As travelers, we find ourselves spending a significant amount of downtime in airports, which can often lead to unnecessary and unwanted purchases. With modern terminals continuously expanding their dining, drinking, and retail options, the temptation to spend is stronger than ever. Unfortunately, fair pricing is a rare sight, as stores knowingly capitalize on travelers with steep markups on various items, from parking to vending machine drinks. Since flying is already quite costly, here are 5 items you should avoid buying at the airport if you want to save some money. Let's get to the point!
Travelers, avoid buying these 5 things at the airport you're flying from…
1. Bottled water
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While navigating airports and traveling can be thirsty work, there's hardly a justifiable reason to spend $5 on a bottle of water or any other canned or bottled beverage. In fact, in 2015, an airport retailer, Hudson News, faced a lawsuit for selling water at a whopping 300% markup compared to street prices. Additionally, purchasing bottled water is not environmentally friendly. Some airports, like San Francisco's SFO, have taken steps to ban the sale of plastic water bottles. The solution is simple: buy a reusable bottle before arriving at the airport and fill it up in the departure lounge. Affordable options are available, and many airports are now equipped with improved water stations for this purpose.
2. Electronic goods
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The allure of high-tech gadgets like cameras, headphones, laptops, and smartphones can be challenging to resist while killing time before a flight. However, impulsive purchases of electronic goods and accessories can take a toll on your budget. Price comparison website PriceSpy once revealed that duty-free electronics at major English airports were approximately $130 more expensive than online prices. Even basic items like replacement cables and chargers, which you can find for a dollar or two elsewhere, tend to be overpriced. If you forget your charger, seek out free charging stations at the airport and purchase a new one after reaching your destination. Consider packing a versatile 3-in-1 charging cable in your suitcase to have a backup charger that works with all your devices.
3. Food
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Eating a meal before your flight is a wise choice with various health benefits, including combating nausea. Opting for healthy, non-fried, non-greasy, and non-processed foods is essential for in-flight well-being. While some airports boast high-quality dining options, most of the time, your choices will be limited to fast-food and chain restaurants. If you're fine with bland and overpriced fare (attributed to high operating costs at airports), go ahead. Otherwise, either eat before arriving at the airport or bring your packed lunch and snacks. Unlike liquids, you won't be required to discard food during security checks. If you're on a long-haul flight, save your appetite for the in-flight meal.
4. Foreign currency
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When preparing for a vacation, foreign cash is often the last thing on people's minds. If you forget to exchange currency before your trip, avoid making impulsive decisions like using foreign exchange booths such as Travelex. They typically impose hefty transaction fees and offer less favorable exchange rates. In an era when debit and credit cards are widely accepted globally, cash may not be necessary at all. However, it's still useful to carry a small amount for tips, taxis, and public transportation. Instead of succumbing to airport exchange houses, use a local ATM upon arrival. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the more favorable rates.
5. WiFi
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With smartphones always in our pockets, we tend to check emails, messages, and social media continuously. While many airports offer free WiFi, it's often limited in duration. Once your free session expires, you may be prompted to enter your credit card details to continue browsing at an exorbitant fee. It's best to resist this temptation and enjoy a brief break from the internet by reading or people-watching. If you must access the internet, try searching for open, password-free WiFi networks outside frequent flier lounges, hotel lobbies, restaurants, or consider exploring some airport WiFi hacks.
Elevate your airport parking experience with us – ParkingNearAirports.io!
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You might be surprised about this fact because most people are confident that on-site parking is the best choice when you're traveling by air. But, actually, it's not true, and we'll explain why.
People who prefer to get to the airport by car think that it's the most convenient option since on-site parking is the nearest place to the airport where it's possible to park a vehicle safely for the period of a trip. However, they make a huge mistake, as there is a big chance to face many following difficulties:
- You will need to find a spot in a crowded lot,
- You will need to carry the luggage all the way through the parking lot,
- You must pay expensive fees without great service, and much more.
Sounds not so good, right? But there is one great solution in this situation – an off-site parking option!
The off-site parking service has many advantages, which will definitely convince you to change your choice during the next trip:
- First of all, it's much cheaper. On-site parking can become too costly for you, as the price for such a parking type might equal half the value of the whole trip. The cost of the off-site parking, in turn, will be not so high, offering alongside free shuttles going back and forth between the parking lot and the airport.
- Secondly, it's much faster. By choosing an on-site parking option, you'll be needed to find a free spot in a crowded lot, which takes a lot of time. However, by selecting an off-site parking option, you'll be able to drive directly to the entrance, where staff members will help you to pull your luggage out of your vehicle and load it into the shuttle, as well as park your car securely for you. Finally, a free shuttle will bring you and your bags to the airport.
- Thirdly, it's much more convenient. No more worries about being late to the airport and your flight – the off-site parking is a hassle-free option that is usually faster. Since you use the services of a private company, people want to be sure you're satisfied with the quality and comfort of the services provided, so you don't need to wrack your brain about the quick path to the airport anymore.
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As for the companies that provide the best off-site parking services, we've prepared an ideal option for you. Our booking platform, ParkingNearAirports.io, built excellent relationships with many parking lot operators to leave customers satisfied and their cars – safe. Furthermore, it doesn't matter what the airport you're flying from is – on our easy-to-navigate website, https://parkingnearairports.io/, you'll find the best deals for all the major airports and cruise ports in the United States and Canada.
To understand it better, we can give you an example. Let's imagine that you live in Minneapolis, Minnesota and plan to visit Orlando, Florida. Then, you can use the services of affordable parking near MSP Airport with shuttle. If you're flying from Orlando, the situation is the same – choose cheap MCO off-airport parking. So, as you can understand, everything works simply.
By the way, on our website, you can find all the required information about the advantages of off-site parking, domestic airport parking charges, and others. So travel profitably and enjoy your following trip together with us!
