Woman on AM Flight Shares Espresso Martini Trick for Under $10: ‘No Rules’

One woman shared a clever hack to enjoy an espresso martini at the airport for less than $10, as she waited for her morning flight.
Alexis Olive shunned airport prices to enjoy a DIY cocktail at the George Bush Intercontinental in Houston, by pouring liquor into a Starbucks iced coffee.
She told Newsweek: “I think the main thing people don’t know is that you are actually allowed to bring small size liquor bottle[s] through the airport.”
Olive posted a video to Instagram under the handle @alexis.eats.texas, showing her mixing the popular drink ahead of her 10 a.m. flight.
“I’ve even confirmed this with several TSA agents,” she said. “The TSA says that alcohol can be stored in a passenger’s carry-on bag if the containers are 3.4oz or less and fit in a quart-sized bag.”
Olive, who is a tech worker, ordered a double shot of espresso over ice from Starbucks before she boarded her flight. She added a mini bottle of vodka and a mini bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream to her coffee but said that the Irish cream liquor could be substituted for Kahlua.
An espresso martini is traditionally made with vodka, coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua or Tia Maria), and freshly brewed espresso. Oftentimes, mixologists will add sugar syrup and ice for shaking, as well as coffee beans for garnish.
“Some people wouldn’t consider it an espresso martini,” said Olive. “It has Irish cream instead of coffee liquor, but I think it’s just your preference.”
In the video, which received over 9 million views since it was posted on August 19, she reveals that it was her mom who taught her the trick.
In the clip, she confirms the drink is “strong,” as she on-screen text says she would “10/10 recommend.”
She also referenced her recipe in the caption adding: “Espresso martini under $10—mini vodka, Baileys or Kahlua, or both. It’s the airport, there are no rules.”
Olive was traveling from the Texas airport to Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City when she recorded the video in mid-August. According to Statista, U.S. airlines carried over 819 million passengers on domestic journeys across the country in 2023, compared to over 862 million when international flights are included.
While Statista reports that the average spend of an individual in an airport in the Americas is $154, Olive’s concoction cost her under $10. She revealed that she ordered a double espresso plus a shot of vanilla for $7 as well as mini, shot-sized bottles of vodka and Irish cream for between $1 and $3.
Social media users were wowed by Olive’s creative idea. One person with the Instagram username @theprettyrasta commented: “This is the best one I’ve seen.”
@milehighfoodfrenzy simply commented: “This is actually a really good hack.”
Another, @caramelloyello, joked: “The damn coffee cost more than the liquor you used,” with a laughing emoji.
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