Do Starbucks in Airports Take Gift Cards? (Which Starbucks Locations in Airports Accept Gift Cards? + All You Need to Know)

Airport procedures are exhausting, and like most people, I do not enjoy the thought of being stuck in long lines, getting into crowded terminals, and experiencing delays. The thought of joining more lines just to order my favorite Starbucks coffee makes me feel more stressed – especially if I have gift cards and I’m not sure where to use them. This led to the question of whether Starbucks locations in airports take gift cards, which led to some interesting answers that I will talk about here.

Yes, Starbucks locations will accept gift cards, as long as it is from a major credit card company, and whether the store is under a host store like Target or is a standalone Starbucks store. Additionally, if you get a Starbucks Card from Canada or the US, you can use them in most Starbucks locations in North America, including grocery stores and airport locations.

Since not all Starbucks locations at airports are connected to the Starbucks payment system, ensure you ask first before paying through any method.

Which Starbucks locations in airports accept gift cards?

Most Starbucks airport stores will accept them, especially major airports. This will also apply if you got your card in the US and Canada, as these countries allow you to use the gift cards anywhere in North America and other participating countries’ airports.

The countries which are in this offer are Mexico, the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Puerto Rico, The Republic of Ireland, and Hong Kong. It is also worth noting that some Starbucks-branded locations will not allow you to use gift cards, such as certain bookstore locations, some grocery stores, and stores in Guam.

Where can I use my Starbucks Card?

Not all Starbucks locations you encounter in airports will accept these as payment forms, even though most coffee shops in Canada, the US, and Mexico will accept them. Due to this, there are two factors you should look out for if you want to use a gift card in a Starbucks airport location:

• Certain locations like specific airports, grocery stores, or bookstores, will not accept them. Therefore, use a store locator to see the store, and see if it has ‘Digital Rewards’ as part of its services – this means it accepts gift cards.
• It also depends on the payment processing system the location is using. If they are set up to the official Starbucks payment system or are a standalone Starbucks store, they will accept it, but if they are under another host and the host store’s payment system is processing the payment, then they will not. A good example of this is Barnes and Noble, which I will discuss below.

Can I use my Starbucks gift card at Barnes and Noble?

Unlike most stores, Barnes and Noble are among the few brands that do not accept Starbucks gift cards, and they have not done so in a long time.

They also do not offer customers some trademark Starbucks drinks, and neither do they honor some promotional events like birthday drinks for free to customers celebrating their special days. They do not accept payments through the Starbucks app as well, so do not attempt to use it when purchasing orders from their store – instead, you should use cash or credit cards to make your payment.

Whether you can transfer money from your debit card to your Starbucks card

Yes, you can transfer your money easily between both accounts. There are two ways to do so:

• Your Starbucks account – to do this, log into your account either through the Starbucks website or smartphone app. Once you do so, click on the ‘Account’ menu, select ‘Card Management’, and choose the ‘Manage’ menu. If you are using the app, tap the face icon (this is on the home screen’s upper right corner), and select ‘Starbucks Cards and Payment’. Additionally, reloading your card through the app is quite easy.
• Visit a participating store – You can also visit Starbucks stores that are participating in the Gift Cards program and specify that you want to transfer your money to your debit card or the Starbucks Card.

If you want to check your Starbucks card balance before using it to pay for your orders or checking if you want to transfer money from and to it, you can do this in several ways:

• Visit the Starbucks rewards page and log in to your Starbucks account. Click on the ‘Card Management’ menu, and choose the card you want to see the balance.
• Visit the Starbucks Card page. Once you are in, enter your card number, as well as its security code.
• If you want to use the app, log into your account. Click on the ‘Scan’ tab, and this will show you all the cards that are connected to your account on the Starbucks Rewards system, as well as their balances.

Final thoughts

If you have Starbucks gift cards and want to use them at the airport when traveling, you will just need to ask the location if they accept these cards before paying. Some will do, which makes things more convenient, while others may not.

FAQs

Do Starbucks gift cards work internationally?

In some cases, yes, but it will not work in other cases. You can use the US Starbucks gift cards in some other countries other than the US, including Mexico, The Republic of Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia. However, in other countries, you can only use the Starbucks card within the country.

Can I use the Starbucks app at the airport to pay for my order?

Yes, you can. Starbucks recently implemented mobile payments through their app, which makes payments easier for you – even when paying in advance for your order.

Do airports accept gift cards?

Yes, they do. Airports always have a policy of accepting any gift cards, as long as they are from major credit card companies.