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Revealed: the UK airline with the cheapest in-flight booze

The cheapest airline charges less than a fiver per beer

Annie McNamee
Written by
Annie McNamee
Contributor, Time Out London and UK
Beer can being poured in the sky on an airplane
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Flying is an abysmal experience. Well, not always. If you’re first class on Emirates, flying is a twelve course meal, lovely hot towels and a gold plated toilet (probably). For the rest of us mere mortals, it’s a trial of sheer will. When faced with such adversity, the British do what they do best... neck a pint or few. 

Luggage storage company Radical Luggage investigated over 150 airlines worldwide in a heroic journey to identify the cheapest on-flight beer and snack. And now, after comparing the cost of a tub of Pringles, a beer and a can of Coke on each flight, the results are in. 

The cheapest mile-high can from an operator in the UK was – drumroll please – TUI. Congratulations, TUI! Coming in at only £4.12 for a cold one, you are officially the most booze-friendly airline. Wear that title like a badge of honour.

Unfortunately for budget conscious travellers, easyJet has the UK’s priciest in-air beers, charging £5.70. Ryanair was slightly cheaper at £4.62, but for that you have to, y’know, fly with Ryanair. Expect countless hidden fees and to spend several hours with your knees in the back of the person in front of you.

Outside of the UK, AirAsia was the world’s cheapest airline for beer, with a can costing just £2.30. Conversely, seemingly deciding that hours of delays isn’t unpleasant enough, WizzAir charges a whopping £5.09. 

Snacks follow similar trends, with TUI being the only UK airline to charge less than £2 for a small tub of Pringles. Meanwhile, the same on a WizzAir flight will set you back £3.24. Daylight robbery. 

Next time you’re on a flight, it needn’t be so bad. Grab a beer, knowing that whatever it costs, it’s half of what you’d pay on the ground. Cheers to that!

Did you see that this seaside destination has been voted the best in the UK?

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