Medellin
You're flying out of Medellin Airport, you have 90 minutes to kill, and you'd like to do better than a Pret. Good news: airport drinking has improved more in the last five years than the previous fifty. Pre-flight drinks at Medellin Airport range from chain reliability to surprisingly polished hotel-style bars in the airport hotels. This is barsforKings's editor-curated guide to drinking better at Medellin's airports.
Belen · $$
3 Cordilleras Brewery draws a steady local crowd in Belen. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
City centre · $$
The menu changes three times a year to follow what is growing. The current summer edition lists 14 cocktails built around lulo, maracuyá, corozo, and the region
El Poblado · $$$
Alambique Medellin draws a steady local crowd in El Poblado. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
El Poblado · $$$
Amor y Mezcal draws a steady local crowd in El Poblado. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Want a real drink before flying? The fastest play is to get to airport hotels next door — most run polished bars that beat anything post-security. We list them at the bottom. If you've got 60 spare minutes pre-airport, see our shortlist of bars in Medellin proper at the end.
Plays for Medellin Airport: post-security, pre-security, lounges, and the airport-hotel cheat code.
Pre-flight drinks, hotel-bar reviews, and the openings we're watching across 200+ cities. Friday mornings, no filler.
Looking beyond Medellin? See our guide to the best airport bars worldwide, or compare airport bars city by city.