We Know Where You’re From Based on What You’re Buying at the Airport

What traveler hasn’t browsed through books, magazines, and candies at the airport to pass time before a flight? If that includes you, you’ve probably been a customer of Hudson Group, the largest travel retailer in North America with over 1,000 airport shops. And they know more about you than you might think.

For example, travelers from the Northeast are more likely to buy allergy medication than in any other region, while West Coast travelers purchase more eye drops than East Coast travelers. Hmmm… trees and greenery in the Northeast and dry desert air in the West?

When it comes to pre-flight sweets, West Coasters go for gummy bears or sour gummy worms, while East Coasters prefer salty and sweet flavors, munching on chocolate-covered pretzels instead. West Coasters are more likely to be sipping on an iced coffee before departure, maybe trying to keep up with East Coast caffeine-fueled pace?

Reading material is also a giveaway. Health and wellness magazines are more popular with West Coasters. They also go for tabloids, probably keeping up with the latest fitness trends and Hollywood gossip, naturally. East Coasters lean towards high-end fashion and beauty magazines, with New Yorkers more likely to be reading The New Yorker, duh.

Zeroing in on customer preferences is not only revealing and fun at Hudson Group, the information helps keep their shops stocked with travelers’ needs. This is especially important for travelers during the holiday season as record-breaking passenger traffic expected.

As much as we all hate to be predictable, we know you’ll be thinking about this the next time you stop at Hudson News or Hudson Bookseller for a snack or something to read before your trip. Don’t be self-conscious, grab that bag of gummy bears or pretzels. They know you want to.