If you thought airport bathrooms were the worst surfaces, think again: a recent analysis by a travel insurance site found that airport check-in kiosks and monitors can harbor far more germs than toilet seats.
The study sampled surfaces at three major U.S. airports and identified the dirtiest areas. Self-service check-in kiosks topped the list, with swabs revealing an average of 253,857 colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria and fungus per square inch—substantially higher than the roughly 172 CFUs typically found on toilet seats. One individual kiosk sample registered as many as 1,000,000 CFUs.
“With mass amounts of traffic, self check-in is the quick stop for many flyers. It may offer more convenience, but at what cost?” the report observed.
Other high-germ hotspots included gate seat armrests (21,630 CFUs) and drinking fountain buttons (19,181 CFUs). Inside aircraft, the most contaminated areas were lavatory flush buttons (95,145 CFUs), tray tables (11,595 CFUs) and seatbelt buckles (1,116 CFUs).
The report also highlighted that aircraft cleaning is not federally regulated. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration does not mandate or inspect how airlines clean cabins, so each carrier sets its own cleaning schedules and standards. When turnaround times are short, planes may receive minimal or no cleaning between flights. Even when cleaning occurs, airlines often use general-purpose cleaners rather than hospital-grade disinfectants, which can leave harmful microbes behind.
To reduce personal risk while traveling, consider simple precautions: use a disinfectant wipe on shared surfaces like kiosk touchscreens, tray tables and armrests; wash hands frequently or use hand sanitizer after touching public surfaces; avoid touching your face; and, when possible, carry a small pack of disinfecting wipes or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for quick use after handling high-touch areas.
Awareness of the most contaminated spots and taking basic hygiene steps can help travelers limit exposure to germs during the often hectic airport and in-flight experience.