"Airports rely on you spending money inside the terminal. In 2024, US airports generated over $1 billion of revenue from purchases like $6 bottled water, $27 beers, and $10 Chex Mix.
And airports are only getting more expensive. In the early 2000s, some tried to match the price of goods outside the airport. But today, many airports are raising or removing that limit. And there’s little competition inside the terminal — much of the food and retail at the airport is operated by a few massive companies.
So how did airports become so expensive? And why are some raising prices even more?"
thats a lot of words to say “captive market”
like anyone forced to spend money at an airport had a choice
They… do? Bring food from home if you are so hungry or just read a book while waiting.
This ⬆️⬆️⬆️. You get it, the rest need to check their damn privilege.
I like how PDX proves the capitalists wrong. They kept street pricing with no additional markup, & ppl actually spend more.
Greed.
100%
I think there’s a correlation with the overpriced & uncapped cost of food in the terminals & the increasing use of (& thus increasing lack of ‘exclusivity’ of) airport lounges. Consumers are seeking better value, & if you can benefit from loyalty plans at the lounges, why get gouged with monopolized retail?
