December is a time of crowded airports and increased air traffic, it’s when airport shops make their biggest sales. It is also the perfect time to profit from what they have on offer, there’s never been a better time to shop airport.
Whether it’s something for that special person, something for the kids, or a gift for your friends we will show you that airport shopping is much more than just perfume and alcohol.
We’ve made it easy for you – here’s our TOP TEN of airports buys and where you can get them:
1. Toiletries for him
2. Toiletries for her
3. Alcohol
4. Sweets
5. Toys
6. Gifts for him
7. Gifts for her
8. Local food
9. Local drinks
10. Special gifts
For him and for her toiletries
Toiletries may sound drab, but perfumes and cosmetics are big business. Duty free and travel retail sales are worth €80 billion a year worldwide with fragrances and cosmetics accounting for 20% of sales.
We’ve scoured Europe’s airports and found some current best buys for his and her toiletries. There are big savings to be had, with reductions of up to 67% at Schiphol and 70% at Zurich Airport, now that’s value you don’t see every day!
Toiletries may sound drab, but perfumes and cosmetics are big business. Duty free and travel retail sales are worth €80 billion a year worldwide with fragrances and cosmetics accounting for 20% of sales.
We’ve scoured Europe’s airports and found some current best buys for his and her toiletries. There are big savings to be had, with reductions of up to 67% at Schiphol and 70% at Zurich Airport, now that’s value you don’t see every day!
| Who | Item | Cost | Reduction | Airport |
| Her | Alexander McQueen – McQueen 75ml | €43.60 | 70% | Zurich Airport |
| Him | Boss Bottled United – Eau de Toilette 100 ml | €29.90 | 40% | Frankfurt International |
| Him | Dolce & Gabbana – K By Dolce & Gabbana 100ml | €38.00 | 50% | Madrid Barajas |
| Her | Elizabeth Arden – Green Tea Scent Spray 100ml | €27.20 | 52% | Zurich Airport |
| Him | Hugo Boss – Hugo Just Different 75ml | €29.90 | 54% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Her | Kappe Versace – Women 100ml | €29.90 | 67% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Her | Lancôme – Idôle By Lancôme 75ml | €40.50 | 50% | Madrid Barajas |
| Him & her | Lancôme Renergie – Anti-Wrinkles & Firmness 50 ml | €51.90 | 28% | Frankfurt International |
| Him & her | L’Oréal Paris – Revitalift Anti-Ageing Peel Pads 100ml | €14.08 | 50% | Zurich Airport |
Alcohol
At airports we often like to buy a little something as a last reminder of our holiday, a taste to bring home. Some people avail of the offers to buy a more expensive whisky or brandy that they normally would not buy, and some just want to pick up some easy presents for friends or family.
While some airports like Heathrow in London boast an extensive array of local whiskies it can often be much cheaper to buy the same said alcohols in Southern and Eastern European countries. We’ve found some amazing deals on well know brand names, as well as names you may not have heard of, all at pocket friendly prices, and some great local foods as a snack while you pamper your palate.
| Origin | Item | Cost | Reduction | Airport |
| Local | 3 pack Old Amsterdam cheese | €22.50 | 25% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Local | Cardenal Mendoza Gran Reserva 40% 50cl | €11.10 | 50% | Madrid Barajas |
| Global | Chivas XV 40% 1L | €45.50 | 30% | Marseille Provence |
| Local | Danzka Vodka Cranberry 40% 1L | €15.87 | 20% | Copenhagen |
| Local | Dutch Gouda cheese 3 pack | €29.95 | 17% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Local | Dutch spiced cookies in Delft Blue tin 400g x 2 | €10.00 | 37% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Global | Johnnie Walker Black Label 40% 1L | €30.30 | 30% | Marseille Provence |
| Global | Johnnie Walker Black Triple Cask Edition 40% 1L | €20.00 | 50% | Madrid Barajas |
| Global | Johnnie Walker Whisky Double Black 40% 1L | €37.00 | 25% | Nice Côte d’Azur |
| Global | Jura Whisky The Road 43.6 % 1L | €48.90 | 30% | Frankfurt Airport |
| Local | O.P. Anderson Aquavit Organic 40% 1L | €15.87 | 20% | Copenhagen |
| Local | Old Krupnik Honey Liquor 38% 50cl | €6.68 | – | Warsaw Chopin |
| Local | Osborne – 1866 Brandy 40% 70cl | €25.55 | 50% | Madrid Barajas |
| Local | Sliwowica Podbeskidzka Liquor 72% 70cl | €15.43 | – | Warsaw Chopin |
| Local | Soplica Blackcurrant Vodka Liquor 32% 50cl | €5.91 | – | Warsaw Chopin |
| Global | The Glenlivet Distillers Reserve 40% 1L | €33.50 | 30% | Lyon Saint Exupéry |
| Local | Zubrowka Biala Vodka 40% 1L | €8.74 | – | Warsaw Chopin |
GIVT does not promote the use of alcohol. Please drink sensibly.
Child’s play
No trip abroad would be complete without bringing something home for the kids. Sweets and toys are a firm favourite and who could imagine a trip to Switzerland without coming back with chocolate! For health conscious parents we’ve also included some great deals on useful and fun gifts too.
| Type | Item | Cost | Reduction | Airport |
| Clothes | Ireland Emerald Green Zip Baby Hoodie | €20.00 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Clothes | Ireland Green Rugby Baby T-Shirt | €16.00 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Sweets | Cadbury Chunks Bag 200g | €3.95 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Sweets | Guinness Fudge Bag 120g | €3.00 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Sweets | Lindt Lindor Tube Assorted 400g | €15.58 | 30% | Zurich Airport |
| Sweets | Lindt Lindor Tube Milk 400g | €15.58 | 30% | Zurich Airport |
| Sweets | Milka Mix Bag 340g | €8.58 | 30% | Zurich Airport |
| Sweets | Ritter Sport Variety Tower 1000g | €14.90 | 30% | Frankfurt Airport |
| Sweets | Toblerone Crunchy Almonds Mix 272g | €14.55 | 33% | Zurich Airport |
| Sweets | Toblerone Milk Chocolate Gold Bar 360g x2 | €13.36 | 30% | Zurich Airport |
| Toys | Baby Cream 10 Inch Daisy Sheep | €11.00 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Toys | Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 Inch 32GB | €189.00 | 14% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Toys | Typical Dutch soft clog slippers | €14.95 | 12% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
Something extra for that special person
Sometimes that special gift can only be found in special places. Who could imagine a trip to Ireland without bringing back something Guinness? Or when visiting Amsterdam, the diamond capital of the world, wouldn’t you just love to come back with some glitter of your own? We’ve found some special gifts for him and her ranging from clothes to jewellery and sunglasses to suitcases, all at extra special prices.
| Who | Item | Cost | Reduction | Airport |
| Her | Forest Green Celtic Design Wool Scarf | €45.00 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Her | Guinness Black Ladies T-Shirt Butterfly Design x2 | €30.00 | 17% | Dublin Airport |
| Her | Gassan Diamond earrings 18K white gold | €925.00 | 46% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Him | Black Guinness Polo Shirt with Harp Crest | €29.95 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Him | Cream Aran Knitted Pom-Pom Hat | €18.00 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Him | Guinness Black Baseball Capwith Gold Logo | €13.00 | – | Dublin Airport |
| Him | Gassan Moonphasewatch 18K rose gold plated | €795.00 | 34% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Him & Her | Kappe Ray-Ban model Justin | €99.50 | 25% | Schiphol Amsterdam |
| Him & Her | Samsonite Cabin trolley | €99.00 | 24% | Schiphol Amsterdam& |
Special gifts for people who think different
We found some gifts that were so special, or strange, that we had to include them in our list. Travellers going to Madrid can buy a Cinco Jotas (5 J’s) whole shoulder of Iberico ham, it has to be seen to be believed!
Or visitors to Rome can round off the tour of the past with a taste of the future, Kavalan Original Taiwanese Whisky! Whisky is not something we usually associate with Asia, but this little whisky has been earning accolades all around the world.
Warsaw Chopin’s range of well-priced high-end whiskies and cognacs is second to none, so whether you have a penchant for Japanese whisky, or have a spare €3,000 jingling around in your pocket they have something for you. For only €2,857 you can pick up a bottle of Rémy Martin Louis XIII, a cognac called the taste of 100 years, so special it even has its own Wikipedia page!
And finally, not for the faint-hearted, you can try the true taste of Scandinavia at Copenhagen airport, salty salmiak liquorice, you’ll either love it or hate it!
| Name and size | Cost | Reduction | Airport |
| Cinco Jotas– Acorn Fed Iberico Shoulder Ham 4.5-5kg | €175.00 | 50% | Madrid Barajas |
| KavalanOriginal Travel Retail Exclusive 43% 50cl | €49.00 | – | Rome Fumicino |
| NikkaCoffey Grain 45% 70cl | €64.27 | – | Warsaw Chopin |
| Panda Soft & FreshLiquorice SaltySalmiak500g | €6.13 | 22% | Copenhagen |
| Rémy MartinLouis XIII 40% 70cl | €2,857 | – | Warsaw Chopin |
| Suntory ChitaJapanese Whisky 43% 70cl | €58.10 | – | Warsaw Chopin |
Purchasing a gift is half the battle. What should you pay attention to for safe transportation of the gifts to your destination in accordance with the regulations? The rules clearly specify what you can bring on board an aircraft, but they may vary slightly depending on the airline.
“Breach of luggage rules causes not only trouble at the airport and the loss of valuable gifts for loved ones, but also possible flight delays” says Piotr Rybicki, Operations Manager at GIVT, company responsible for compensation for delayed or cancelled flights and cases of refusal to board the aircraft.
The most important rules apply to unchecked baggage (hand luggage) and include:
- Cosmetics capacity – if you want to buy perfumes or liquid cosmetics at the airport, make sure that their capacity is less than 100 ml.
- Alcohol – it’s allowed to carry only liquors purchased at the airport, packed in sealed bags and remember to keep the receipt.
- Sharp objects – even the most functional pocketknife or designer envelope knife will not pass the check before entering the plane. It is better to buy such gifts at the destination or send them by post.
- Packaging and proof of purchase – keep the original packaging and receipt until you leave the aircraft.
- Articles made of leather and shells – when purchasing them, make sure they are not made from endangered or protected species such as coral reef or reptile skin.
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About GIVT
We get compensation from airlines for delayed or cancelled flights and in the event of declined boarding. We operate quickly, efficiently, according to the rules. To make it easier for passengers to get compensation, we focus on technological facilities, we invest in task automation systems, Machine Learning and advanced Big Data. GIVT employs experienced experts from the aviation, financial, modern technologies, consulting, digital marketing and legal services industries.