Peter Greenberg: Taking Duty-Free Liquor on Planes

By: Peter Greenberg | Source: AARP.org | 2009-10-07

Q: Hi Peter. Recently, when traveling home from South America, my husband purchased a bottle of liquor at the duty-free shop and carried it aboard his flight. All was fine until he arrived in Miami and had to make a connecting flight to another city. He was not allowed to keep the sealed bottle in his carry-on luggage and was given the choice to either purchase another bag for $100, or to put the bottle in his checked luggage (where it probably would break). He didn't want to do either, so the bottle was confiscated. I guess someone in the Miami airport had a good time with a free bottle of alcohol. Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with this problem? I think it must be made very clear to persons purchasing liquids in the duty-free shops about this situation...that you should place liquor in a checked bag, unless your flight is to your final destination.
–Julie, Chicago

A: The rule of thumb is simple: Any time you are changing planes—whether for domestic or international flights—and are required to change terminals or undergo another security check, the liquids rule applies. And if you are going to buy duty-free liquor, cologne, anything in an aerosol can, or any other kind of liquid (moisturizing cream, makeup, or lotion, for example) at an airport, the shop should either sell you an additional bag that can be checked or give you some insulated packaging. Then when you retrieve your luggage at your first connecting point, pack everything in your suitcase, surrounded by your dirty clothes.