How to find the best Duty Free Prices – check before you fly

How you can find the best Duty Free prices online, before you fly.  Here are some handy tips.

When you know the stopovers for your journey, find all the Duty Free pre-order stores on your route plan. Today, this is easily done online. Then just go through the order process to find what you are looking for.

Stating the obvious? Yes, because proper price comparison can only be done by you. Many of those sites out there get it wrong, especially for liquors. Tobacco prices are even harder to find and we have seen sites comparing the wrong prices – like the cheaper duty-free with the higher priced duty-paid** goods.

Duty Free iPhone
Is it a good deal?

– Search “duty free pre-order” – “Duty Free click and collect” or “Duty Free reserve and collect” and add the name of your destination, airport or airline at the end.

– Or use the Duty Free on arrival online shopping guide * to find stores at your destination.

– If you think your own Country is expensive, check at your airport Duty Free arrivals store before you leave home. Airports usually base their prices on the local Downtown stores. If these are expensive, the airport will be too!

– Airline in-flight stores for on board shopping is often cheaper than buying in the airport.

– If you are travelling overland, Duty Free shops at the Border can have the most competitive prices, more so than airports or airlines.

– Special Duty Free Territories are the locations with extra Tax advantages: Places like Gibraltar, Ceuta and Melilla, Hainan Island, Samnaun, Panama, Andorra, Helgoland, The Aland Islands, San Andrés, Tioman Islands and Johor Bahru near Singapore.

– Dubai Duty Free is one of the best places in the world to buy Duty Free cigarettes or liquors.

– Now the Pound is lower than before, Great Britain is one of the cheapest places in the world to buy electronics, like cameras, phones or laptops. Thailand is similar with a massive electronics Mall called MBK, specialising in phones or the laptop Mall Pantip Plaza. Shop downtown, rather than in the airport and recover the sales tax when you leave.

USA Tax Free
Louisiana Tax Free

– The United States is one of the most competitive places to buy Fragrances and Cosmetics. Prices are very cheap compared to other countries and the range is enormous. Shopping in Downtown stores is as good as in the airport.

– Be cautious of stores claiming to be “Duty Free” that are not attached to an airport or airline. 

Duty Free complaints
Caution! 

– Most Border shops sell goods at duty free prices, but some may not actually be be accredited stores. The same applies to some online stores who use the phrase “duty free” just to attract customers.

– For Fashion, clothing and leather goods check out the village style Outlet Malls downtown or near big cities, especially in Europe or the USA. Here, you will find major brand names at the best prices. Plus, you can often get the local tax back when you depart the airport.

Overall, there is no substitute for doing your own research and checking all the online stores for your route to find the best duty free prices.

Enjoy your shopping!

*We are updating our store links all the time, apologies if some don't work or are missing. The Duty Free retailers have only just started to move online with pre-order sites, so we are doing our best to update. **There are now many restrictions on the sale and publicity of duty free cigarettes, tobaccos or cigars. Some bona fide Duty Free stores still display and sell tobaccos for pre-order, but it is getting more difficult to find them. If you want up to date prices for a location, post a question on a travel forum.
Internacional: Para buscar tiendas libres de impuestos, catálogos y precios, ingresa tu ciudad o país de destino y haga clic "Go". Cuando encuentre la información de su destino haga clic en el icono rojo de Aduanas para la búsqueda restricciones aduaneros. Para encontrar lojas duty free e os preços, inserir destino, click e Go! A cota de isenção alfandegária refere-se ao seu país de chegada e não ao país de partida. Os regulamentos alfandegários podem ser encontrados clicando no botão aduaneiro para a esquerda ou procurando seu país de destino.