The Best Duty-Free Airports for Food & Drink
Duty-free shops are a trip indulgence enjoyed by many travelers throughout the world. These airport shops sell products that are exempt from certain local or national taxes and duties, which in turn gives consumers a deal on popular (and typically luxury) products. As most travelers know, some of the most popular duty-free items include tobacco, perfumes, and high-end fashion brand clothing, but they also typically include food and beverages.
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We compiled a list of some of the world's best duty-free shops in airports around the world. These airports offer a wide variety of souvenir and luxury goods, and many take up a significant amount of retail space in the airport terminals. Many bring in a significant amount of revenue, like Dubai International Airport, the leading duty-free retailer, which made nearly $408 million in profits in 2012.
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Some airports, like Schiphol in Amsterdam, have local goods available, like tulips and artisan foods like Dutch chocolate. Charles de Gaulle in Paris is known for its variety of artisan jams and fine wines. Other airports sell a wide variety of alcohol, like at the World of Whiskies in London's Heathrow. Considering each airport's offerings, we ranked the following list of airports based on the amount and variety of food and drink retail for sale.
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Rome Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport
This airport is home to one of the only airport Ferrari boutiques, selling leather jackets, T-shirts, and other products stamped with the famous logo. The area also has shops selling the fine food and wine Italy is famous for. The chocolate shop Venchi guarantees freshness and quality, and sells a variety of chocolate delicacies and gelato.
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Montreal-Trudeau Airport
The duty-free shops at this Canadian airport sell maple syrup in a variety of quantities and ways. Canada is known for their syrup, and finding the real stuff in the U.S. can be difficult and pricey. The airport sells the product in its natural form, as well as in the form of candles, soaps, and other sweets like chocolate.
London Heathrow Airport
Heathrow is one of the most famous airports in the world, and for good reason. Not only is the airport one of the busiest in the world, but it is also home to 48,000 square meters of retail space over five terminals. Items and prices range from cheap souvenir mugs to luxurious designer gear. The airport is home to World of Whiskies, which sells more than 350 malts, many of which are rare, and has two locations in the airport.
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Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Charles de Gaulle is one of the world's leading duty-free airports, offering classic duty-free items like cosmetics, fragrances, jewelry, chocolate, and liquor and tobacco. The airport sells specialty foods, such as rare preserves like watermelon-geranium, jasmine, violet, and orange blossom jams alongside high-end wines (many French, unsurprisingly) and spirits.
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport has been the world's leading duty-free retailer for a couple of years (based on total sales). Opening in 1983, the airport is home to the Sheikh Rashid Terminal (also known as the Concourse), which houses the majority of the shops. The strip is open 24 hours a day and is a massive 5,400 square feet of retail. The airport sells a variety of artisan chocolates, including popular brands like Toblerone. But it is not the brands sold that are impressive, but instead the sheer amount available at this massive duty-free retailer. In 2012, the airport profited nearly $408 million from duty-free sales.
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-Meredith Whitman, The Daily Meal