11 Airport Retail Experiences

As consumer expectations continue to move toward experiential criteria, airport retail concepts around the world are reinventing in order to provide a more engaging overall experience for travelers. From experiential duty free shops with express manicure bars to airport automotive dealerships that give customers a streamlined purchasing experience, plenty of brands are examining how they can naturally insert themselves into the travel process.

Airport retail experiences have evolved from mere cafes at which to grab a bite to eat into brand-building events that leave lasting impressions on consumers. Additionally, engaging airport-organized events provide a unique backdrop for brand's to showcase their product offering, such as Munich Airport's annual Surf & Style competition, which sets up the world's largest artificial standing wave outside the terminal each August.

The Napa Farms Market is a farm-to-flight food shopping experience at SFO that brings some of northern California's best produce to the terminal, forcing travelers to rethink everything they think they know about airport food. Similarly, market-style food halls provide a communal, cultured dining experience for travelers craving the familiar.