The Filthiest Spots on Airplanes and in Airports

When you’re jetting off on holiday the last thing you’re probably thinking about is germs. But you should, because a recent study by Travelmath shows that airports are dirtier than the average home. To find out just how dirty, a microbiologist collected 26 samples from five airports and four flights. The results are measured in bacteria (or colony forming units) per square inch (CFU/sq. in.). Are you ready to be grossed out?

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Welcome Aboard

Everything looks relatively clean, but looks can be deceiving. Let's examine the common surfaces in the cabin.

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Seatbelt Buckle

Of the surfaces tested on airplanes, the seatbelt buckle was the cleanest. But that's not saying much. The average bacteria score was 230 CFU/sq. in.

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Lavatory Flush Button

The lavatory flush button comes next with a score of 265 CFU/sq. in.

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Overhead Air Vent

Surprisingly, the overhead air vent is actually dirtier than the flush button. It measured 285 CFU/sq. in.

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Tray Table

The absolute dirtiest spot on a plane? Your tray table. In fact, at 2155 CFU/sq. in., it's nearly ten times dirtier than the flush button in the bathroom. Ew.

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In the Airport

But what about the airport? Well, it's rather dirty too.

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Bathroom Stall Locks

The bathroom stall locks were the cleanest of the items surveyed. They measured 70 CFU/sq. in.

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Drinking Fountain Buttons

But think twice about using the public water fountain. With a test result of 1240 CFU/sq. in., it was the dirtiest place tested in the airport.

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Money

By way of comparison, let's look at some common surfaces in the average household. These numbers come from the National Science Foundation. Are you ready to be grossed out?

Let's start with money. Surprisingly, despite the number of people who handle it, it measured a low 5 CFU/sq. in.