2 Airports In America With Strict Anti-Price Gouging Rules For Food Vendors

Newsflash: Air travel isn't cheap. Thanks in part to rising fuel prices, flight prices are increasing. Southwest Airlines now charges extra for checked bags. And even when you think you're getting a deal on a budget airline, you might be hit with sneaky hidden fees that significantly add to the cost of flying. Fortunately, there are still a few places in the United States where you won't be hit with inflated prices: the terminals at Portland International Airport (PDX) and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) are two airports in the country with strict anti-price gouging rules for food vendors. 

What does it mean for travelers? In short, the cost of a cup of coffee, a sandwich, or a glass of wine costs roughly the same at these airports as it would in their respective cities. As a basis for comparison, many major airports' food and beverage vendors charge somewhere between 10 and 20% more than standard "street" prices. 

Portland International is doing its part to change the trend of steep airport prices. "All vendors are obligated to charge the same prices at the airport as they do on the street in Portland," said Kaitlin Hunter, Senior Manager of Concessions for the Port of Portland, in an interview with Travel Oregon. "You pay at the airport what you would pay in town."

The same goes for Salt Lake City International. A $4 billion renovation completed in 2020 came with a new set of rules prohibiting food vendors from price-gouging. The Salt Lake Tribune reported in 2023 that, in order to raise prices, vendors inside the airport have to prove that prices went up at a comparable business in the city. In most cases, as the article acknowledges, prices are about the same at the airport or on the street. In a few instances, goods are actually cheaper in the terminal. 

"When people get the notion that they're not being gouged, or they're not paying significantly more for something than they might otherwise be," said Bill Wyatt, the airport's executive director, "they'll buy it. That's clearly proved to be the case here." It's no wonder Salt Lake City's airport was ranked number one in the United States.

So what's with the price gouging on your pre-flight snacks? According to a recent story published by the technology media outlet CPA Practice Advisor, which used Chicago's Midway International Airport as an example, there are a few reasons why prices are usually higher at the airport. First, it's more expensive to rent retail space at the airport than in the city. There are also higher commissions and fees, the hassle (and associated costs) of moving supplies past airport security, and even, in some cases, the elevated cost of employee parking (paid for by the employer).

Customers are captive, so to speak, with little choice but to pay steeper prices at the airport. Of course, the same is true at sports venues, amusement parks, and on cruise ships, where hyper-inflated costs for drinks onboard — and the rules associated with them — should make you think twice about buying a drink package.