5 Shocking Airport Secrets They Don't Want You to Know!

ARE YOU BEING MANIPULATED? How Airports Trick Passengers into Spending Money.

Hello everyone and welcome to Portable Professional. Nowadays, airports look like high-end shopping malls, but is it just a sneaky way to get us to spend money? In this video, I'll be sharing with you some airport secrets and facts you didn't know. How airports really work and how they trick passengers into spending money? Are airport goods in Duty Free shops overpriced or are you getting a good deal? Do some airports delay gate announcements on purpose? Be sure to subscribe to see more tips and tricks for plane travel. Stay tuned for more!
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// ABOUT

Hey there, I'm Megan and I've spent 5+ years living and working from over 50 countries around the world. I'm on a mission to prove that anyone (even you!) can do it too.

Portable Professional is a youtube channel full of actionable tips and guides to travel, live and work from anywhere in the world. Serving seasoned digital nomads and first-time travelers alike, it's the ultimate resource to hack the travel lifestyle.

[hieronymusboschful]

I it so much when they don’t announce a gate for a flight until very late. It’s so hard for people with disabilities to cope with that, especially if it’s far away.

[kimrahawk]

PDX (Portland, OR) requires all stores and restaurants to limit prices to no more than what they charge outside of the airport. So no markups just because you are at the airport! Plus Oregon doesn’t have a sales tax!

[davedave]

I like hanging out in airports and watching the planes take off and land. They are marvellous machines!

[kzarz]

That hotel shuttle is a great idea!!! I'm gonna do that next time. Also, I learned never to buy anything from the airport. I carry my own re-fillable water bottle and I pack my own snacks in my carryon. Plus I carry a phone bank so I don't have to worry about finding a charging station. Happy Travels!!

[TheSimArchitect]

The free hotel shuttle is a great hack if you can actually use it without a reservation. Everything isn't only more expensive at airports but they basically force you to spend money or to go through discomfort for at least a couple of hours as you can't just arrive half hour before your flight like you would if you were traveling by train or bus as they make security checks very inefficient and require you to arrive way too early to allow for you to check in. On top of that you can't carry your own drinks and many airports (specially in Europe) will make sure they do NOT have water fountains so you are forced to pay for drinks, which usually present massive markups (like 6 euros for 500ml of water when you can buy 2L of a fizzy drink at the supermarket for cents). Even large fast-food chains have different prices and menus at the airport and they are usually conveniently closed if you're boarding on a cheaper early or late flight, forcing you to pay for "local solutions" that aren't as standardized and safe as a good old MCD (even in the United States, in airports with heavy food traffic, it's very common to not have a single MCD, KFC or Burger King in your terminal, you can call yourself lucky if there's a useless Starbucks or something else also overpriced with not so filling alternatives, even airports that previously had those stores are closing them and replacing them with "other stuff" that's usually not appealing and they will sometimes not even show you the prices clearly so you have to deal with their staff which treats you as a cheap person after you ask a price or two and leave without buying nothing to compare prices, then return later because there was nothing else better around, and they expect you to give them tips on top of it 🤪). 😬

Lounges, when paid for, nowadays seem to have time limits. So, while it would be reasonable to pay 50 dollars for a 12 hour layover with free food, drinks and better internet, it doesn't make sense to pay 150 for 3 x 4 hour intervals. Annuity free cards went gradually excluded from allowing free access to those spaces (like before) for the same reason.

It's very difficult to not feel scammed by what they do when it's so obvious. There's nothing wrong with them charging more, what's wrong is to design the entire "experience" in a way that indirectly forces you to waste money while getting subpar services/products at insane premiums. Let's remember that we pay airport fees in our tickets, so it's not like they need to upsell us all that to keep their terminals running.

[danielarunmahtawny]

In most US cities, try walking out the baggage claim, even with a carry on, away from airport property; a block away to get a cheaper ride share fare. It is like walking on the narrow path along the freeway/expressway. Imagine doing that in 105 F or 35 F degree weather. It is better to pay the extra for the ride share and arrive at the destination in one piece.

[laratheplanespotter]

I fly business so I spend all my time in the airport lounge with unlimited food and drinks. That’s what I spend my money on. Also I use FlightRadar as it has the call sign and registration of the airplane so I can spot the plane I’m flying on before the gate is announced. Those are my tips.

[Miss.Elaineous]

Announcing a gate 25 minutes prior to departure spikes my anxiety just thinking about it 😳

[kaitiscarlett]

Simple rule: Don't buy anything at the airport! Besides not wasting your money, it's less stuff to schlep. You don't need anything that is sold in duty free or the other specialty shops.

[TheScratchingKiwi]

Some shops at Duty Free are worth a look because they have brands not easily available anywhere else (MAC cosmetics come to mind), but most shops are cheeky with their prices on everyday items.

A relaxing atmosphere is also good for those anxious about flying, going through security, queueing for long periods of time or any of the million other things that happen in or around airports. The last thing airport operators want is every passenger being enraged before they even board the plane!

[Saroku]

2:30 Yeah. the only toilet after the security check is in the duty free shop in salzburg.

[bobstout]

I rarely find significant savings in the duty free stores. As you alluded to the rent for space in the airport can be two to three times the cost of a traditional shopping center so airport prices reflect this higher cost. Thanks for all of your travel tips and tricks!

[dennisspackman]

Same for me. I usually don’t buy duty free but when I do it for a specific alcohol that i do not expect to be able to purchase at the destination I am flying to

[letterbox]

It's so true- airports are designed like a walk-through mall and passengers are captive audiences and often ready to spend more because they are in vacation-mode.

[feb]

Consumerism & Marketing has always shaped the way we interacted with the world outside(and it’s become worse where I feel like the talons are digging deeper) before online shopping from home became a rage about a decade ago.
From the sugary and unhealthy boxes of cereal at toddler height to tabloids chocolates & perfumes at checkout at supermarket to overpriced and large snacks and drinks at movie halls, we are surrounded and can’t really escape it unless we understand the gamble and play with discretion.
Most people are so caught up in social media validation that they’d rather run a credit card debt than walk out without shopping bags.
I love duty free / inflight shopping for three simple reasons- no matter what you buy there is no charge for excess luggage, no questioning the lack of transparent bagging for perfumes to check the millilitres and more importantly picking up bits and Bobs for friends and family without having to lug around gifts throughout the trip.
I love flights, airports and how comfy they are and no one can make me spend if I don’t want to do it first. If a supermarket can’t trick me into buying food by handing out free samples, If a movie hall can’t sell me a litre of coke and a tub of popcorn, the airport can’t either.
I believe in moderation in moderation when it comes to food and frivolous purchases without guilt tripping myself.
Self restraint only comes to those with self respect and I don’t fault the airport for making a quick buck .Great video!

[onlyvbandbintangboy]

Hi Love the psychological analysis of the airport layout 👍. As an Australian I take the opportunity to purchase Duty Free alcohol and men’s perfumes because these products are so heavily taxed in Australia they are considerably cheaper at the airport.

[jlynett]

No duty free. Love your videos. Keep up the great work.

[ricardo]

I confess I find duty free shopping (browsing in my case) rather tempting but I limit my airport shopping to sales or deals you can’t find elsewhere. They do exist.

[kobiora]

great video! I rarely use duty free unless I'm getting a last minute gift for someone or I am not checking in bags

[countryratt]

Shopping in an airport is the last thing I want to do when I'm already so limited with what I can bring with me on a trip. Literally anything I can purchase in an airport can be purchased elsewhere and probably for less money. I've never understood the temptation to buy more stuff you have to drag around the airports and on/off planes during vacation.

I hate airports that won't announce your gate until right before boarding so that you have to stay in the main shopping/food area. It's often a lot harder to find a comfortable place to settle in and relax while you are waiting for your next flight. I've been in three different airports like that. It's the absolute worst.