Airport vending machines earn their place by selling the things a traveller needs right now and cannot easily find at the gate: a charging cable, earbuds, a power bank, a toothbrush, something for a headache. Getting a machine into a terminal is a commercial negotiation with the airport rather than a hardware purchase, and where it stands — before or after security — changes what it can usefully sell. This page covers the range, the concession and security rules that shape it, and what to specify in the machine.
Quick answer
- What sells: travel essentials and electronics accessories, travel-size toiletries, common remedies where allowed, snacks and drinks.
- How you get in: through the airport’s concessions process. In the US, airports with federal development grants run concession programs under 49 CFR Part 23.
- Landside vs airside matters: liquids over 100 ml cannot pass the checkpoint, and airside stock must go through the airport’s supplies security process.
- Power banks need care: FAA rules put spare lithium batteries in carry-on only, with a 100 Wh limit for most travellers.
- Specify for uptime: cashless payment, multi-language screen, remote stock and fault alerts, accessible controls and a cabinet that fits the space the airport gives you.
What sells from airport vending machines
Airport vending works when the machine solves a problem the traveller discovers after leaving home. The table groups typical products by the need they meet. It is a planning guide, not sales data — your first weeks of sales will tell you what your location actually wants.
| Need | Typical products | Dispensing to specify |
|---|---|---|
| Device power and audio | Charging cables, wall chargers, travel adaptors, earbuds, headphones, power banks | Coils for blister packs; lift or locker cells for boxed and higher-value items |
| Comfort on board | Neck pillows, eye masks, ear plugs, socks | Wide coils or locker cells (soft, bulky packs) |
| Personal care | Travel-size toiletries, toothbrush kits, period products, hand sanitiser | Coils with matched pitch |
| Health | Common remedies, plasters, masks | Coils; check local medicines law first |
| Food and drink | Snacks, confectionery, bottled drinks | Standard coils; refrigerated cabinet for drinks |
| Gifts and last-minute items | Small souvenirs, toys, books | Lift for fragile items; locker cells for boxed gifts |
Electronics and accessories are the reason many airport machines exist, and they bring a security question: the stock is small, valuable and easy to steal from a shelf. A sealed vending cabinet or locker cell solves that by design. The electronics vending machine page covers that category in detail, including when a locker beats a coil. For remedies, the rules differ by country and by product; see OTC medicine vending machines before you stock them.
How airport concession agreements work
Terminal floor space is controlled. The airport operator, or a master concessionaire or terminal lessee that holds the space, decides who may sell there. A vending machine is placed under an agreement with that party, which usually sets:
- The term and the locations, often specific positions on a terminal plan.
- The commercial terms: a fee, a share of sales, or a minimum guarantee. A share of sales needs sales reporting the landlord can rely on.
- Service standards: uptime, restock frequency, response time to faults and cleanliness.
- Design and signage rules: finishes, branding, lighting and screen content.
- Insurance, security clearance and badge requirements for anyone who services the machine.
In the US, airports that have received federal grants for airport development since January 1988 are subject to 49 CFR Part 23, the airport concessions disadvantaged business enterprise (ACDBE) rule. Its definition of a concession is a business selling consumer goods or services to the traveling public under an agreement with the airport, another concessionaire, or the owner or lessee of a terminal. That is why vending is often let as part of a wider concession package or as a subconcession under a master concessionaire, and why the concession agreement may carry participation requirements.
This is a summary for planning, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the airport where the machine will stand. (As of October 2026.)
For a machine supplier such as KioskForce, the practical consequence is simple: the operator or concessionaire who wins the space is the buyer. We build the machine to the specification that the agreement and the location demand.
Landside or airside: why placement changes the range
Where the machine stands relative to the security checkpoint is the single biggest decision after the concession itself.
| Factor | Landside (before security) | Airside (after security) |
|---|---|---|
| Who passes | Departing travellers, arrivals, people meeting them, staff | Screened departing passengers and badged staff |
| Liquids | Containers over 100 ml cannot go through the checkpoint (TSA 3-1-1 in the US) | Drinks and full-size liquids can be carried on board |
| Dwell time | Short for departing travellers; long for people waiting at arrivals | Longer — passengers wait at gates |
| Restocking | Ordinary access, subject to the airport’s rules | Supplies must pass the airport’s security controls; badge or escort needed |
| Good fit | Arrivals essentials, snacks for waiting friends and family, SIM cards and adaptors for arriving visitors | Electronics, comfort items, drinks, gifts, remedies |
The TSA liquids rule allows containers of 3.4 ounces (100 millilitres) or less, in a quart-size bag, in carry-on baggage. A full-size bottle of water bought landside has to be finished or thrown away before screening. That does not make landside drinks a bad idea — people waiting at arrivals buy them — but it does mean a departures-landside machine should lean towards things that travel through security without trouble.
Power banks and lithium batteries: stock with the flight rules in mind
Power banks are one of the most obvious airport products, and the one with the clearest rules attached. The FAA’s PackSafe guidance says:
- Spare lithium batteries, including power banks, must be carried in carry-on baggage only. If a cabin bag is checked at the gate, spare batteries must be removed and kept in the cabin.
- Lithium ion batteries are limited to 100 watt hours (Wh) each. With airline approval, a passenger may carry up to two larger spares of 101 to 160 Wh.
- Airlines may set stricter limits on capacity and on how many power banks a passenger can carry.
For an operator, that translates into three choices. Stock power banks rated at or below 100 Wh, with the rating printed on the product. Use the machine screen to show a short “carry-on only” note when a power bank is selected. And keep the packaging that protects the terminals from short circuit, as the FAA requires for spare batteries.
Restocking airside: the supplies process
Anything you sell airside has to get airside. Airports control the items taken into the security restricted area, and the person restocking needs an airport badge or an escort. In the UK and the EU, the aviation security implementing regulation (EU) 2015/1998 has a chapter on airport supplies, including a declaration of commitments for a known supplier of airport supplies. US airports apply their own security programs.
The supplies process sets your restock rhythm, so ask the airport about it before you size the machine. If every delivery has to be screened and escorted, fewer, larger visits are cheaper than frequent top-ups — which argues for a cabinet with enough capacity per selection to last between visits, and for remote stock reporting so each visit carries the right products.
Accessibility at an airport machine
In the US, the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design apply to vending machines in public places. Section 228.1 requires that where vending machines are provided, at least one of each type complies with section 309: operable parts within the reach ranges of section 308 (an unobstructed forward reach of 15 to 48 inches above the floor), usable with one hand, without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist, and with no more than 5 pounds of force.
A separate rule is often confused with this one. The DOT’s accessible kiosk rule, 14 CFR 382.57, applies to “automated airport kiosks”, which 14 CFR 382.3 defines as self-service machines that an airline owns, leases or controls to provide flight-related services. A retail vending machine is not one of those. An airport may also write its own accessibility requirements into the concession agreement, so treat accessible screen placement, a reachable delivery bin and readable text as a requirement, not an option. We build to the accessibility requirement you specify; meeting the applicable law at the installed location is the operator’s responsibility. Our guide to ADA-compliant vending machines covers the measurements.
Machine specifications that matter in a terminal
An airport machine is judged on uptime and appearance as much as on sales. These are the specifications worth settling at quotation. Dimensions are from our published model pages; every build is configured to order.
| Model (KioskForce) | Size W × D × H (mm) | Screen | Where it fits in an airport |
|---|---|---|---|
| KF10X22 | 1310 × 820 × 1975 | 22-inch touchscreen | Main concourse position; advertising content and multi-language interface |
| BG10X10 | 1110 × 820 × 1975 | 10-inch sidecar touchscreen | Standard vending bay where the space allows no extra width |
| KF6X10 | 616 × 735 × 1970 | 10-inch touchscreen, QR scanner | Narrow alcoves and corridors; QR-code payment only |
| L180-10C locker | 750 × 400 × 1830 | Pairs with a kiosk screen | High-value electronics, one item per door |
| Compact wall-mount | typically 400–600 × 200–350 × 600–900 | Optional, 7 to 32 inch | Restrooms and staff areas with no floor space |
Beyond the cabinet:
- Payment. Cashless first. International travellers pay by card and phone, and a machine that holds no cash is not worth breaking into for money. MDB cashless terminals such as Nayax, Cantaloupe or Vending on Track VendCoin are supported; see payments.
- Screen language. Multi-language interfaces are a reason to choose a large touchscreen at an international airport.
- Dispensing. Coils for uniform packs; a lift with a drop sensor for boxed or fragile items; locker cells for high-value stock. Per-cell weight sensing is optional, specified cell by cell at order and fitted at the factory, never retrofitted.
- Remote reporting. Stock levels, sales and faults reported over 4G or Wi-Fi to the cloud dashboard, with door-event alerts. That is how you meet a service standard without walking the terminal, and how you produce the sales reports a revenue share depends on.
- Remote pricing and content. VoTi remote settings let you change prices and screen content without a site visit — useful when every visit needs a badge.
- Finish. Wraps and colours to the airport’s design rules, stated at order.
Behind the scenes: vending for airport staff
Not every airport vending machine faces passengers. Ground crews, baggage handlers and maintenance teams use PPE and consumables around the clock, and a staff-only machine with badge login and per-worker quotas replaces an open supply cupboard. Our transportation page covers PPE vending for ground operations and passenger-side kiosks, and the PPE vending machine page explains quotas and returnable-item lockers. Airline check-in and bag-drop kiosks are a different market: they run on certified common-use (CUSS) platforms, which we do not supply.
What to specify if you are buying one
- The agreement you hold or are bidding for: locations, service standards, design rules and reporting requirements.
- Landside or airside, for each machine.
- The products, with packaging dimensions as loaded and an estimate of sales mix.
- The space: width, depth, height, floor or wall, and power and network at that position.
- Payment: the terminal you want, or the processor you already use.
- Accessibility and language requirements from the airport.
- Quantity, destination country and timeline.
Lead times are 4 to 6 weeks for a modified standard model and 8 to 12 weeks for a fully custom design, plus shipping. Each machine carries a 12-month warranty on manufacturing defects. On-site installation is optional and, in some regions, provided through a local distributor; otherwise your own contractor installs from our drawings. Support is by email, or through the local distributor where one supplied the machine. KioskForce sells direct and, in some regions, through local distributors. See vending machine cost for published price bands, then send us the details.
Where an airport vending machine is the wrong answer
- You have no concession route. Without an agreement with the airport or its concessionaire, there is no machine to place. Win the space first, then specify the hardware.
- The range is too wide for a cabinet. If travellers want to browse hundreds of items, a staffed shop or a self-checkout store does it better.
- The restock process makes frequent visits impossible and the range is perishable. Short-life chilled food airside needs a supplies route that can handle it.
- You need airline check-in or bag-drop. Those are CUSS kiosks from certified platform providers, not vending.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just put a vending machine in an airport?
No. Terminal space is controlled by the airport operator, or by a concessionaire or terminal lessee that holds the space, and vending is placed under a commercial agreement with them. In the US, airports that have received federal airport development grants run airport concession programs under 49 CFR Part 23, and that rule defines a concession as a business selling consumer goods or services to the traveling public under an agreement with the airport, another concessionaire or the terminal owner or lessee. Start by asking the airport’s concessions or commercial team how vending is let at that airport.
What sells best from airport vending machines?
Items a traveller needs immediately and forgot to pack: phone chargers and cables, earbuds and headphones, power banks, travel adaptors, travel-size toiletries, eye masks and neck pillows, common remedies where local law allows them in a machine, and snacks and drinks. The best range for a given machine depends on where it stands: airside or landside, near which gates, and what the shops around it already sell. Sales data from the first weeks should drive the second planogram.
Can an airport vending machine sell bottled water before security?
It can, but the buyer cannot take it through the checkpoint if it is over the limit. In the US, TSA’s liquids rule allows containers of 3.4 ounces (100 millilitres) or less in a quart-size bag in carry-on baggage. A full-size bottle bought landside has to be finished or thrown away before screening, so landside drinks suit people waiting for arrivals or eating before they queue. Airside, after the checkpoint, the same bottle can go on board.
Are power banks safe to sell in an airport vending machine?
They are a common airport product, but stock them with the flight rules in mind. The FAA says spare lithium batteries, including power banks, must be carried in carry-on baggage only, and lithium ion batteries are limited to 100 watt hours each, with up to two larger spares of 101 to 160 Wh allowed only with airline approval. Airlines can set stricter limits. Stock power banks with the Wh rating printed on the product and show a short carry-on reminder on the machine screen.
Do airport vending machines have to be accessible?
In the US, the 2010 ADA Standards require that, where vending machines are provided, at least one of each type complies with the operable-parts rule: controls within the 15 to 48 inch reach range, usable with one hand and no more than 5 pounds of force. The DOT rule on accessible airport kiosks, 14 CFR 382.57, covers kiosks that airlines own or control for flight-related services, not retail vending. An airport may also set its own accessibility requirements in the concession agreement.
How is an airside vending machine restocked?
Through the airport’s security process for supplies. Anything taken into the security restricted area to be sold is subject to the airport’s controls, and the person restocking needs the airport’s badge or escort. In the UK and EU these items are called airport supplies, and the aviation security regulation provides for known suppliers of airport supplies. Ask the airport how supplies are screened and delivered before you plan a restock route, because it sets how often you can visit.
What does an airport vending machine cost?
The machine is only one part of the cost. KioskForce’s published starting prices run from about USD 800 for a compact wall-mount unit and USD 1,200 for the BG10X10 to USD 2,100 for the full-size KF10X22 touchscreen machine, with airport builds quoted per configuration. Freight, duty, installation, a 4G data plan of typically USD 5 to 10 per month, card fees and the airport’s concession fee or revenue share sit on top. The concession terms usually matter more to profit than the machine price.
References
- Transportation Security Administration — “Liquids, Aerosols, and Gels Rule” (accessed 3 October 2026). https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/liquids-aerosols-gels-rule
- Federal Aviation Administration — “PackSafe – Lithium Batteries” (accessed 3 October 2026). https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/lithium-batteries
- eCFR via Cornell LII — “49 CFR § 23.3 What do the terms used in this part mean?” (accessed 3 October 2026). https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/23.3
- eCFR via Cornell LII — “49 CFR § 23.5 To whom does this part apply?” (accessed 3 October 2026). https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/23.5
- eCFR via Cornell LII — “14 CFR § 382.3 What do the terms in this rule mean?” (accessed 3 October 2026). https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/382.3
- U.S. Access Board — “ADA Accessibility Standards” (2010 Standards, sections 228, 308 and 309; accessed 3 October 2026). https://www.access-board.gov/ada/
- legislation.gov.uk — “Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1998”, contents, Chapter 9 Airport Supplies (accessed 3 October 2026). https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2015/1998/contents
Related
- Specialty retail vending machines: the hub for this cluster
- Vending machines inside retail stores
- Electronics vending machines
- Beauty vending machines
- Book vending machines
- Transportation kiosks and vending
Talk to us about airport vending machines
Send the locations on the terminal plan, landside or airside for each, the product list with packaging sizes, the payment terminal and any design or accessibility rules from the airport. We will come back with a configuration, a price and lead time.
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