Traveling this holiday season? See where your favorite airport snack ranks
People in pajamas and casual clothing shop at a food grab and go store at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco, California, October 19, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
A newly released map of America’s favorite airport snacks shows what travelers reach for before dashing to their gates.
State-by-state results highlight regional preferences, according to search data analyzed by eSIM provider Holafly and shared with Delish—with Oreos emerging as the nation’s top choice.
From Sour Patch Kids in Maine to jerky throughout the South, pre-flight snack habits vary widely across the country.
Top 10 airport snacks
Dig deeper:
1. Oreo
Oreo topped the list with 113,380 nationwide searches, proving especially popular in Alabama, Wisconsin and Illinois.
Since debuting in 1912, the iconic sandwich cookie has seen countless variations — from early lemon-filled versions to oversized "Big Stuf" Oreos — and was even made with lard until the 1990s.
A reformulation during that decade made the cookie kosher, as previously reported by Fox News Digital.
2. Jack Link's Beef Jerky
The runner-up was Jack Link’s Beef Jerky sticks, available in flavors like peppered and teriyaki.
The protein-rich snack dominated searches in Idaho, Wyoming, Texas, Louisiana, Iowa, Ohio, Tennessee, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
The ranking reflects the continued rise of protein snacks, according to Holly LaVallie, senior vice president of marketing and R&D at Link Snacks.
Packed with real meat protein and bold flavor, she said, Jack Link’s helps maintain energy without the "sugar crashes" associated with many other airport snacks.
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Sean Duffy, the secretary of the Department of Transportation said in an interview that Americans should "dress up" and behave at airports as we enter the busy holiday travel season. Julian Kheel at Points Path joined LiveNOW's Josh Breslow to discuss what to expect at airports in the coming days and weeks.
3. Cheetos Puffs
Coming in third were Cheetos Puffs — the airy, cheesy snack favored in Hawaii, California, Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Fans are easily identified by the telltale "Cheetle" dust that coats their fingertips.
4. Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Crunchy
Next on the list was Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Crunchy, the spicy, crunchier counterpart to Cheetos Puffs.
This fiery variety ranked highest in Nevada, Nebraska, Missouri and Maine.
5. Twizzlers
Twizzlers took fifth place. The chewy, twisted licorice-style candy — acquired by Hershey in 1977 — is now the best-selling licorice brand in the U.S.
Searches show it’s especially popular in Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Arkansas, Mississippi, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware.
6. Sour Patch Kids
Sour Patch Kids — known for their signature "sour then sweet" flavor — led searches in Florida, Michigan and New Hampshire.
Introduced to the U.S. in 1985, the brand has since expanded into gum, ice cream, Popsicles and even cereal.
7. Dunkin’
New York and South Dakota "run on Dunkin’," according to the data.
A company spokesperson told Fox News Digital that travelers rely on Dunkin’ for everything from donuts and coffee to portable bites such as hash browns, avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches.
The chain said it prides itself on being the familiar stop that makes travel days "easier and tastier."
8. Welch’s Fruit Snacks
Welch’s Fruit Snacks were a top choice in West Virginia and North Dakota.
Launched in 2001, the line has grown into a global bestseller and frequently leads the fruit-snack category.
9. Doritos Cool Ranch
Cool Ranch Doritos were the go-to choice in Washington, Oregon, Vermont and South Carolina.
Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili also topped searches in New Jersey and North Carolina, though it didn’t crack the national top 10.
10. Haribo Goldbears
Haribo Goldbears rounded out the top 10. The classic gummy candies — available in lemon, orange, pineapple, strawberry and raspberry — were most popular in Georgia and New Mexico.
"For so many travelers, Haribo has become part of the journey," a company spokesperson said. "It’s a familiar treat and a small moment of happiness, especially on busy travel days."
Honorable Mentions
Other state-specific favorites included:
Peanut M&M’s in Utah and Oklahoma
Chobani vanilla yogurt in Massachusetts
Perfect Bars in Virginia — a refrigerated protein bar made with nut butter, honey and more than 20 superfoods
Fox News Digital reached out to Holafly and the companies behind the top-ranking snacks for comment.
The Source: FOX News contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from search data analyzed by Holafly, an eSIM provider that examined state-by-state trends in Americans’ airport snack preferences. This story was reported from Los Angeles.