Southampton Airport has one small terminal, and the choice of food, drink and shops is short: a bar and a WHSmith before security, then a bar, a Starbucks, a second WHSmith and World Duty Free in the departure lounge. This page lists what is where, so you can decide whether to eat before or after you go through.
Checked against Southampton Airport's own listings in October 2026; outlets change, so check the airport's site for opening hours.
Before security
These are open to anyone, including people seeing you off or meeting you on the way back.
- The Olive Branch: a bar with beer, wine, spirits, cocktails, and hot and soft drinks, plus wraps, sandwiches, paninis and toasties. You can sit inside or in the beer garden. It opens at 06:00 and usually closes between about 19:45 and 20:30, depending on the day.
- WHSmith: in the main terminal, with sandwiches, snacks and drinks, books, magazines and travel essentials. It opens at 07:30 on most days, or 07:00 on Saturdays, so for a very early flight the departure lounge branch opens first.
After security
The departure lounge is where most of the choice is, and it opens earlier than the outlets before security.
- The Olive Tree: a casual bar upstairs in the main departure lounge, open daily from 05:00 until the last flight. It has a full drinks list and bar snacks, and the airport lists breakfast, all-day and children's menus.
- Starbucks: coffee and speciality drinks, open daily from 05:00 until the last flight.
- WHSmith: the departure lounge branch, with food and drinks, books, magazines, gadgets, children's entertainment and last-minute travel items. It opens at 05:30 on most days and at 06:20 on Sundays.
- World Duty Free: fragrance, beauty, skincare and drinks, including travel exclusives. Its hours follow the flight schedule, opening as early as 03:30 on Fridays and 05:30 on most other days, and it currently takes card payments only.
There is also the Spitfire Lounge after security, if you would rather wait somewhere quieter; see our Southampton Airport lounges page.
Ordering ahead and collecting later
- World Duty Free Reserve & Collect: reserve online between 24 hours and 30 days before you fly, then collect and pay in the departure lounge store. The airport says you save 10% this way. Some brands are not always in stock, so order those well ahead.
- Shop & Collect: a free airport service where you buy in the departure lounge, the airport stores your shopping securely while you are away, and you collect it on your return before baggage reclaim. It suits heavy or fragile items, and liquids you could not carry on the flight home. Ask in store before you pay.
Money
The airport says there is currently no currency exchange service at the airport, so arrange any foreign currency before you travel.
Still planning the journey? See our directions to Southampton Airport, or compare Southampton Airport parking for your dates.
Sorted before you fly.
