Buying smartly at airport duty-free liquor stores around the globe

Some tips to help making duty-free liquor purchases at airpor

Buying alcohol at the start of a multi-stop journey may get your treasures confiscated by officials in countries that have carry-on alcohol restrictions (here’s more information than you’ll ever need). Unless you want your prized bottle sadly tossed in the discard pile consisting of too-large lotions and other confiscated items, consider whether you will have access to your checked luggage or if you’re transferring through an airport (and going through security again) where your alcohol may be problematic.

There’s a bit of a gamble here, however. Waiting until your return trip through the airport, you may find that the selection is limited depending on your departure area, or you may already have luggage stuffed with no room to spare. If the airport’s departure and arrival gates are in the same space, keep an eye on the available options as you deplane so that you know whether to shop elsewhere before your return flight.

Another reason why timing is crucial: Unless you’re enjoying your libations while traveling or gifting them when you arrive, you’ve just saddled yourself with a bottle-shaped millstone that will seem to get heavier each time you hoist your luggage off the ground. It pays to look up the weight restrictions for carry-on and checked luggage on all the airlines on each leg of a multi-step flight (watch for those codeshares, which may have different rules), particularly if you’re flying a smaller regional plane which may get you some serious side-eye from attendants as you clank up to the gate with your purchases.