Eating well and flying high: These airports have the best food options

Airport layovers and delays might not be anyone’s favorite part of traveling, but some U.S. airports are turning mealtime into a highlight.

Recently Food & Wine revealed its 2025 Global Tastemakers Award in which more than 400 industry experts are polled to determine “the most unforgettable food and drink experiences across the United States and around the world.” One category required the experts to choose which airports in the U.S. have the best food.

“Each winner embodies what we at Food & Wine savor about travel: a connection to culture and community; abundant, delicious, and mind-expanding experiences; and a taste of something real,” said Hunter Lewis, Food & Wine vice president and editor-in-chief.

“This year’s list is designed for travelers, not tourists — for people who want to understand what makes a place tick, one unforgettable bite or sip at a time.”

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport in Georgia was ranked number one out of the magazine’s list of 10. The airport has more than 160 dining areas. The magazine specifically brought attention to their soul food restaurants.

The second place ranking on the list was taken by Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Illinois. Food & Wine highlighted the airport’s pop-up food festivals since they partnered with the James Beard Foundation.

The top 10 airports in the U.S. with the best food are:

Food & Wine also created a ranking of the best airport food throughout the world with the Dubai International Airport taking the top spot as experts highlighted restaurants such as The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck, L’Éclair de Génie, and Tranzeet.

No airports in the U.S. were able to secure a spot on the Top 10 global list.

The ranking of best airport food comes shortly after the luggage storage website Bounce.com released its list of best airlines for nervous fliers after asking over 2,000 travelers what makes them “uneasy or uncomfortable” during a flight.

Bounce.com used the survey data to determine which airline features make passengers feel the least “uneasy or uncomfortable” and compared major airlines using these factors to create a “stress-free score” out of 10.

The best airline for anxious passengers was Singapore Airlines, with a stress-free score of 8.94 out of 10. Bounce said that the airline’s wide economy seats give flyers more room to sleep or relax on longer flights. The airline also offers in-flight meditation playlists for people to take their minds off any anxiety-inducing situations around them.