Stranded at the Airport? The World’s Most Expensive (and Cheapest) Hubs, Ranked

Joanna Teljeur

By:  Joanna Teljeur

9 minutes read

Last Updated:  May 6, 2026

Your flight’s cancelled late at night, departures are winding down, and suddenly you’re left to fend for yourself. This means finding food, somewhere to sleep, transportation to town and even some basic essentials if you didn’t pack a carry-on bag. So, how much does all this cost? Well it depends on where you get stranded.

Calculating the Real Cost of Getting Stuck in an Airport

Here at AirAdvisor, we estimated that around 29 million passengers worldwide found themselves stuck in an airport in 2024. So, to get a better idea of how much passengers have to spend, we dug into the numbers and compared the cost of six of the most common and basic expenses:

1. A fast‑food meal, 
2. A coffee, 
3. A bottle of water, 
4. Public transport into the city, 
5. A toothbrush, and 
6. A one‑night stay in a three‑star hotel nearby. 

Then, we chose 2 airports per country from the Airports Council International’s Top 50, based on passenger traffic. After that, we checked OAG’s Megahubs connectivity data to keep the mix truly global. 

The results we found were truly surprising, not just because of the total cost, but because of the huge difference in cost among the most and least expensive airports. In some hubs, getting stuck overnight was little more than an inconvenience to the average traveller, but in others, the price tag compared to a mini holiday.

The World’s Most Expensive Airports to Get Stuck In

If you’re unlucky enough to get stuck in New York JFK, you’ll likely fork out around €282 just to cover the basics. At LAX, the cost still tops €220, which compares to what some people spend for lodging on a holiday weekend.

From New York to Hong Kong, here are the world’s most expensive airports to be stranded in overnight:

1. New York (JFK), USA — €281.75
2. Los Angeles (LAX), USA — €223.65
3. Zurich (ZRH), Switzerland — €168.60
4. Sydney (SYD), Australia — €167.10
5. Madrid (MAD), Spain — €167.05
6. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), France — €163.30
7. Oslo (OSL), Norway — €135.35
8. London Heathrow (LHR), UK — €134.80
9. Dubai (DXB), UAE — €114.60
10. Hong Kong (HKG), China — €113.00

In these airports, even the basic necessities balloon in cost, for example €25 for fast food in Istanbul and €5 for bottled water in New York. Add hotel prices that average €130+ per night across the U.S. and Europe, and your “unexpected sleepover” quickly becomes a financial kick in the teeth.

What Drives Up Costs at the Most Expensive Airports

At the priciest hubs, hotel accommodation contributes the most to higher expenses. At New York JFK, the nightly room rate alone makes up almost 90% of the entire spend, leaving food and drink as minor extras by comparison. 

Even at airports like Zurich and Madrid, where meals and transport costs aren’t especially high, hotel accommodation still increases the total cost. So, while the price of a burger or coffee might sting, it’s really the price of a bed for the night that turns an overnight delay into financial grief.

The Cheapest Airports in the World to Be Stranded In

If you’re lucky, you’ll be delayed in Delhi, where the price of a decent hotel is just €16, and a burger meal costs only €2. The total? A mere €22 for everything you need until morning.

Other affordable hubs include Bangkok, Beijing, and Bogotá, where stranded travellers can find hotel lodging under €60 and meals under €10.

Here are the world’s cheapest airports to be stranded in:

1. Delhi (DEL), India — €21.65
2. Bangkok (BKK), Thailand — €39.40
3. Beijing Daxing (PKX), China — €41.38
4. Bogotá (BOG), Colombia — €51.25
5. Doha (DOH), Qatar — €60.55
6. Cairo (CAI), Egypt — €61.90
7. Shanghai Pudong (PVG), China — €66.50
8. Seoul Incheon (ICN), South Korea — €77.15
9. São Paulo (GRU), Brazil — €77.35
10. Istanbul (IST), Turkey — €77.85

Cost Breakdown at the Cheapest Airports

Hotel accommodation at the cheapest airports also has a huge impact on the overall expense of getting stranded. In Delhi or Bangkok, for example, hotel rooms can be found for under €25, which drags the overall cost down to levels that feel almost unbelievable when compared with Europe or the U.S. Even coffee and bottled water are a fraction of the price, often costing less than €1. 

This means you can get through a night with all the basics, like food, drink, and a bed to sleep in, for less than the cost of a sandwich at Heathrow or JFK. Also, this seems to be the case across much of Asia, South America and the Middle East, where local living costs are usually lower and airport mark‑ups don’t spiral out of control. 

How the Small Things Add Up

In some cases, it’s not the cost of a hotel that makes an airport expensive to get stuck in, but the amazingly high price of the little things. Istanbul, for example, has some of the most expensive meals where you can be charged over €25 for fast-food. But the overall cost of getting stranded there is still relatively affordable because hotel rooms average just €30

At New York JFK, almost everything is expensive with bottled water costing €5, compared with just €0.20 for the same quantity in Delhi. 

Cairo is at the opposite end of the spectrum, where a coffee costs just €0.90, the cheapest in the dataset, while most European hubs charge five to six times more. 

In Zurich, a basic toothbrush costs €3.80, almost four times what you’d pay in Bogotá, while in Doha you’ll end up paying €5.65 for a toothbrush! Basically, even the smallest purchases can vary drastically in price among airports worldwide.

Why the Cost Gap Is So Extreme

Airports function almost like self-contained economies. Shops and restaurants pay the airport steep rent and concession fees, which are inevitably passed on to passengers. Add to that the very different economics of each country: A hotel in Switzerland easily costs over €130 a night, while the equivalent in India can be just €20. 

After you combine airport mark-ups, the local cost of living, and the overall demand for services, you can really see that where you’re stranded is just as important as how long you’re stuck there.

What to Do if You’re Stuck in the Airport Overnight

If your flight is delayed or cancelled, always speak to the airline first - and check whether you’re entitled to compensation for a long flight delay under EU or UK passenger rights rules.

In Europe, the UK, and Canada, this is especially important because local passenger rights laws mean airlines are obliged to provide care while you wait. That can include meal vouchers, refreshments, Wi-Fi, and even hotel accommodation for longer disruptions. 

Ask about airport sleep kits. Larger airports will sometimes provide free kits with blankets, pillows, and toiletries, which can really come in handy in a pinch.

Look into lounge access. If you’re stuck overnight, some airlines may offer lounge passes even to economy passengers. And don’t forget to check your travel insurance or credit card benefits too, because you may already have access to lounges that often include food, comfy seating, showers, and Wi-Fi.

Read up on your passenger rights: It’s helpful to understand your rights and entitlements as a passenger. In Europe and the UK, for example, you're protected by EU Regulation 261/2004, which requires airlines to provide meals, refreshments, and accommodation if you get stuck overnight because of a delay or cancellation. You could also get between €250 and €600 in compensation, depending on your travel distance and the length of the delay. 

In the United States, the legal framework is much looser, but many airlines may still cover hotels and meals when the delay could have been avoided. For international flights between countries without strong passenger protections, you can count on the Montreal Convention for getting reimbursed by the airline for expenses. Just remember to keep detailed documentation of what you spent, and keep all your receipts as proof. Without them, it’s almost impossible to recover your costs. 

Pack smarter: If you carry a few small essentials, like snacks, a refillable water bottle and basic toiletries, in your cabin bag, you can avoid paying inflated airport prices. Afterall, no one wants to spend €6 for toothpaste, but if you plan ahead and pack these basic items, it can make the difference between an expensive night and a manageable one.

Also, if you’re feeling bold and up for a bit of an adventure, you can also try sleeping in the airport. It won’t be as comfortable as a hotel room, but it is free. Plus, some larger airports offer quiet rooms and sleep pods that you can rent by the night or even hourly, and prices are relatively low and range from around €210-€245 per hour.

To Sum Up

At the end of the day, no one wants to spend the night on an airport floor, and even fewer want to foot the bill for an unplanned mini vacation. But delays and cancellations happen, and the costs can swing from barely noticeable to eye-watering depending on where you’re stuck. The good news is that with a little planning and knowing your passenger rights, you can take the sting out of an overnight delay.

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Author:

Joanna Teljeur

Job/Position: Senior Editor & Content Lead

Joanna Teljeur is a senior editor and writer with 15+ years of experience in editorial leadership, journalism, and content development, specialising in consumer rights, aviation law, and public-interest reporting. Her work focuses on transforming complex regulatory and legal topics into clear, accurate, and accessible content for international audiences.

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