How does duty free shopping work?
 

I've always just walked past the duty free shopping stores because we usually don't have time to shop, and they don't seem to offer great bargains.

However, I am enamored of Calvados. We were returning from England to the US, and had some time, and I noticed that they had Calvados in the duty free store. Our flight was from Heathrow to Chicago to Cleveland. Since we were inside security, I saw no problem carrying the Calvados onto the Heathrow/ Ohare flight, but I knew we would have to pass through security again in Ohare, and I would have a banned liquid in my possession, unless I stashed it in my checked luggage as we passed through customs.

Is that an accepted procedure for dealing with such purchases? Or is there an alternative.

Once you exited customs and went back through security for your connecting flight to Cleveland, you did the only thing you could have done: Put the bottle in your checked bag. It would have exceeded the 3 oz./100 ml. limit you're allowed to take through airport security. There was no other way to handle it.

Yep, perfectly acceptable, and often the only option.

However, some airlines have restrictions regarding the percentage of alcohol/proof you can put into checked luggage, as well as how much/how it's packed:

http://www.alcademics.com/2012/03/pa...gulations.html

I just flew from Changi (Singapore) to Australia where they have a great system. You show your boarding pass, make your liquid purchase, and go to your gate, where it will be waiting for you in a sealed bag to carry on to the plane.

Doesn't work if you have a connecting flight where you have to clear security again though, in which case you'd have to do just as you did.

For me having some shopping in duty free is really convenient for me...

I agree about prices. Shop around and you can get better deals on some things. For me, an Australian, make up is usually cheaper duty free at the other end though.

I have the same taste for Calvados. It's getting easier to find websites for duty-free stores so you can research the chance of buying your bottle at the midway point and carrying it into the cabin of the second flight. Calvados in Chicago? It's worth checking although I guess the odds are fairly long.
Some newer airports sell duty-free upon arrival, very convenient. Landing in the United Arab Emirates recently I saw bigger shops than at my connecting airport in Amsterdam. Too late, I discovered I could have found their products on the Web.

You did what you could do. You have to put any liquids in your checked luggage before rechecking. If you plan to shop at duty-free and need to connect in the US on the way home, it might be worth looking into getting some of those bubble-wrap bottle holders.

As for any deals... I think the prices can be competitive and the selection is usually quite good. Bear in mind that most duty-free bottles are 1L, rather than the typical 750ml retail size (700ml in Europe), which can make comparison shopping a bit deceiving.

<i>Calvados in Chicago? It's worth checking although I guess the odds are fairly long. </i>

Nah. Calvados is readily available at any better liquor store in most major cities. This place has a long list:

http://www.binnys.com/spirits/Calvados#/?page=1&psize=3

Alas, I live in Ohio, and the state still regulates liquor sales; they only allow sale of one brand (one who's distributor makes the right political contributions), which is not one of the better ones.

Sorry, TravelGourment, no insult meant towards the wonders of Chicago, which I agree is certainly a toddlin' town. I should have specified I meant at Chicago duty-free.