Duty-Free Shopping and TSA Regulations
Airport duty-free shops sell all kinds of products, everything from cigars to perfume to stuffed toys. And liquor, of course. I was surprised on my last trip by the difficulties some of my fellow passengers experienced with their duty-free items - I don't buy much at duty-free shops - not on our first flight, but on our connecting flight.
It's easy to buy perfume and liquor at a duty-free shop. The cashier seals your purchase in a special bag and you can carry it onto the airplane. If you're taking a nonstop flight home, everything's fine. The difficulty comes when you have to change planes. Those TSA regulations - you know, no liquids in containers larger than three fluid ounces - still apply.
If you're planning to do some duty-free shopping on your next international trip, take a minute to read our information about flying with duty-free liquid items. You might want to take a look at our space-saving packing tips, too, just in case you find a stupendous bargain at the duty-free shop.
A few months ago I flew home from San Juan, Puerto Rico. After clearing security, I noticed a Duty-free liquor shop near my departure gate. I also noticed that many passengers were buying liquor to take aboard the plane (in the special sealed bag described in the article). I asked, and was told that San Juan was possibly the only airport where Americans flying to American destinations could purchase duty-free liquor to carry on the plane. Now, I did take a non-stop flight home, but even if I had to change planes, I don’t see why I couldn’t have brought that package aboard the next plane, as long as I did not have to go through security again. I’m wondering if similar conditions might exist in Hawaii or Alaskan airports, since they are also separate from the U.S. mainland?
I forgot to mention that I bought 2 bottles of very good Puerto Rican rum for about $11 each! Full liter bottles, not the 750 ml bottles that we usually see in our liquor stores.