Best Airport Meals Around the World

Would you believe me if I said one of the things I look forward to most when I land in India is an idli-vada combo in a cup at Hyderabad International Airport? Probably not. Would you roll your eyes at me if I said I actively crave it when I’m back home in New York City? Likely.

I wouldn’t blame you. Airport meals don’t have the best reputation for being memorable – at least not for the right reasons. Ask any traveler what they think of airport food in general, and you’ll likely hear the words boring, sloppy, tasteless, and highway robbery thrown about. None of which sit well in a setting where your fate is somehow always teetering on the brink of disaster.

However, surely it doesn’t have to be so. Could it be that we’re missing a trick or two and that, in the morass of generally unappealing airport food, there lie some real gems? We put the ask out to our favorite travel editors and writers around the world and were flooded with responses in the affirmative. So much so that we had to get them to drop their pins on these spots – and share their favorite dish at each – all in the name of urgently needed public service.

Some of these are outposts of beloved dining establishments that let travelers savor that last slice of local culture before they leave. Others are childhood favorites that continue to serve up Proustian Madeleines as adults. Still, others are surprising discoveries that become an opportunity to try something you’d never gravitate toward under usual circumstances. All of them have, at some time or other, served up comfort, even deliciousness, in the liminal space that is an airport.

Bookmark these for the next time you find yourself wondering what to eat at the airport – you may even find yourself looking forward to a long layover.

Jamón ibérico de bellota bocadillo and espresso in Madrid

Adolfo Suárez Madrid, Barajas Airport

Several years ago, I discovered Enrique Tomás due to a flight landing earlier than expected in Madrid. I hadn’t eaten on the seven-and-a-half-hour trip, so I was quite hangry when I landed and stopped at the first thing I saw open: this spot, which I assumed was a regular airport café with mediocre, overpriced sandwiches. When I got closer, I was ecstatic to discover it was, in fact, a Spanish jamón bar that also had exceptional espresso – we’re talking 100% Iberian acorn-fed ham kind of ham stand. It was everything I needed at that moment: a jamón ibérico de bellota bocadillo that came in under 10 euros, which is a steal for airport food and just the right size for pre- or post-flight fuel. En route to Madrid, it’s a great wake-up snack when paired with a doppio espresso; on the way back to the States, it’s a last-taste type of satisfaction, knowing I won’t be able to get it for a while. Jamón ibérico is one of my favorite things to eat, and I’ve started taking a few packages of it sliced to go – only to consume them before the plane even takes off. Jenn Rice, Durham, N.C.

Fried piraña nuggets in Colombia

Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport, Leticia, Colombia

A few hours before boarding a 50-year-old DC-3 headed to a strip runway in the Peruvian Amazon forest, I felt a specific growl from my stomach. After over 23 hours of flying, starting in Heathrow, connecting in New York, and making a quick pit stop in Bogotá, I was terribly famished. Leticia Airport, roughly the size of a Pret-à-Manger fitted with check-in desks, offered only one tiny café, El Nativo. The café offered a small selection on its humble printed menu – to my surprise, one of the dishes listed was fried piraña, something I had never encountered at the 67-plus country airports I’ve eaten at. I ordered it, imagining it’d be a whole fried fish; instead, it arrived looking like breaded chicken fingers. For less than $6, I received 15 piraña “nuggets” served with a side of yucca chips, not something you might typically pick when deciding what to eat at the airport. The breading was super crunchy, and the meat was the perfect balance of chewy and juicy. Niccolo Serratt, Barcelona

Miso soup, edamame beans, nigiri assortment, and sake in Mexico City

Terminal 2, Benito Juarez International Airport, Mexico City

I’m headed back to New York City on the 2:25 PM Delta flight after a few days of running around, reporting, and eating my way through Mexico City. Even though it is lunchtime, I’m not hungry. But there is no way I’m going to miss my favorite pre-flight meal from one of the city’s best sushi restaurants, Sushi Iwashi. I start with a miso soup and some edamame beans, followed by an assortment of nigiri: toro, salmon, kampachi. At the end of it, I’m really glad I succumbed. This isn’t my first time here. On other trips, I’ve tried the salmon sashimi or a hand roll and, depending on my mood, washed it down with either sake or a chilled mojito tea. I always end with a tamago sashimi. Inevitably, I leave Mexico City with a bit of a heavy heart, but having my last meal at Sushi Iwashi is the perfect soft landing before flying back to the US. I used to hate flying through Terminal 2, but now I look forward to that icy hojita tea and salmon nigiri… unless, of course, I get stuck in Terminal 1. Mary Holland, New York City

Mixed dumplings in Beijing

Beijing Capital International Airport

During a return to London from Australia, my layover was longer than expected, as my second flight had been delayed. I found a place serving dumplings, and they were just so delicious that I ended up going back twice during my long wait. I ordered a portion of the mixed dumplings, and from what I remember, it wasn’t particularly cheap, but it was very tasty. Honestly, I think just the coziness of dumplings as I was waiting in an unfamiliar airport I’d never been to felt really warming. It helped to make a boring few hours feel much more agreeable! Abbi Malbon, London

Pulled-pork sandwich with coleslaw and mac and cheese in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, North Carolina

I was traveling from Phoenix to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for work and had a connection in Charlotte. I had eaten much earlier in the morning, so I thought I’d grab a meal at the airport prior to boarding. However, I underestimated Phoenix traffic and subsequently arrived at the airport a bit later than I would have liked and wasn’t able to buy something to eat prior to departure. It was a long, hungry four hours. Luckily, that was followed by a three-hour layover in Charlotte, and I knew I’d be able to find something there. When I walked into the main atrium, my stomach did the thinking for me and led me to the first substantial meal I spotted: Brookwood Farms Carolina Pit BBQ. I ordered a pulled pork barbecue sandwich with extra sauce. It came with a side of coleslaw and macaroni and cheese. The sandwich was piled high with pulled pork on a freshly baked roll, so much so it was overflowing onto the plate. The mac and cheese and coleslaw were also hearty portions. The meal with a drink came in at roughly $15. The flavor, the heartiness, the freshly baked roll, and that warm feeling that only real comfort food can replicate all combined to make this one of the best barbecue meals I’ve ever had. Not only was I full, but I kept asking myself if I should buy another for takeaway to eat later. I tell everyone passing through Charlotte to stop in for something to eat, and I’ve returned many times. It never disappoints! Bobby Laurie, Washington, D.C.

Acai bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, North Carolina

In a sea of fast food and overpriced snacks, stumbling upon healthier options at the airport is like finding a pot of gold. During a recent layover at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, I was pleasantly surprised to come across Sambazon, a food company that sells acai-based meals. A delicious customized acai bowl filled with fresh bananas, blueberries, and mangoes, topped with shredded coconut, set me back by roughly $13, and I couldn’t believe I was actually enjoying this burst of fresh tropical flavors at an airport. Taryn White, Washington, D.C.

Bojangles’s four-piece Supremes dinner in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, North Carolina

My first flight from Raleigh to Charlotte is barely 30 minutes, and the connection to my next flight to Phoenix is tight. As an economy passenger, I knew I wouldn’t be served a meal onboard, so I planned to pick up something substantial to eat without breaking the bank or eating too late. Luckily, I knew just the place: Bojangles. Thankfully, there are two locations in the airport. My standard order? A four-piece “Supremes” dinner with perfectly breaded chicken tenders, thick-cut fries, ranch sauce, and a Pepsi. It comes with a pillowy buttered biscuit. (Pro tip: If you aren’t as hungry but still need something to eat, order a kid’s Supreme meal for a smaller portion at half the cost.) Of course, airport food comes at a markup, so while the same meal costs about $8 outside, it’s nearly double at Charlotte Airport. Still, that’s a markup I’m willing to pay for food I know will be delicious. Bojangles at Charlotte is everything a hungry traveler needs: a regional favorite with quick, friendly service offering hot, satisfying meals. Stella Shon, Durham, N.C.

Potato buttermilk doughnuts with artisanal jams in Cape Cod

Chatham Municipal Airport, Massachusetts

It’s summer 2017. I have just graduated high school and am working at Hangar B Eatery, a popular breakfast and lunch joint at Chatham Municipal Airport. The restaurant is upstairs, where tourists line up for tables. From 7 AM to 2 PM, I sit beneath the staircase selling coffee and doughnuts to the crowds. Among my most loyal customers are the biplane pilots, whom I provide with coffee gratis each morning. In return, they take me and another waitress up in a biplane at the end of July, a core memory that may have influenced my career. I eat delicious potato buttermilk doughnuts lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Years later, I still return for one whenever I’m in town. While the doughnut holds a special place in my heart, everything else on the menu is equally delightful. Hannah Towey, New York City

Vegetable gyoza in Tokyo

Terminal 3, Haneda Airport, Tokyo

After six days of exploring Tokyo, it’s time to head home to London. The food throughout the trip has been better than we could have imagined: bowl upon bowl of rich ramen, platefuls of fresh sushi, and the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever eaten. I spot Rokurinsha – one of the food outlets in the departure area of Tokyo Haneda’s Terminal 3 – and immediately order a plate of gyoza. The original can be found inside Tokyo Station and serves hundreds of bowls of ramen each day. The plate arrived with 10 steaming vegetable gyoza and didn’t cost much more than 900 yen (under $6). If I showed you the photo I took of this simple plate of gyoza, you wouldn’t think it was anything special. But when I look at it, I am transported back to that little wooden table in the departures lounge, chopsticks in hand, savoring every last bite of Tokyo. Sarah Allard, London

Fish and chips, lobster roll, and deep-fried Mars bar in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Nova Scotia

My friend and I were traveling between Halifax, Nova Scotia, and St. John’s, Newfoundland. It was late January, and with a blizzard threatening delays, we arrived extra early and settled at the Firkin & Flyer pub for a pint before takeoff. As flights were grounded, we split an order of crisp fish and chips and a lobster roll with creamy lemon sauce. We later ordered salt cod fish cakes and scallop chowder. The world outside disappeared behind the blizzard. It felt devilish ordering a deep-fried Mars bar at that hour, but it was worth it. J.R. Patterson, Gladstone, Manitoba

Fried chicken plate (wings and thighs) in Atlanta

Concourse D, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

My home airport is MSP, but I sometimes fly through Atlanta, the largest Delta hub. If I have a layover of two hours or longer, I make a point to stop by Ludacris’s Chicken and Beer in Concourse D. The fried chicken plate is unbelievably delicious; my go-to order is crispy wings and thighs, butteriest biscuits with a hint of honey, rosemary tater tots, and unctuous collard greens – I shudder with delight just thinking about it. The portions are generous too, which makes me feel better about shelling out $18.99 for airport food. Their kindness and warmth are a big reason I go back every chance I get. Ashlea Halpern, St. Paul

Bento box and assorted omakase box in Atlanta

Concourse E, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Headed to Space Camp, my husband and I faced delays and ended up famished by 8 PM. We navigated to One Flew South, a spot I’d been meaning to try. I savored a bento box – hamachi sashimi, seaweed salad, spicy tuna roll for a fresh yet satisfying meal. My husband’s choice was an omakase box with assorted sushi. While it was pricey at about $130, everything we ordered was fresh and flavorful, definitely a notch above typical airport fare. Jordi Lippe-McGraw, New York City

Frosted Orange in Atlanta

Concourse C, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

I was connecting in Atlanta after a long-haul flight from Amsterdam. I was hot, exhausted, and craving something refreshing. I ordered a Frosted Orange, a vanilla shake blended with The Varsity’s signature orange soda – it was enormous. I can’t recall an airport snack that hit the spot the way this frosted orange did after a long, stuffy flight. I took mine to the waiting area, feeling the jealous stares of passengers around me. Blane Bachelor, Amsterdam

Texas fries or bone-in buffalo wings in New York City

Terminal 3, John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City

My aunt and I decided to fly down to Florida to spend a birthday with my grandfather. The location was a squeeze but a “Can’t Miss” outpost for Chili’s fanatics. I played it cool while enjoying my meal; it could have been Texas fries or bone-in buffalo wings. My beverage was likely blue. I sat there, transparent like glass, while a skater dude tried to engage Outkast’s André 3000 next to me. That meal serves as a constant reminder of the random encounters that can happen at an airport restaurant. Erin Florio, New York City

Fried rice and steamed pork dumplings in Hong Kong

Terminal 1, Hong Kong International Airport

We were at Hong Kong International during a crowded period post-COVID. We wanted a hit of local food before leaving and stopped at Jardin de Jade, virtually empty but surprisingly delightful. We had the house special fried rice, steamed pork dumplings, and vegetarian abalone. The dumplings were properly silky, and the meal was affordable. For me, this was the perfect Hong Kong send-off: comfort food in a casual environment with unexpected luxury. Audrey Phoon, Singapore

Fish and rice in Hong Kong

Hong Kong International Airport

I was preparing to fly from Hong Kong back to London on an evening flight. I needed a substantial meal before the in-flight service. Putien looks ordinary, serving food on trays, yet the bok choy was fresh and the duck tender. It’s the best airport meal I have ever had, and I’d go out of my way to eat there next time. Noo Saro-Wiwa, London

Spicy Jin Ramen cups in Seoul

Incheon International Airport, Seoul

I had a several-hour layover in Seoul during the early pandemic’s rumblings. My friend and I were able to con our way into a lounge, spending three hours drinking cold beer and eating Spicy Jin Ramen rehydrated with hot water. It was the companionship that made our foray into free ramen and cold beer sweeter than the food itself. Ella Quittner, New York City

Lokum burger with spoon salad in Istanbul

Istanbul Airport

On a recent visit to Istanbul, I decided to try out the new Saltbae. The Lokum burger with a side “spoon salad” was melt-in-your-mouth good, even though I had asked for it to be well done. The grilled onions really made it, and for $30, it was worth it considering the celebrity factor. Ramsey Qubein, High Point, NC

Gözleme, manti, and mezze in Istanbul

Istanbul Airport

I was en route to the Maldives and had a nine-hour layover. I procured a private suite at Turkish Airlines’ business class lounge, followed by a nap and shower. Rested, I filled my belly with hot gözleme, lahmacun, manti, and diverse meze from a huge bar. It was all fresh and delicious. I indulged in baklava and a bright Öküzgözü with my meal, feeling completely fulfilled before my next flight. Betsy Andrews, New York City

Chicharrón sandwich in Lima

Jorge Chavez International Airport, Lima

As usual, I head home after a week in Lima. La Lucha Sanguchería is a popular spot. I walked in, knowing I deserved one last amazing Peruvian chicharrón sandwich filled with thin slices of sweet potato, juicy pork, and zingy salsa criolla. The sandwich is perfect. You can also round it out with a refreshing jugo. This sandwich is a reminder that even the fastest meals in Peru are unforgettable. Megan Spurrell, New York City

Greek salad with rotini pasta in New York City

Terminal 4, John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City

About to board one of the world’s longest flights to Singapore, I was starving. I came across a Farmer’s Fridge vending machine. I caved in upon seeing the Greek salad atop rotini pasta. For just under $10, it was surprising and delicious, packed with flavor and a satisfying dressing. I recommend it for anyone looking for a quick, healthy option at the airport. Elissaveta M. Brandon, New York City

Filter coffee and idli vada in Hyderabad, India

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, India

Hyderabad is my family’s winter destination. Post-check-in, I headed to Tiffin Express. The airport features great food options. Here, I would recommend ordering a South Indian filter coffee and a kaaram idli-vada soaked in spicy sambar, chased with sweet lassi. The meal costs under $2 and fills me up enough to resist overpriced snacks onboard. Tiffin Express reminds me that some fulfilling meals can be inexpensive and simply presented. Arati Menon, New York City

Skinny cappuccino and almond croissant in Los Angeles

Terminal 4, Los Angeles International Airport

I was catching an early flight to Miami and discovered La Provence at LAX. I ordered a skinny cappuccino and flaky almond croissant for $10.75. Fresh and delicious. Mid-flight, I enjoyed a to-go turkey chopped salad for under $24. Fresh, house-made airport food like this is a breath of fresh air. Janice Wald Henderson, Los Angeles

Two Bavarian pretzels in Munich

Terminal 2, Munich International Airport

I had recently arrived from Australia, and after many travel delays, I just wanted something to eat on my way to baggage reclaim. I saw the Dallmayr Bistro and grabbed two pretzels. They remind me of home. Do yourself a favor and buy one if you find yourself in Munich. Dennis Braatz, Munich

Tonkotsu ramen in Tokyo

Narita International Airport, Tokyo

Flying through Narita on my way to Manila, I faced a lengthy layover. I hunted down some ramen for a culinary experience. I laughed when I ended up at Ippudo, which also has branches in New York. I had a steaming bowl of tonkotsu ramen with pork and a cured egg for about $7.50. A satisfying meal that made me feel like I was in Tokyo. Matt Ortile, New York City

Hot shoyu ramen in Tokyo

Narita International Airport, Tokyo

I often fly through Tokyo, and after a lengthy flight, I’m ready for a hot meal. Ramen is the best meal after long travels. I favor hot shoyu at Tomita Ramen. When using my Priority Pass for access to the ANA lounge, I indulge in unlimited bowls of ramen and add chicken curry for a complete meal. These soothing meals during layovers make flying enjoyable. Dan Q. Dao, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Xiao long bao and dumplings in Singapore

Singapore Changi Airport

After spending a lovely week in Singapore, my family has a tradition to eat at the Orchis Food Court before flying. I always order either nasi lemak or laksa. There’s about 20 stalls, ensuring the quintessential Singaporean meal you need before leaving. Portions are generous, with meals costing about $4.50-$6. Chloe Sachdev, Sydney

Kurobuta Terimayo Japadog in Vancouver

Terminal Level 2, Vancouver International Airport

After eating through the best Asian food in Richmond, British Columbia, I regretted missing Japadog. Happily, I found the stand at the airport before my flight. I ordered the #1: Kurobuta Terimayo, a hearty dog with pork sausage, fried onions, teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, and seaweed for $7.69 USD. Eating that patronage in a sun-soaked terminal felt like a total power move. Rachel Chang, Hoboken, N.J.

Crab samosas in Vilankulo

Vilankulo Airport, Mozambique

After a stay at Kisawa Sanctuary on Benguerra Island, I wanted a last taste of Mozambique. Querino from the resort suggested Monte Verde airport café. My expectations were low, but the crab samosas pleasantly surprised me. Served with piri-piri hot sauce and a side of 2M beer, it was the perfect send-off snack for under $10. NC