Airline Duty-Free: When It’s a Deal — and When You’re Just Buying Hype. Duty-free shopping sounds like a travel perk — no tax, great brands, limited-time offers. But here’s the reality: duty-free on the plane isn’t the same as duty-free at the airport. Not in selection, not in price, and definitely not in value.
You’re there. Standing in the bright, gleaming expanse of the duty-free shop, a wall of liquid gold stands before you. Bottles of all shapes, sizes, and shades of amber, from pale straw to deep mahogany. It’s a paradise for a whisky lover, but for the undecided, it can be overwhelming.
Buying duty-free products on an airplane is more than just a shopping spree at 35,000 feet — for many travelers, it’s part of the in-flight entertainment.