A layover is the ideal moment for duty-free: you are already past security, the shops are steps from the gate, and prices are often better than at either end of the trip. The trick is to shop with a plan.
The checklist
- Know your gate first. Find it on the screens, estimate the walk, and only then start browsing.
- Check the allowance of your final destination. Customs rules apply where you land, not where you buy.
- Keep the sealed bag sealed. Liquids bought at a previous airport must stay in the tamper-evident bag with the receipt until you arrive.
- Compare per-millilitre prices. Litre bottles and twin packs usually win.
- Use the currency of the shop. Paying in the local currency on your card avoids a second conversion fee.
- Ask for gift wrapping and a carrier bag with a flat base. It saves fumbling at the gate.
- Leave fifteen minutes. Boarding gates close earlier than the departure time on the ticket.
What to avoid
Skip anything fragile that will not fit in the cabin, and do not open the sealed bag to “check” the bottle. If your next airport re-screens transfer passengers, an opened bag means the bottle is thrown away.
Shop the essentials on the way out, the gifts on the way home: arrival duty-free means nothing has to survive two flights.
