WHSmith Express

Gate-side grab at BHX T1: WHSmith Express

By the main departures area in Terminal 1 after security, WHSmith Express is the quick stop for last-minute snacks, drinks, and reading before boarding at Birmingham Airport. It’s a smaller format than the landside WHSmith, so expect more basics and fewer non-essentials. You’ll usually spot it on the walk toward the main T1 gates once you clear the central security lanes.

Drinks run in the £1.50–£3 range for bottled water and soft drinks, while standard chocolate bars and crisps sit around £1.20–£2. Magazines and paperbacks sit on the usual UK high-street pricing, often just under £10 for bestsellers. You can pay contactless, Apple Pay, or Google Pay at all tills, which helps when you’re racing for a Ryanair or Jet2 departure from T1’s bus gates.

Food is mainly pre-packed: sandwiches, wraps, and meal deals similar to high-street WHSmith. Expect a basic meal deal around the £4–£6 mark including a drink and snack. Hot food is limited or non-existent depending on the day and staffing, so don’t plan on a proper meal here before long-haul flights with Emirates or TUI from T1.

Lines spike in the 05:30–08:30 morning bank and again around the 17:00–19:00 commuter wave, especially when multiple gates in T1 board at once. Staff usually move people through quickly, but self-checkout can stall if barcodes won’t scan on magazines or awkwardly shaped snacks. Build a 10-minute buffer during those peaks if your gate is a 5–10 minute walk away.

Tip: If your flight from Terminal 1 is already boarding on screens, skip browsing the books and just grab water and snacks near the tills; BHX gates can call final boarding earlier than you’d expect.