Most of airport duty free is a rip off – there are only two real bargains to be had
THERE’S no bigger myth in travel than duty free being a great place to find a bargain.
I always chuckle on way through the airport seeing people loading up their baskets with perfumes, chocolates and souvenirs, thinking they’re making a big saving.
The truth is that you’re very unlikely to find yourself a deal there that’s any better than you’ll find online or even on the high street.
Yet people continue to pay the prices in there, just assuming that they’re going to be cheap.
In my latest blog for Sun Online Travel, I’ll reveal which items you should never buy at airports and how you can find the best bargains before your flights.
The worst offender for this is chocolate – no matter which airport you’re in, you’ll be ripped off for it.
And the worst thing is, it’s not even good chocolate – it’s run of the mill, ordinary stuff that you can find in shops everywhere.
It’s also often in novelty-sized bars, or massive tubs that are both far too big and cost an absolute fortune.
It’s such a false economy and I don’t understand why no one’s figured that out yet.
Perfume is generally the same, as are souvenirs, but people still get swept up in the idea that they’re getting a great price, simply because of a myth that has been wrongly perpetuated for years.
I think the problem is that flying is actually still pretty rare, with most people going away maybe only once or twice a year.
So when they turn up at the airport, the excitement of the holiday gets the better of them and they don’t even think to check.
It’s super easy to compare prices nowadays – we all have phones and can just look it up online.
Yet no one thinks to do that because they get to the duty free, have time to kill before their flight and decide they need to have a quick spree.
That’s not to say there aren’t bargains to be found, mind you.
But you need to first know where to look and then take your time before committing to a purchase.
Despite usually being around the same price as they are online and in shops, fragrances and perfumes are generally your best bets for a good deal.
However, not the stuff that’s in the centre of the duty free shop, nor the stuff that the glamorous shop assistant is offering you samples of.
You need to look at the shelves until you find the discounts or clearance sections. They don’t always exist, but a lot of airports have them, often hidden on a small shelf that’s not immediately noticeable.
That’s where your bargains can be found.
However, I would still recommend using Google Lens or something to compare the prices elsewhere, just to make sure that you’re not overpaying.
From my experience, walking through airports several times a week over the last ten years, that’s the best bet for a bargain.
The only other item I would say is worth buying at the airport is local booze, if you want to bring something back as a gift or souvenir.
The best places for that in my opinion are South Africa and South America, where you can get their local drinks for great prices at the airport – meaning you don’t have to buy it then carry it for the rest of your holiday.
However, in other places like Dubai or Singapore, you could end up digging into your overdraft if you’re not careful because the prices in those airports are pretty eye-watering.
I’ve seen people load up on booze at airports like that, then walk straight past the same bottles at the duty-free arrivals section in the UK, where even there, it’s much cheaper.
They’re then probably going to pass plenty of shops on their way home where it’s likely going to cost even less.
I think some people do it just for the novelty of shopping in an airport, when really they don’t need those items at all.
So I would always stop and think about whether you really want what you’re about to buy, check prices online and consider whether you’re better waiting until you get back.
If the price is still better after all that consideration, then by all means cash in and get the bargain,
But if not, then save your money and use it on doing something amazing while you’re on holiday instead.
Meanwhile, you’re flagged as trouble if you do any of these four things on a flight.
And this really rude passenger behaviour puts flight attendants in danger.