Duty Free in Singapore Transit.

[AisleSeat]

What are you looking for? Wines - forget buying DF.

I bought spirits in SIN three weeks ago and saved about $50 odd bucks over SYD/PER DF prices.

Looking at gin, bourbon and whisky. What I usually buy here is more expensive in SIN duty free

 

[SYD]

Looking at gin, bourbon and whisky. What I usually buy here is more expensive in SIN duty free

Are you looking at the “traveller” price? They weirdly/confusingly have non-traveller (ie not DF) pricing also.

 

[jb747]

What about the prices? I would have thought Changi to be cheaper than SYD anyway but who knows post Covid… Does anyone know?

Singapore would have to be one of the most expensive places to buy alcohol. Don't bother.

 

[AisleSeat]

Are you looking at the “traveller” price? They weirdly/confusingly have non-traveller (ie not DF) pricing also.

I didn't even see that was an option (non-traveller was the default selection). That's much better. Thanks!

 

[Mur@no70]

Singapore would have to be one of the most expensive places to buy alcohol. Don't bother.

Is it worse for Duty Free that DXB?

 

[SYD]

Singapore would have to be one of the most expensive places to buy alcohol. Don't bother.

Certainly outside the airport!

As per my previous posts, I was pleasantly surprised about the DF prices in SIN for what I was looking for and bringing them back to Oz v using arrivals DF.

From what I saw online, SIN ought to be cheaper than DXB arrival DF.

 

[SOPOOR]

SIN was significantly cheaper than Oz a couple of weeks ago.

Not sure about DXB at the moment but you might want to Google it. I’ve never thought DXB, AUH or DOH were particularly good value but happy to be told otherwise.

in my limited experience including singapore,

Wines are not cheaper, theyre the same or higher than here (both cheap and premium)

Spirits- for your $40 Aus spirits, eg jackdaniels, bacardi, absolute vodka, theyre like $30 for 1L or 2 for $55ish which makes them very good value
but for the premium ones,$150-$200+ eg Johnny walker blue, theyre virtually the same as dan murphys or BWS/First choice is cheaper when on sale

 

[SYD]

in my limited experience including singapore,

Wines are not cheaper, theyre the same or higher than here (both cheap and premium)

Spirits- for your $40 Aus spirits, eg jackdaniels, bacardi, absolute vodka, theyre like $30 for 1L or 2 for $55ish which makes them very good value
but for the premium ones,$150-$200+ eg Johnny walker blue, theyre virtually the same as dan murphys or BWS/First choice is cheaper when on sale

Totally agree on wine - a compete ripoff at DF and I never understood why. If they're removing the WET component of the price then they ought to be much cheaper.

I often buy single malts and cognacs. The Whiskies are definately cheaper DF than the best retail sale prices. Cognacs have got very expensisive - even DF - I suspect there's a demographic that just wants to hoover the stuff up. It's on my to do list to work out which cognacs are good value for me next OS trip in a few weeks.

 

[ethernet]

I was in Portland and 1.75lit of 101 bourbon was like usd 28. Retail. forget DF, especially since Heinemann dropped its sub $20 lines. stick it into an unbreakable PET softdrink container and in regular checked luggage. PS the beer in Portland is full strength and superb - and organic.

The other con is duty free tim-tams. 4 for aud$20. They are $2 on so called 1/2 price very frequently. $8 or $20 DF.

 

[SOPOOR]

Totally agree on wine - a compete ripoff at DF and I never understood why. If they're removing the WET component of the price then they ought to be much cheaper.

I often buy single malts and cognacs. The Whiskies are definately cheaper DF than the best retail sale prices. Cognacs have got very expensisive - even DF - I suspect there's a demographic that just wants to hoover the stuff up. It's on my to do list to work out which cognacs are good value for me next OS trip in a few weeks.

i noticed that the Louis Xiii cognac was the same price at most airports as dan murphys

 

[offshore171]

Spirits- for your $40 Aus spirits, eg jackdaniels, bacardi, absolute vodka, theyre like $30 for 1L or 2 for $55ish which makes them very good value

These are basically the spirit version of McDonalds. Available, and identical everywhere. I don't see the value of lugging a bottle of cheap generic grog, to "save" maybe $20ish? High hassle factor for low reward.

but for the premium ones,$150-$200+ eg Johnny walker blue, theyre virtually the same as dan murphys or BWS/First choice is cheaper when on sale

Yes pretty much this. The only grog I would buy overseas these days is something unusual and unique to the country I visited, and not available at home.

 

[marks]

Totally agree on wine - a compete ripoff at DF and I never understood why. If they're removing the WET component of the price then they ought to be much cheaper.

I often buy single malts and cognacs. The Whiskies are definately cheaper DF than the best retail sale prices. Cognacs have got very expensisive - even DF - I suspect there's a demographic that just wants to hoover the stuff up. It's on my to do list to work out which cognacs are good value for me next OS trip in a few weeks.

DF in Oz is a rip off because there is one only vendor per major airport. No competition. The airports get them to pay a higher rent on the promise of a captative market.
And believe me you are paying a non-WET price but the margin makes it look more expensive than retail.
I'm a four pillars gin fan and I can get it ~15% cheaper in SIN & ~30% cheaper in NZ DF. There is an international freight cost and still cheaper. #rantover

 

[BCons]

Totally agree on wine - a compete ripoff at DF and I never understood why. If they're removing the WET component of the price then they ought to be much cheaper.

I often buy single malts and cognacs. The Whiskies are definately cheaper DF than the best retail sale prices. Cognacs have got very expensisive - even DF - I suspect there's a demographic that just wants to hoover the stuff up. It's on my to do list to work out which cognacs are good value for me next OS trip in a few weeks.

I read years ago that Taiwan (alone) cud take the entire annual French output of XO cognac if allowed.. used to get Martell cordon bleu in HK at a not too stupid price but now its xx_y everywhere.

And Sin making it more difficult to bring even DF-sealed goods thru transit to EU countries. This is on SQ website :

Restrictions on carriage of duty-free alcohol, liquids, aerosols, and gels from Singapore to European Union destinations​

Effective 14 November 2022, passengers transiting to European Union (EU) destinations via Singapore will not be allowed to carry duty-free liquids, aerosols, and gels (LAGs) purchased from previous sectors. This is to comply with the European Union security requirements.

Only duty-free alcohol, liquids, aerosols, and gels purchased on board flights from Singapore to EU destinations, or at duty-free shops in Changi Airport’s transit area with security tamper-evident bag and proof of purchase, will be allowed to be brought into these destinations.

 

[justinbrett]

I rarely buy duty free these days. It's cheaper to buy retail and pack in checked luggage.

Only exception is if there's DF exclusives.

 

[daft009]

On a recent (early Sept) flight from FRA to SYD with transit at SIN...

The lady at duty free in FRA suggested I buy alcohol and I said no as it wouldn't be allowed as I was going to transit in SIN.

She was adamant, I would have no issues and she'd been working in DF shops for 30yrs and never heard such a thing..

Hmm but I knew she was wrong. Was it around 9/11 things changed?

 

[deka2]

For those going to Singapore Ishopchangi has the following promotion until 31/12/2022

30% off your first order with XMASNEW


New users exclusive: Get 30% off no min. spend. Discount is capped at S$50 (T and C s apply). Only for first time shoppers on iShopChangi.com. T&Cs apply

You have to order online and when you arrive at the airport do to the Ishopchangi stand which in Terminal 3 is behind Louis Vuitton. They give you your invoice and a docket to present at the gate to pickup your purchases.

We bought some Gin and Whisky and worked well.

 

[Forg]

So just to clarify … the idea is that it’s safe to take these containers of liquid onboard because they are not given to the passenger until after the passenger’s passed gate security? Makes sense to me, a lot better than the duty-free deal at Hong Kong where you buy it in the airside shopping centre & security takes it off you at the gate & you never see it again!

 

[SYD]

So just to clarify … the idea is that it’s safe to take these containers of liquid onboard because they are not given to the passenger until after the passenger’s passed gate security? Makes sense to me, a lot better than the duty-free deal at Hong Kong where you buy it in the airside shopping centre & security takes it off you at the gate & you never see it again!

Yep, SIN delivers sealed bag to gate for collection after secondary security screening. You just need to make sure you’re not transiting again with LAG restrictions!

 

[BCons]

Yep, SIN delivers sealed bag to gate for collection after secondary security screening. You just need to make sure you’re not transiting again with LAG restrictions!

Interesting re LAG restrictions - neither at Dubai nor Sin screening were we asked to take our plastic bags of LAGS out of our carry-ons. But we were in Syd on the way out last week. Rentacop at security closely examined the various tubes, containers in my bag and confiscated a near-empty toothpaste tube because its capacity was 110 cc.

Was going to ask if she was familiar with the adage about the difficulty of getting t/paste back in the tube, but thought better of it..