Brits spend £350 on average while waiting in airports - not just on duty free
Brits waiting for their flights in the airport could save £350 a year if they were able to resist the temptation of duty free and airport restaurants.
After everything from the hotel, transfer and transport is booked in ahead of a holiday, few people are left keen to splash yet more cash before they've even arrived at their destination. Yet 93% of Brits say they’ve succumbed to an unplanned impulse purchase in an airport departures terminal while awaiting a flight.
Most do so because they're bored, according to a survey of more than 2,000 flyers conducted for Collinson, owner and operator of Priority Pass and LoungeKey. Such a state of mind is coming at quite a considerable expense, with the average Brit admitting to spending around £50 each time they end up in a departure lounge.
As the biggest flyers in the UK are the 15% of the population who take 71% of all annual flights into and out of the country - or the equivalent of 6.73 flights for each of them - they may be forking out £336 a year on largely unnecessary airport goods.
Being tempted into an departure lounge meal is a good way to part with your cash (Getty Images/Hero Images)If you are in that bracket and you want to bring down the amount you're spending, then there are ways to stop yourself breaking the bank. While it might be less exciting than browsing the airport restaurant options, prices at travel hubs tend to be hiked up significantly.
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It is almost always cheaper, easier and healthier to bring a packed lunch with you. So long as you don't opt for an all soup lunch or something similarly liquid based, then you should have no problem bringing this through security.
When it comes to entertainment, buying magazines, newspapers and books outside of the airport is likely to be cheaper. If you have kids in tow, making sure they have plenty of toys to hand or games loaded onto their hand-held consoles is a good way to stop them pestering you into a regretful impulse buy.
Drinks are slightly more difficult due to hand luggage rules at security, although this will soon change when new scanners are rolled out across the country's airports - and in the meantime there are tricks to get around the restrictions. It's worth noting that you can also bring an empty water bottle with you through the bag check and then fill it up at a fountain on the other side.
Another solid rule of thumb is to avoid exchanging money at the airport, as the rates tend to be worse than you kind find elsewhere with a little research. Specialised travel debit and credit cards – such as Halifax Clarity and Starling – are often your best bet for spending overseas, as they offer competitive exchange rates without extra charges.
If you aren't able to get the train or bus to the airport, then parking can be another major expense. The bad news is that most long and short stay parking has gone up in price, by as much as 150% in a single year. It is well worth booking ahead of time to ensure you get the best deal possible.
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