Tips For Shopping At The Airport

This report today was inspired after reading an article in Airfarewatchdog, entitled “Things You Should Never Buy at the Airport”. I could probably write an article on “things you never see at the airport anymore”!!

In years past, I never purchased a paper at the airport because just walking by several gates, especially just as a flight was beginning to board, there were always plenty of papers lying around just waiting to be picked up....so since I had usually already read the Abilene Reporter News, I would scarf up the USA Today, Dallas Morning News, Ft. Worth Star Telegram, and even the Wall Street Journal and I would be set for the next 2-3 hour flight. Nowadays? Just recently I walked through 3 terminals looking for abandoned newspapers, and found none, zilch!!!! All I saw was 200-300 people looking down at whatever was in the palm of their hand!!!

So, that leads me to one of the announced tips, purchasing newspapers or reading material at the airport. They are always marked up compared to a purchase at WalMart or Target. Purchasing those trashy magazines at an international airport, according to “watchdog” may charge you $10 for one of those that would cost only a couple of dollars at home.

And oh my goodness!!! Bottled water!! I've seen as much as a $5 tag for one 16 oz. of water at the airport. You could get a case of 36 bottles of that water at Lowes for $3.95!!!

Do you really need a neck pillow? Some folks do, saying it keeps them from falling on the shoulder of their neighbor (in some instances, that would not be too bad; in others, not a good thing!!) You can bet that a neck pillow purchased at the airport will run you about 60-70% more than buying it on-line, so just plan ahead.

According to the “watchdog”, airport food is “more expensive and less healthy than the typical restaurant options”. And, I've noticed that the foods that are supposed to be more healthy for you become priced way outta sight. Again, plan ahead and bring some snacks with you that you purchased before getting to the airport. Like a list I got from a website called smarter travel: dried fruit, beef jerky, dehydrated fruits and veggies, cheese and crackers, cereal bars, cheese snack mix. And my all-time favorite, trail mix!!

Oh, you forgot your headphones? It's just a 2-hour flight.....but you needed them!!! Buying headphones at the airport will cost you more than two purchased at a local shop like Best Buy or on the famous on-line shop, Amazon.

This, of course, is not an exhaustive list of no-no purchases at the airport, but at least it will get you started thinking of planning ahead before you travel and purchase the needed items at your favorite local store, and just remember, they need your money a lot more than the airport shop who are catering to a seriously captive audience.

And when you want to travel....anywhere, just contact your professional travel counselors at The Travel Factory at 4150 Southwest Drive....just be patient and drive on over, and think about how nice it's GONNA BE!! A phone call to 325-698-1421 or toll-free 800-760-4040 will also give you good service over the phone and advice on all things travel.