Airport security rules make it impossible to take water through to the departure lounge, where buying bottles can be frustratingly expensive.
However, it’s easy to dampen down your airside expenses by packing a few empty bottles in your hand luggage and filling them from a free fountain in the departure lounge. This is completely legal, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Find where to beat the price hikes and get free water for you and your family when travelling through UK airports
Research from MoneySavingExpert.com has revealed these are widespread at many airports across the UK. Here’s the information you need to stay hydrated for free at some top UK airports.
Gatwick Airport
The airport has after-security fountains in both terminals, and all restaurants and bars will fill up water bottles for free. At the North Terminal, there are two water fountains on the right – hand side of the entrance to World Duty Free, after security.
Heathrow Airport
The airport’s website reports more than 100 fountains across the four terminals. Use the following terminal maps to find the after-security fonts you’ll need to fill your boots – or bottles – with free water.
| Terminal 2 Terminal 3 | Terminal 4 Terminal 5 |
Belfast International Airport
You can find one water fountain at Gate 14. Another one is on the way to the International Gates 21-29.
Birmingham Airport
Water fountains can be found at Gate 47, opposite Gate 41, within the main departures lounge, and at the OCS special assistance area.
Bournemouth Airport
Reusable water bottles can be filled for free from the water taps on the counters in the restaurant after security, and in the café before security.
Bristol Airport
There is one water fountain available for travellers departing through Bristol Airport. Pack your bottles and look out for the fountain on the walkway leading to gates 7-16.
East Midlands Airport
APH contributor, Paul, tells us that free water fountains can be found at East Midlands Airport immediately after you pass through security. Thanks for the update, Paul.
Edinburgh Airport
If you’re travelling through Edinburgh Airport, save some cash by taking your empty bottle to the post-security water fountain just past the World Duty Free store.
Exeter Airport
Exeter Airport will fill your water bottles at the bar in the Fed & Watered Wine & Dine restaurant. Thanks to Clive Harrold for this update.
Glasgow Airport
Travellers flying from Glasgow Airport will be able to find a post-security water fountain next to the Travelex store on the main walkway just past the duty free shop. Look out for signs pointing it out.
Leeds Bradford Airport
You will find a water fountain after security, on the ground floor of departures.
Liverpool Airport
We have water fountains in two locations at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Gate 2 and Gate 30.
London City Airport
If you have a bottle bigger than 100ml, you can pour out the water in a bin before security. Then you can fill it up again for free at the Refill Station near Gates 7 & 8. You can also get water from any of our food and drink places.
Luton Airport
Head through security then look out for bottle-filling options beside the lifts in the departures lounge.
Manchester Airport
Find these after-security water fountains by following these directions…
Terminal 1: Look on the left side of the corridor after leaving Security Area A. For those leaving Security Area B, you will come across it as you enter the corridor leading to the first concourse.
Terminal 2: There is a water fountain in the security area as you head through the corridor to departures.
Terminal 3: The fountain can be found in the walkway between Trattoria restaurant and Lion and Antelope pub.
Southampton Airport
Go through security, then turn left as you exit World Duty Free and enter the departures area. Southampton Airport provided MoneySavingExpert.com with this map to show the way to free water.
Stansted Airport
This airport has water fountains available at Gates 1-19, Gates 40-59 and in the the arrivals area. Furthermore, if you require drinking water in the departure lounge, approach any bar or restaurant and they will be happy to fill your bottle for you.
Stansted also has ‘honesty box’ stations, with a suggestion of £1 per bottle. We’re not sure just how ‘honest’ a reflection of true cost this really is.
Newcastle Airport
All catering outlets provide free tap water and are happy to refill drinking bottles.
The airports that don’t provide free water
Not all airports are equal, Belfast, Aberdeen, Cardiff and London Southend airports told MoneySavingExpert that they don’t supply water fountains for travellers. Try asking at cafes instead.
Tell us more…
Do you have information on any other free water fountains at UK airports not covered here? Spread the word via the comments box below.
Headline is about saving money and yes, refilling your water bottle for free makes sound economic sense but the bigger picture is about the monstrous amount of pollution caused by the vast majority of the empty single use bottles – that will end up in landfill or as litter or wherever. Single use plastic bottles are an eco-disaster and SHAME on the tiny minority of airports who can’t be bothered to install even a cold water tap – those sci-fi refill stations are wonderful, but actually, just a tap would do!. So, Newcastle and the others…. please explain why you have decided not to provide such a basic, eco friendly solution to a big problem And, NO,,,, the answer isn’t to send customers to clog up the queues at bars and restaurants. Just what is your reason for not acting and getting water resource provided?
Stansted: free water bottle refill machine by the toilets in departures, between Pret A Manger and Coast to Coast.
Liverpool now have them. Apparently at gate 2, but I couldn’t find it. Also at gate 30, but it’s next to the stairs and easy to miss and not signposted. Just have a very good look around that end.
STANSTED. Water fountain next to Burgerking where the toilets are
Although there are no water fountains at Newcastle airport you can ask any bar or restaurant to fill your empty bottle free of charge. We have been doing this for the last couple of years and they are happy to provide this service.
There is now a water fountain at Aberdeen Airport just inside the entrance to Gates 6-12 in Departures
Liverpool airport. The water fountains are located between gates 2 & 3 and near to gate 30. I checked the one by gate 2
Reason for having fountains and not the stupid honesty stands at Stansted Airport is to stop using plastic bottles! Save the planet from plastics. If mineral water companies are worried about losing out, then I suggest they set up fountains that takes coins and dispenses a half litre of water into passengers own REUSEABLE drinking bottles. Gatwick have free fountain just after security.
Exeter now have a fountain outside the toilets in the main area. Yay :-)
Thanks, helped me to find the water station in Glasgow. Cardiff did fill up my water bottle at a cafe.
Can’t find any drinking fountains in edinburgh airport could you tell me where it is???? I was charged 3pounds 75pence for 1 water bottle….
Belfast international, departure lounge the Bar next to the Kitchen filled up my 500ml bottle with tap water no problem.
Newquay Airport in Cornwall will fill your bottle at the cafe. And they do it with a smile.
21 June 2018 – couldn’t see any drinking fountains gates 40-47 but there was a bar with jug of water I availed myself of.
Exeter airport will fill the water bottles at the bar in the restaurant. They don’t publicise it but you only have to ask!
Stansted water fountain by toilets near gate 13, was working 27th may
Stansted update..water fountain in the assistance area can be used to refill.
luton has water just after security before you go up escalator. not really cold but does the job
27 February 2018. Both water fountains in Gatwick North security area are not working. No signs or explanation given.
The Welsh Assembly bangs on about recycling but there are no drinking water fountains at Cardiff airport , hypothetical sort it out Cardiff.
Morning , there is now a water fountain at Cardiff airport located close to the toilets in arrivals where you claim you’re baggage ! But don’t know if there is one in departures ? Will check this out in September .
By law any licensed premises have to give you free drinking water. If you ask pleasantly its not a problem, most staff seem to find it amusing to get one over on the bosses :-)
Gatwick North .Water fountain had notice on it Not in Use !
The water fountain right after security before you go into the duty free shop is now working, there are two together, one is working the other is not (2 Jan 2018)
At Gatwick North 2 weeks ago, looked and looked, nothing found.
Stansted recently water fountain toilets at gates in the 40s. But when I took the shuttle train could find nothing.
Not acceptable when trying to reduce the amount of plastic in the world.
Can`t see any water fountains on the departure lounge map of Stansted. Is this all a joke?
Hi Louise. We are looking into this now. Thanks for your message and we will update the feature once we’ve confirmed the situation.
STANSTED airport no longer provides water fountains. Probably from when they set up the honesty box.
I’m at Stansted airport and haven’t found any water fountains near the toilets as claimed. I have asked 4 members of staff (duty free shop, assistance desk, cleaning staff and uniformed support staff) and nobody could tell me where they are. One person suggested they are ‘ out by the gates’ ! There are some bottles of warm water (at a water station near the shuttle trains) for an ‘honesty charge’ of £1 but Boots is cheaper and water is chilled there!!
London City – free water?
There is a website trying to help https://wateratairports.com it is not a commercial site trying to sell something, just a record of where you can free water at airports around the world.
Prestwick?
Hi – Sadly, this airport has not provided information. If any travellers using it can send us the info, we will gladly include.
I don’t see mention of East Midlands Airport
There is no water fountain at East Midlands airport but ask at the bar and they will give you glasses of water to fill your bottles.
At East Midlands there are water fountains immediately after security. Look to your right as you may have passed them depending which security point you have used.
No mention of Doncaster Sheffield.. !!