From AI-powered trip planning to matcha lattes and skincare shopping, Generation Z is reshaping how airports operate, sell, and engage with younger travellers.
Generation Z travellers are transforming the airport experience, pushing operators to rethink everything from retail choices to digital services. According to new insights from MAG, younger passengers are driving noticeable changes in behaviour across major UK airports, favouring wellness products, social media trends, and artificial intelligence over traditional travel habits.
At Manchester Airport, London Stansted Airport, and East Midlands Airport, Gen Z travellers are opting for healthier food and drink, technology-led planning tools, and trend-led retail experiences. These shifts reflect a broader generational move toward lifestyle-driven travel that begins well before boarding a flight.
Younger passengers are not just passing through terminals. They are actively curating their airport time, treating it as an extension of their online identity and wellness routines rather than a functional stop on the way to a destination.
Wellness and social media drive airport spending
Retail data from MAG airports shows sharp growth in products favoured by Gen Z. Sales of oversized Stanley Cups have increased six-fold since their introduction at JD Sports outlets, highlighting the influence of social media-driven lifestyle brands. Skincare products have also surged, with hydrating face masks recording growth of up to 399 percent year on year, reflecting the rise of “skincare in the sky” content popular on TikTok.
Food and beverage choices are changing just as quickly. Matcha drinks have seen sales rise 165 percent across MAG airports compared with last year. Growth has been particularly strong at London Stansted and Manchester, with outlets such as Pret a Manger, Itsu, Caffè Nero, and Pasta Evangelists benefiting from the trend.
Smoothies are also booming. Innocent Energise and Defence drinks have recorded a combined sales increase of 650 percent, becoming popular additions to affordable meal deals for budget-conscious travellers.
AI is changing how Gen Z plans trips
Technology plays a central role in how younger passengers approach travel. MAG data shows that one in four Gen Z travellers now uses AI tools to plan holidays, with East Midlands Airport leading in the proportion of under-25s relying on platforms such as ChatGPT.
Rather than traditional package holidays, Gen Z travellers are prioritising flexible European city breaks. Destinations such as Dublin, Amsterdam, and Barcelona rank highly, while interest is also growing in less conventional locations. Since 2019, travel to Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Mumbai has increased sharply, with some routes recording growth of up to 245 percent.
This shift highlights a generation that values discovery, affordability, and digital research over fixed itineraries and legacy travel models.
Airports adapt to younger travellers
MAG says it is responding to these trends by reshaping terminal experiences to align with health, technology, and cultural preferences. Andrew MacMillan, the group’s chief strategy officer, said younger passengers are both following and setting travel trends, influenced heavily by AI and social platforms.
He added that ongoing investment across MAG’s airports aims to ensure terminals reflect changing demographics while embracing new technologies that improve passenger experience. The group is currently investing £2 billion across its airport network to modernise facilities and services.
A new era for airport experiences
From matcha drinks and skincare shopping to AI-designed itineraries, Generation Z is redefining what it means to travel through an airport. For operators, this means terminals are no longer just transit points but lifestyle spaces shaped by digital culture, wellness priorities, and evolving consumer expectations.
As younger travellers continue to gain spending power, airports that adapt quickly to these preferences are likely to see stronger engagement, higher retail sales, and more loyal passengers in the years ahead.
