The Champagne Index: Where’s the most expensive five star destination to drink champagne?

Award‑winning drinks writer Henry Jeffreys delves into the world’s best‑value and most interesting bubbles brands to suit every luxury traveler. From Dubai’s high‑end pours to Madrid’s surprisingly affordable elegance, Henry’s research has created the Blacklane Champagne Index to uncover the most distinguished places to indulge in a glass of fizz.

At a glance: the global champagne market

Champagne has had a difficult couple of years, with sales dropping by 27 million bottles in 2023 to just under 300 million sold globally. The French sparkling‑wine region is facing tough economic conditions, not helped by a rise in prices plus vigorous competition. This comes from all sides – on the one hand from cheaper fizz like Prosecco and Cava, as well as from upmarket options like the Italian Franciacorta and Californian and English sparkling wine. Nevertheless, the global champagne market was valued at £6.08 billion ($7.72 billion / €7.13 billion) in 2024 and is expected to bounce back from its current low point. Champagne is still the world’s most popular luxury wine, and for many of us, ordering a glass is the default option before a meal, in the bar of a luxury hotel, or before catching a flight.

The price of that perfect aperitif can vary considerably, as we found out in this survey of 10 global destinations: London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, the Côte d’Azur (Nice, Cannes and Monaco), Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Dubai. We looked at the price of a 125 ml glass of house non‑vintage brut champagne in one of the bars or restaurants in ten five‑star hotels in each city. The information either came from the hotel’s website or by contacting them directly when the information wasn’t available online.

Where more than one brand was available by the glass, we chose the cheapest option. We also looked at the price of a glass of champagne, where available, in airport bars in the featured cities.

Champagne’s pricing hotspots: average glass prices by city

Average prices by city:

• Dubai: £36 ($45/€42)

• New York: £27 ($37/€32)

• Miami: £26 ($35/€30)

• Rome: £26 ($33/€30)

• London: £24 ($32/€28)

• Paris: £24 ($32/€28)

• Côte d’Azur: £23 ($31/€27)

• Los Angeles: £23 ($31/€27)

• Tokyo: £22 ($29/€26)

• Madrid: £17 ($23/€20)

Dubai tops the leader board by some margin. It is 21% more expensive than the next city, New York. The five most expensive hotels were in Dubai. The priciest is the Waldorf Astoria Dubai, which will charge you £47 ($63/€55) for a glass of Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial. The average price in Dubai is £36 ($46/€42). There’s a 30% tax on alcohol, but even when this was suspended between 2023 and 2025 to attract visitors, prices were still much more expensive than in Europe and America. Sales of alcohol are tightly controlled in this Islamic country. New York (average price £27 /$37 / €32) and Miami (£26 /$35 / €30) were the second and third most expensive cities.

If you’re looking for value, Madrid is the clear winner with a great average price for a glass of champagne at £17 ($23/€20). That’s less than half the price of Dubai. The cheapest hotel in the survey is the Hotel Santo Mauro, part of the Marriott group, where a glass of Laurent‑Perrier will cost you £16 ($21/€18). The top three cheapest hotels were all in Madrid.

Paris showed well for value, with two hotels in the top five cheapest—but the city also has some very expensive venues. There’s a wide variety in pricing, ranging from the Hôtel Bristol at £30 (41/€35) for a glass of Moët & Chandon Brut to Le Château des Fleurs at £19 ($26/€22) for Veuve Clicquot. On average, Paris and London were neck‑and‑neck on prices, which might surprise anyone who sees the British capital as far more expensive than its French counterpart. Prices were also very consistent in England compared with Paris, varying from £21 ($22/€25) for Taittinger at the Landmark to £26 (£35 / €30) for Ruinart at the Dorchester. Rome was the most expensive European city, with two hotels in the top ten.

In contrast, Tokyo, with an average price of £22 ($29/€26), was surprisingly affordable, perhaps partly down to a weak Yen. Los Angeles at £23 ($31/€27) was significantly cheaper than its rival American cities.

Luxury five‑star hotels to splash out in

Check out the top list:

1. Waldorf Astoria Dubai: £47 ($63/€55) – Veuve Clicquot

2. Atlantis The Palm Dubai: £46 ($62/€54) – Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial

3. Burj Al Arab Dubai: £39 ($53/€46) – Louis Roederer

4. Raffles The Palm Dubai: £39 ($53/€46) – Taittinger

5. Palazzo Manfredi Rome: £35 ($47/€41) – Veuve Clicquot

And the surprisingly good‑value cities for champagne

Europe tops the board:

1. Hotel Urban Madrid: £15 ($20/€17) – Taittinger

2. Hotel Bless Madrid: £16 ($21/€18) – Ruinart

3. Hotel Santo Mauro Madrid: £16 ($21/€18) – Laurent‑Perrier

4. Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris: £16 ($21/€18) – Fauchon own label

5. Le Château des Fleurs Paris: £16 ($21/€18) – Veuve Clicquot

Battle of the brands: Champagne’s most recognized labels

The big brands dominate here, with Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial coming out on top, served in 17% of hotels. No surprise there—it’s the biggest and best‑known champagne in the world, with about 30 million bottles produced every year, and very much a safe choice for most travellers in a strange city. Veuve Clicquot was second with 12%, and Louis Roederer at 8%. The survey shows the dominance of the big companies, and especially LVMH, which owns Moët, Veuve and Ruinart. 34% of hotels serve LVMH champagne.

Brand popularity:

• Moët & Chandon: 17%

• Veuve Clicquot: 12%

• Louis Roederer: 8%

• Taittinger: 7%

• Laurent‑Perrier: 7%

• Perrier‑Jouët: 7%

• Ruinart: 5%

• Charles Heidsieck: 4%

• Billecart‑Salmon: 4%

• Deutz: 4%

Big‑brand value: the five‑star hotels serving your favourite fizz

Moët & Chandon

• Most expensive: £46 ($62/€54) – Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

• Cheapest: £15 ($20/€17) – Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid

• Average price: £25 ($33/€29)

• Price range: £31 ($42/€37) difference

Veuve Clicquot

• Most expensive: £47 ($63/€55) – Waldorf Astoria Dubai

• Cheapest: £16 ($21/€18) – Le Château des Fleurs, Paris

• Average price: £27 ($36/€32)

• Price range: £31 ($42/€37) difference

Louis Roederer

• Most expensive: £39 ($53/€46) – Burj Al Arab, Dubai

• Cheapest: £16 ($22/€19) – Imperial Hotel, Tokyo

• Average price: £24 ($32/€28)

• Price range: £23 ($31/€27) difference

Taittinger

• Most expensive: £39 ($53/€46) – Raffles The Palm, Dubai

• Cheapest: £17 ($23/€20)

• Average price: £23 ($31/€27)

• Price range: £22 ($30/€26) difference

Laurent‑Perrier

• Most expensive: £28 ($37/€32) – Four Seasons, Los Angeles

• Cheapest: £16 ($21/€18) – Hotel Santo Mauro, Madrid

• Average price: £23 ($31/€27)

• Price range: £12 ($16/€14) difference

We were surprised to see a lack of house brands, with only a couple of hotels offering their own labels. The Ritz in London lists a special Baron de Rothschild Ritz Reserve meaning that they have an exclusive blend that you cannot find anywhere else. The Hôtel Fauchon in Paris simply lists “Fauchon” champagne without any mention of the producer, perhaps why they can offer it for a very reasonable £16 ($21/€18). It’s important to bear in mind that an unknown provenance doesn’t necessarily mean lower quality.

Brand popularity:

• Moët & Chandon: 17%

• Veuve Clicquot: 12%

• Louis Roederer: 8%

• Taittinger: 7%

• Laurent-Perrier: 7%

• Perrier-Jouët: 7%

• Ruinart: 5%

• Charles Heidsieck: 4%

• Billecart-Salmon: 4%

• Deutz: 4%

Big brand value: the five-star hotels serving your favourite fizz

Moët & Chandon

• Most expensive: £46 ($62/€54) - Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

• Cheapest: £15 ($20/€17) - Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid

• Average price: £25 ($33.24/€29)

• Price range: £31 ($42/€37) difference

  Veuve Clicquot

• Most expensive: £47 ($63/€55) - Waldorf Astoria Dubai

• Cheapest: £16 ($21/€18) - Le Château des Fleurs, Paris

• Average price: £27 ($36.25/€32)

• Price range: £31 ($42/€37) difference

  Louis Roederer

• Most expensive: £39 ($53/€46) - Burj Al Arab, Dubai

• Cheapest: £16 ($22/€19) - Imperial Hotel, Tokyo

• Average price: £24 ($32/€28)

• Price range: £23 ($31/€27) difference

  Taittinger

• Most expensive: £39 ($53/€46) - Raffles The Palm Dubai

• Cheapest: £17 ($23/€20)

• Average price: £23 ($31/€27)

• Price range: £22 ($30/€26) difference

  Laurent-Perrier

• Most expensive: £28 ($37/€32) - Four Seasons, Los Angeles

• Cheapest: £16 ($21/€18) - Hotel Santo Mauro, Madrid

• Average price: £23 ($31/€27)

• Price range: £12 ($16/€14) difference

We were surprised to see a lack of house brands, with only a couple of hotels offering their own labels. The Ritz in London lists a special Baron de Rothschild Ritz Reserve meaning that they have an exclusive blend that you cannot find anywhere else. The Hôtel Fauchon in Paris simply lists “Fauchon” champagne without any mention of the producer, perhaps why they can offer it for a very reasonable £16 ($21/€18). It’s important to bear in mind that an unknown provenance doesn’t necessarily mean lower quality.

It was good to see some of the smaller houses represented, like Ayala (served at the Goring in London), Bruno Paillard (Hôtel de Castille) and Billecart-Salmon served at Claridge's and the Mandarin Oriental in London. These are all champagnes that are highly regarded by wine critics even if they don’t have the name recognition of the big brands. Paris was particularly strong on grower champagne with Philipponnat poured at Hôtel Grand Powers and Grand Hôtel Du Palais Royal and Fleury at the Ritz. These are artisan wines made using only grapes from a specific part of Champagne rather than blended from across the region as with the big names. We were surprised to see Nicolas Feuillatte, the brand name of one of Champagne's largest co-ops and normally seen as a less upmarket brand, served at the Plaza in New York.

The most adventurous cities in terms of diversity from the big brands were Paris, London, Tokyo, New York and the Côte d'Azur, evidence of a more knowledgeable clientele happy to experiment beyond the big brands. Tokyo has the most varied selection, with no Moët & Chandon at all and only one showing for Veuve Clicquot at the Conrad Tokyo.

Rome also had some unusual champagnes. Delamotte, served at the Pantheon Iconic, though small is highly-regarded by wine critics especially for its top-of-the-range Salon, a wine considered to be about the best champagne money can buy. At the Hotel Splendide Royal they served a special Pinot Noir-heavy cuvée from Veuve Clicquot called Saint Petersburg.

Miami, Dubai and Madrid were dominated by the biggest brands. Dubai was 60% LVMH, with four listings for Moët & Chandon and two for Veuve Clicquot.

A glass before you fly: airport travel in bubbly style

• Heathrow Terminal 5 (London) £18.50 ($25/€22) Fortnum & Mason Blanc de Blancs

• Paris CDG £16 ($21/€18) Pommery

• New York JFK £16 ($21/€18) Mumm Cordon Rouge

• Los Angeles LAX £16 ($21/€18) Bonnet Ponson

• Tokyo Narita £15 ($20/€17) Boizel Brut Réserve

• Nice Côte d'Azur £14 ($18/€16) Maison Collet

Not all airports sold champagne by the glass. Nice Airport had the cheapest champagne with Maison Collet at £14 ($18/€16), Paris had Pommery for £16 ($21/€18), and New York had Mumm Cordon Rouge for £16 ($21/€18). Heathrow Terminal 5 offered Fortnum & Mason's own-label Blanc de Blancs for £18.50 ($25/€22) a glass. Lovers of small critically-acclaimed producers should head to Tokyo where you can find Boizel Brut Réserve at only £15 ($20/€17) a glass. LAX surprised too with an organic, low sulphur offering from a fashionable grower Bonnet Ponson for £16 ($21/€18) a glass. The average price was £16 ($21/€18), with London a bit pricier than the others.

Local offerings dominate in Rome and Madrid, with the former having a Berlucchi Franciacorta, a Bottarga Prosecco, and a Ferrari Trentino bar. Dubai has a specialist Moët & Chandon bar in the Emirates lounge, offering complimentary champagne to first and business class passengers. For those not using lounges, we found Laurent-Perrier at a very reasonable AED 520 a bottle, £104 ($141/€121) a bottle which works out at £17 ($23/ €20) for a 125ml glass.

Living the champagne lifestyle: where to find high-end pours and affordable elegance

This survey shows some interesting and surprising insights into the luxury hospitality market and global champagne consumption patterns. Dubai stands out as a clear outlier, with prices that reflect its role as an upmarket destination as well as the impact of taxation on alcohol. Clearly there are plenty of people who can afford the high prices charged here.

Madrid is the champion for value-conscious champagne lovers. There is a staggering 112% price difference between Dubai’s most expensive glass £47 ($63/€54), and Madrid’s cheapest £15 ($20/€17). Despite its excellent food scene, world class museums and famous nightlife, Madrid is often overlooked in favour of its great rival Barcelona which goes some way to explain the low prices. In contrast Rome is Europe’s most expensive city, evidence of its enduring popularity as a luxurious tourist destination.

In the wine world there’s a lot of talk about smaller grower houses threatening the hegemony of the Grand Marques but in this survey LVMH brands Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart dominate. This reflects both the risk-averse nature of luxury hospitality and the marketing power of established names. However, cities like Tokyo, Paris, and London show greater diversity, suggesting that smaller brands can hold their own in more sophisticated markets.

Whilst a glass of champagne remains the ultimate luxury travel ritual, local sparkling wines are gaining ground in their home markets, particularly in Italy. In England, however, champagne is sold alongside local sparkling wines. The UK is the second largest export market for champagne and it is unlikely in the near future that the British will give it up in favour of domestic fizz.

Wherever you are in the world, a glass of champagne is one of life’s most reliable pleasures but pricing is far from consistent globally. Where you choose to enjoy it can make a £30 difference to your bank balance.