Why Are Airport Bars Open So Early In The Morning?
Some airports boast James Beard Award-winning eats. On the flip side, Anthony Bourdain famously called the airport burger chain Johnny Rockets "soul-destroying." Today, however, we aren't here to talk about airport food. We're here to talk about the drinks — and why, exactly, do airport bars start pouring pints before most folks are typically awake.
One TikTok by @downetravel depicts a traveler sprinting through an airport in time to get a pint before their flight, with the top comment quipping "Yeh at 5am." In Chicago's O'Hare airport, at the Billy Goat Tavern or the Chicago Cubs Bar & Grill, patrons can get a pint starting at 6:00 a.m. In New York City's LaGuardia airport, Panorama Bar opens at 6:00 a.m. and stays open until 10:00 p.m. Even folks who might never consider swinging by the bar before sunset "in real life" might feel governed by different social rules or the total lack thereof in the liminal space of Terminal B Gate 5. Why do air travelers patronize bars during such early morning hours? There are three main apparent motivations: different flight schedules (or time zones), airplane anxiety, and time to kill.
Different flight schedules mean action at all hours of the day, or if not action, then at least movement. A viral tweet by @alyssalimp aptly puts it, "The airport is a lawless place. 7am? Drink a beer. Tired? Sleep on the floor. Hungry? Chips now cost $17." One man's 7 a.m. is another man's 5 p.m.
People travel at all hours of the day and night, between multiple time zones
The traditional workday typically revolves around the standard 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But, if you've just landed from a gruelling seven-hour flight, it's beverage time — what the clockface says is wholly irrelevant if you've already been awake for 12 hours. The concept of time becomes further irrelevant when flying between different time zones. For this reason, from an industry perspective, airport bars can also be a lucrative place for bartenders to work because, as one r/bartenders Reddit thread points out, "The security and commute obviously sucked, but [...] it was just always busy." Serving patrons with a wide variety of schedules means that, unlike regular bars with predictable traffic patterns, the volume is high at all hours.
Other airport mixologist testimonials in r/bartenders observe, "high volume, no standard flow of volume, just busy as s*** as long as there are flights going out," and "The money was always consistent and people were generally nice to talk to. Lots of interesting stories to listen to when people were connecting after a vacation. The worst part was opening at 5 am." These non-traditional watering hole hours don't just apply to airport bars, either. Some establishments, such as the Rowley Inn in Cleveland, Ohio (7:00 a.m.) and Spring Lounge in Manhattan's SoHo district (8:00 a.m.), open early to cater to patrons who might work the night shift and clock out when the general public starts waking up.
Airport bars are a good place to kill time or quell flight anxiety
Airport bars also peddle tonic for curing flight anxiety. One Reddit thread about airport bars' early operating hours is filled with comments like "I'm about to get in a metal tube in the sky. Excuse me if I want a drink first," and "14 hour flight? Yeah, I'm definitely getting drunk beforehand." According to the Cleveland Clinic, aerophobia (the fear of flying in an airplane) is a medically recognized condition that affects more than 25 million U.S. adults. Other studies show that up to 40% of the general population experiences flying-related anxiety.
A drink to take the edge off might feel like just the right solution. We even have a few tips for crafting in-flight cocktails with bourbon nibs. However, it's worth noting that a shot for the skies isn't a failsafe method. Psychotherapist Erin Weinstein tells Travel + Leisure, "As difficult as this may be to accept, consuming a drink or sugary food before a flight can actually increase your anxiety despite providing temporary relief," causing potentially anxiety-exacerbating side effects like jitters or a racing heartbeat.
And the last possibility is that perhaps passengers and patrons simply have time to kill at the airport, and few settings perform better in that capacity than a bar. Maybe you've got a six-hour layover, and it just happens to be before noon. Or, maybe you're ultra-responsible and got through security with hours to spare (whoops). Post up and enjoy a slow-sipper cocktail (or nurse that $17 pint, ouch).