stop. What's the best post-landing cheap eat you've found near an airport?

3 comments

3 Comments

leerobinson2mo ago

A travel blog I read calls this the "airport tax" for being too hungry to wait. Your burrito find is the perfect move. I always check Google Maps for a cheap diner just outside the security zone.

dakotacraig2mo ago

That "airport tax" is SO real. Google Maps outside security is a total game changer.

uma_webb2815d ago

Yo @dakotacraig hit the nail on the head with that outside security trick. Honestly though, I think a lot of people overlook the timing part of this whole thing. Like, if you're flying out at 6am, half those cheap diners aren't even open yet. I've landed at some airports where the only thing outside security is a 7-Eleven at 5am. It's worth checking hours on Google Maps before you bank on it, lol. And yeah, that airport tax is brutal. I've paid $14 for a sad little cup of yogurt and a banana before because I showed up starving and had no backup plan. Burrito find is still the MVP move though, especially if you find a spot that wraps it tight enough to survive the TSA bag check.