Passengers flying out of Aberdeen are paying some of the steepest prices in Britain for a pre-flight drink, with new analysis naming Aberdeen Airport the most expensive in Scotland and among the costliest regional hubs in the UK for a pint or a glass of wine before take-off. The findings place the north-east gateway at the sharp end of a growing divide between regional airports and the country’s biggest hubs when it comes to bar prices, raising questions for both leisure travellers and companies managing business travel budgets.
Aberdeen’s bar tab: how much are passengers paying
The latest figures, compiled by corporate travel specialist Good Business Travel and reported this weekend, show that Aberdeen Airport now charges up to 8.10 pounds for its most expensive pint of beer. That puts it ahead of any other Scottish airport and sixth overall among the UK’s 20 busiest airports.
Wine drinkers fare no better. The same analysis found that a glass of white wine at Aberdeen can reach 9 pounds, again the highest figure in Scotland. By comparison, passengers in Edinburgh are paying closer to 7.55 pounds for a glass of white, while Glasgow matches Aberdeen on wine at 9 pounds but comes in cheaper on beer.
The data highlight a clear gap between Aberdeen and its domestic rivals. At Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, the highest-priced pints are listed at 7.40 pounds, seventy pence below Aberdeen’s top rate. While all three Scottish airports are far from cheap, the numbers confirm that Aberdeen has pulled decisively ahead when it comes to the cost of an airport bar round.
For individual holidaymakers the difference may amount to only a pound or so per drink, but across a family group, or a business itinerary involving multiple flights and stopovers, that premium quickly adds up. Good Business Travel has warned that what many see as a harmless pre-flight ritual is becoming a quietly significant line on expense claims.
How Aberdeen compares with the rest of the UK
Aberdeen’s prices are high by Scottish standards, but it is part of a wider pattern in which regional airports, rather than London’s major hubs, dominate the UK’s league table of expensive pre-flight bars. The Good Business Travel study shows Liverpool, Newcastle and Cardiff jointly at the top of the pint rankings, all charging 8.39 pounds for their most expensive beer.
Further down the list, Bristol and Leeds Bradford sit above Aberdeen at 8.29 pounds for a pint, underlining that the steepest prices are often found away from the capital. Belfast International, at 8 pounds per pint, and London City, where some glasses of wine approach 14 pounds, also feature in the upper reaches of the table.
When it comes to wine, Manchester Airport stands out. Travellers there can pay up to 15.75 pounds for a single glass of white, more than 70 percent higher than Aberdeen’s top price and more than double the cheapest glass in the study. Liverpool, London City, Bristol and Newcastle also record double-digit prices for wine, underscoring how premium bar menus have become at some UK airports.
In contrast, London Heathrow and London Gatwick, which between them handle tens of millions of passengers a year, are positioned in the middle of the pack, with pints listed at around 7.40 pounds and wine generally below 8 pounds. That means travellers can, in some cases, drink more cheaply at Britain’s busiest airports than at smaller regional gateways such as Aberdeen, Liverpool or Cardiff.
Why regional airports are outpacing the big hubs on price
Industry analysts say several structural factors help explain why passengers at Aberdeen and other regional airports are paying so much. Food and beverage outlets at airports typically operate under concession agreements that require them to guarantee high annual payments to the airport, often escalating as passenger numbers grow. To cover those costs, operators push margins higher than would be sustainable on the high street.
At major hubs such as Heathrow, the sheer volume of travellers allows operators to spread those fixed costs over far more customers. That scale can help keep menu prices from climbing as fast, even with high rents and tight security requirements. In regional airports with fewer passengers, bars have to earn the same or higher concession payments from a smaller base, which often translates directly into higher prices per drink.
Aberdeen’s role as a key gateway for the North Sea energy sector also plays a part. A significant share of its traffic is made up of business travellers linked to oil, gas and offshore services, who are more likely to expense meals and drinks. Travel management firms say airports with a heavy corporate mix tend to support higher bar and restaurant prices, as operators know a substantial portion of the bill will end up on company accounts rather than personal bank cards.
Local market dynamics matter too. Aberdeen has, in recent years, approved a relatively high visitor levy on overnight stays in the city, reflecting an ambition to invest in tourism and infrastructure. While the new charge is not yet in effect at the airport, it underlines a broader environment in which visitors are expected to shoulder more of the cost of maintaining and upgrading the city’s travel facilities and attractions.
Impact on travellers and business travel budgets
For leisure passengers, the headline figures at Aberdeen Airport are likely to reinforce an impression many already hold: that the airport bar is an expensive indulgence. Surveys carried out across UK airports in recent years consistently show that the cost of alcohol in terminals is among the main reasons some travellers now skip a pre-flight drink entirely.
For businesses, the implications are more concrete. Good Business Travel, which books international trips for thousands of employees every month, notes that a single 7 to 9 pound drink might not raise eyebrows on an expense sheet. However, when multiplied across dozens or hundreds of staff, each taking several trips a year, those costs can run into tens of thousands of pounds annually.
Corporate travel managers are increasingly alert to such incremental spending. Many are updating expense policies to set clearer limits on alcohol claims at airports, or encouraging staff to opt for soft drinks, coffee or food instead. Some firms now provide prepaid cards with capped balances for airport incidentals, effectively putting a ceiling on how much can be spent on high-priced drinks before departure.
For Aberdeen-based companies, whose employees may pass through the city’s airport frequently on trips offshore or to other business hubs, the new rankings are a timely reminder that managing total travel cost involves looking beyond fares and hotel rates. Ancillary spending in terminals, from drinks to snacks and last-minute purchases, is becoming an increasingly important part of the overall bill.
Safety concerns and changing attitudes to airport drinking
The debate around pre-flight drinking is not only about cost. Recent figures released in Scotland show that alcohol-linked incidents at the country’s four largest airports, including Aberdeen, have almost tripled over the past six years. Police were called to hundreds of cases in 2024 where alcohol was recorded as a primary factor in disruptive passenger behaviour.
Airlines and airport operators have long warned that excessive drinking before boarding can lead to passengers being denied travel, flight diversions and, in serious cases, arrests and fines. A number of carriers now highlight their alcohol policies prominently during booking and check-in, reminding customers that being visibly intoxicated remains grounds for refusal at the gate.
At the same time, broader social trends may be moderating the traditional rush to the bar in departure lounges. Data from Manchester Airport Group and others suggest that younger travellers, particularly those in Generation Z, are increasingly choosing options such as matcha tea, smoothies and other non-alcoholic drinks over beer or wine before a flight. That shift is being driven in part by social media and a greater emphasis on wellness and self-care.
If that pattern spreads, higher prices at regional airports like Aberdeen may accelerate the move away from alcohol. For cost-conscious passengers, and especially for those who are already wary of flying or concerned about jet lag, a nearly 9 pound pint could be one more reason to stick to coffee or soft drinks while waiting to board.
Aberdeen’s wider passenger experience under the spotlight
The bar price rankings arrive at a time when Aberdeen International Airport is otherwise winning plaudits. In 2025, the airport was named Airport of the Year at the Scottish Transport Awards, with judges praising its focus on improving the passenger experience and delivering a strong year as the north-east’s main air gateway.
The airport has invested in terminal upgrades and in expanding its food, beverage and retail offer, positioning itself as a modern, efficient hub for both leisure routes and the offshore energy industry. Duty free operators at the airport are keen to stress that, despite higher bar prices, passengers can still find savings of up to 50 percent on spirits and other products compared with high street rates when shopping in dedicated retail outlets.
That contrast between duty free bargains and bar prices is stark. While a bottle of whisky or gin in the terminal shop may undercut city-centre prices, the same brands served by the glass in a bar upstairs are fetching some of the highest tariffs in the country. Travel experts say that dissonance can feel jarring to passengers, particularly those who assume that all airport shopping will offer at least some sort of discount.
Airport managers across the UK, including in Aberdeen, argue that non-aeronautical revenue from retail and catering is essential to fund investments in runways, security and terminal facilities without pushing up landing fees and ultimately airfares. Nonetheless, the latest figures are likely to fuel calls for a more transparent explanation of how prices are set, and whether there is scope to ease some of the pressure on passengers’ wallets.
What travellers can do to keep costs down
With bar prices at Aberdeen and other regional airports unlikely to fall in the short term, travel advisers recommend a few practical steps for those looking to avoid a shock when the bill arrives. The simplest is to treat the airport bar as a discretionary extra rather than a guaranteed part of the journey, and to decide in advance how much, if anything, to spend on alcohol before departure.
Passengers keen on a ritual drink can consider opting for lower-priced options on the menu, such as house beers, wines or non-alcoholic alternatives, which are often cheaper than premium brands. Some travellers also choose to arrive at the airport having eaten and drunk beforehand, reducing the temptation to make multiple bar visits during a long wait at the gate.
For business travellers, checking their company’s expense policy before they fly can help avoid awkward conversations later. Increasingly, employers are specifying that only one drink may be claimed, or that alcohol will not be reimbursed at all for short-haul daytime flights. Knowing those rules in advance can influence decisions in the departures hall.
Those with longer layovers at Aberdeen might also look beyond the terminal for alternatives. Pubs and bars in nearby Dyce and the surrounding area often offer more competitive prices and a broader selection of local beers. However, travellers should factor in the time needed to clear security again and the risk of delays on the way back to the airport if they choose to step outside.
A snapshot of a changing airport ritual
The new rankings placing Aberdeen Airport at the top of Scotland’s pre-flight price table and among the UK’s most expensive regional airports capture a moment of transition in the way Britons start their holidays and business trips. The airport pint remains a cherished tradition for many, but it is also becoming a costly habit, particularly in smaller hubs where bar operators face higher per-passenger costs.
For Aberdeen, the findings sit alongside a broader narrative of investment, recognition and growth. The airport is winning industry awards and expanding its route network, even as frustrations over the cost of a simple drink in the terminal grow louder. Passengers weighing up whether to order that first pint of the trip will increasingly have to balance nostalgia against the reality of an 8 pound price tag.
As regional airports across the UK look to strengthen their finances and improve facilities, the price of a pre-flight drink is likely to remain under scrutiny. For now, Aberdeen stands as a clear example of how that balancing act is playing out, both at the bar and at the boarding gate.