Oregon And Utah Are Home To Two Airports Where Your Dollar Goes Further

Traveling through the airport can feel like an test of your patience and endurance. Making sure you don't miss a tight connection, keeping track of all the airport "dos and don'ts," and trying to move through TSA smoothly is stressful enough, but terminals can also be grim for your wallet. Whether you forgot your reusable water bottle or didn't Seemingly small purchases can turn into unexpectedly large expenses at major airports where customers are at the mercy of whatever's available in the terminal.

Prices are typically inflated, often running 10% to 20% higher in an airport terminal than what you might pay outside. This inflation stems from many factors that contribute to the steep cost of operating a business within an airport. Commercial rent for retail space soars compared to street-level locations, and vendors can face extra costs for employee security badges and parking passes. Businesses must also navigate supply chains that sometimes charge extra fees for airport deliveries. This all adds up and gets passed down to the consumer, so a pack of gum or a simple coffee feel like a highway robbery. But all is not lost: Two U.S. airports stand out for refuting this trend, ensuring your dollar goes the same distance in the airport as it does outside of it. Portland International Airport (PDX) in Oregon and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Utah have implemented policies that keep vendor prices in check.

At Portland International Airport, fairness in pricing isn't just a nice idea; it's a longstanding policy that has transformed how travelers spend money when passing through this airport. Known as the "street pricing policy," this rule requires vendors to charge the same for items and services as they would at their off-airport locations, eliminating the inflation seen in other airports. This equates to now surprising markups on all things sold within the airport, from merchandise to meals, and even happy hours. To enforce this policy, PDX has a formal process in which a concessions team conducts audits and actively monitors vendor prices to ensure compliance. The team also considers traveler complaints. The goal is to maintain consistency with pricing and quality with the same brands in the Portland Metropolitan Area.

PDX takes pride in featuring locally owned businesses and concessions like Blue Star Donuts or Burgerville, beloved spots that reflect the city's foodie reputation, but national chains must also follow suit. So a cup of Starbucks coffee costs exactly the same as it would downtown. So when you're passing through Portland International Airport, you can grab some snacks before you head to the gate without breaking the bank, making it less tempting to go buy TSA-approved snacks from Costco before your trip.

Inspired by the success at PDX, Salt Lake City International Airport has embraced a similar strategy to keep costs down for travelers. The airport's policy also prohibits vendors from charging more inside the terminal than at their street locations. If a vendor does need to raise their prices, they must first notify the concessions team at SLC and prove that the increase also applies to their off-airport location as well, since most have comparable locations in Salt Lake City. The enforcement of the policy is less structured than PDX, with more reliance on a community-driven approach. The SLC concessions team monitors complaints through social media, email, and tips from airport workers who spot discrepancies. When these issues arise, staff walk through the airport to verify, and potentially give fines up to $500 for violations. While formal audits aren't the standard yet due to strong relationships with vendors, they could be in the future.

The system aims to ensure travelers aren't overpaying for items. A coffee from Beans & Brews goes for $2.65, fully matching outside prices. A 20 oz. draught beer from Squatters sits at $8 at the airport, just 50 cents more than the street pricing, and meals from Smashburger are the same price in or outside the airport. Items like Apple AirPods from the terminal cost the same as they would at the Apple Store downtown. Through the adoption of the street pricing policy, SLC aids in addressing the pains of inflated airport expenses, encouraging travelers to spend more without the frustration, making your vacation less stressful.