The true cost of air travel can quickly add up thanks to the easily overlooked expenses at the airport.
Travelers often forget about the overpriced airport food, transportation to get there and possibly even needing nearby accommodations for a night. Before you know it, you're spending way more than just for the flight ticket.
The airport you're flying out of could also play a role. At some North American hubs, other travel costs such as food, transportation and hotels can be higher than at others. Travelers watching their budget may want to take into consideration the airport they're choosing for their next trip.
In May 2026, Casino.ca looked at the average costs for an airport beer, nearby hotel rates and overnight parking at 50 of the busiest
North American airports to determine which are the most and least affordable.
It found the airports in Mexico to be more affordable while the major hubs in New York and California topped the most expensive list. Some of the biggest U.S. airports, such as Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta ranked as cheapest due to having many affordable hotels nearby.
"But before you even board your flight, costs like parking, hotel stays, and even a simple beer can seriously inflate your travel budget," said Casino.ca in the study. "So before you head off on your next trip, it’s worth keeping these often-overlooked travel expenses in mind."
Here are the most and least expensive airports in North America for 2026.
10 most expensive North American airports
Here are the airports with the most expensive average total cost for one beer, night of parking and nearby hotel rate for a trip in July 2026.
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, California: $491.80
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City, New York: $370.49
- William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston, Texas: $365.45
- Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Ontario, Canada: $341.02
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Salt Lake City, Utah: $338.45
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey: $321.45
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, North Carolina: $301.31
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California: $272.67
- Miami International Airport (MIA) in Miami, Florida: $259.91
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu, Hawaii: $257.46
10 cheapest North American airports
Below are the airports where the average total cost for one beer, night of parking and nearby hotel rate for a trip in July 2026 were lowest.
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia: $118.47
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina: $118.93
- Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport in San José, California: $121.60
- Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia: $126.82
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas: $138.88
- Cancún International Airport in Cancún, Mexico: $140.15
- Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon: $141.84
- Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado: $144.03
- Nashville International Airport in Nashville, Tennessee: $149.54
- Monterrey International Airport (General Mariano Escobedo International Airport) in Apodaca, Mexico: $161.95
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The 10 most and least expensive North American airports in 2026
