Duty Free in Singapore Transit.

[stroudie]

We are departing Sydney for Amsterdam, with transit in Singapore for 2.5 hours. Am I able to purchase duty free liquor in Sydney & carry through transit in Singapore or am I able to just buy it in Singapore (assuming I have time)
Thank you.

 

[SYD]

We are departing Sydney for Amsterdam, with transit in Singapore for 2.5 hours. Am I able to purchase duty free liquor in Sydney & carry through transit in Singapore or am I able to just buy it in Singapore (assuming I have time)
Thank you.

Pretty sure it’ll be confiscated in SIN as you try to do security screening at your onward gate. In fact, SYD DF may not even sell it to you.

Someone else here might have advice on the current booze prices in SIN. I’m curious also as I’m doing SYD-SIN return soon but can’t preorder to collect back in SYD on my return because I’m returning via PER (so I either buy it in SIN pre-departure or on arrival in Perth)…

 

[BCons]

You cant buy it in Syd - unless things hv drastically changed in Sin.. Some lucky cleaner in the SK lounge finished up a bottle of gin and cognac a few years ago when we were told our Syd-bought grog would not be allowed thru the departure gate security for our flt out of Sin... because it
was Not bought airside at Changi, Not in secure, tamper-proof bag etc.. Its usual for grog bought in Changi to be delivered to the gate after you clear security before boarding.

So if its something special then buy it in Aust and pack in yr check-in bags, otherwise buy in Changi...

 

[BCons]

Oh, and you shud be asked in Syd when buying DuFree where you are going and if you're transitting, in which case issue of confiscation shud not come up if Syd staff hv done thr job.

 

[DC3]

Oh, and you shud be asked in Syd when buying DuFree where you are going and if you're transitting, in which case issue of confiscation shud not come up if Syd staff hv done thr job.

I wud shud-der if they dunt.

 

[flyingfan]

You won't be able to get bottles of liquor from Sydney through Changi security, so any duty free purchases will have to be done there at Changi. Though when I went through SIN a few weeks ago, the range was reduced (at least for what I was looking for) - the stores there aren't back to normal yet.

 

[Berlin]

You won't be able to get bottles of liquor from Sydney through Changi security, so any duty free purchases will have to be done there at Changi. Though when I went through SIN a few weeks ago, the range was reduced (at least for what I was looking for) - the stores there aren't back to normal yet.

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

 

[SYD]

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

SYD‘s not bad for some things but SIN could be better value for some booze. My statistically invalid sample of one: 1L Bombay Sapphire A$48 (SYD) v S$38 (SIN).

iShopChangi Duty-Free Shopping - Things To Buy In Singapore

Don’t miss out on the variety of things to buy in Singapore at iShopChangi duty-free shopping. Discover the wide selection of products you can treat yourself to.

www.ishopchangi.com

 

[Quickstatus]

I thought duty free is a thing of the past. Is there still a price differential compared to high street?

 

[SYD]

I thought duty free is a thing of the past. Is there still a price differential compared to high street?

For spirits - absolutely!

My example above, BS 1L retails for A$85 and the cheapest you’ll see on sale is about $68 (v $48 DF in Oz).

Single malts, cognacs can also be very good value.

But never buy wine DF in Oz….

 

[Berlin]

For spirits - absolutely!

Totally agree, still a huge saving. It's also still a thing if you travel to certain destinations where alcohol is prohibitively expensive, Dubai comes to mind- even wine makes sense to bring there and the allowance is huge.

On that note, a slightly off topic word of warning from experience: While the UAE has generous alcohol allowances which I'd always recommend to utilise, Qatar does not allow any alcohol in. I ended up being interrogated by a VERY LITTLE Arab man in a tiny interrogation room for over an hour once because I had totally forgotten a bottle of super expensive Bordeaux in the bottom of one of my suitcase when moving countries. Ended up confiscating my bottle and I could get it back three days later after paying a (minor) penalty when departing but I want to spare anyone this experience. It was not nice.

 

[offshore171]

It's also still a thing if you travel to certain destinations where alcohol is prohibitively expensive,

Which Holland is not.

OP should just look at buying a bottle of grog in a supermarket in Amsterdam, rather than lugging it to the other side of the world.

 

[Mur@no70]

i'm transitting through Singapore on way to Dubai - am i better off buying alcohol in Sing or Dubai? thanks

 

[Tejas]

i'm transitting through Singapore on way to Dubai - am i better off buying alcohol in Sing or Dubai? thanks

I'm transiting though SIN next week on my way to LHR. Ive decied to buy my Bourbon on arrival back in Brisbane

 

[SYD]

i'm transitting through Singapore on way to Dubai - am i better off buying alcohol in Sing or Dubai? thanks

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.

 

[stroudie]

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.

The duty free is Singapore departure was undergoing reno's. when I departed there late July. Variety very limited & disappointing, no JD Number 7 bourbon. Transit duty free onto Europe also the same.

 

[Berlin]

The duty free is Singapore departure was undergoing reno's. when I departed there late July. Variety very limited & disappointing, no JD Number 7 bourbon. Transit duty free onto Europe also the same.

Yes- we had the same a few weeks back. Felt like all the “good deals” were sold out and hence even Sydney on arrival was better value.

Very disappointing as Singapore used to be one of the better ones (alongside Bangkok, from memory) so I am hoping it will go back to normal once the renovations are over.

Never been too excited by either DXB nor DOH- unless you’re after high end Gucci handbags or insanely priced old peoples’ watches, that is.

 

[SYD]

Yes- we had the same a few weeks back. Felt like all the “good deals” were sold out and hence even Sydney on arrival was better value.

Very disappointing as Singapore used to be one of the better ones (alongside Bangkok, from memory) so I am hoping it will go back to normal once the renovations are over.

Never been too excited by either DXB nor DOH- unless you’re after high end Gucci handbags or insanely priced old peoples’ watches, that is.

You can preorder online for Changi.

 

[AisleSeat]

I'm transiting Changi in a few weeks and am looking at these current prices on the iChangi site. Not looking that great TBH. Most of these prices seem way above what you can get them for in Dans. And then comparing them against what they cost retail in the UK, the UK comes out cheaper too.

 

[SYD]

I'm transiting Changi in a few weeks and am looking at these current prices on the iChangi site. Not looking that great TBH. Most of these prices seem way above what you can get them for in Dans. And then comparing them against what they cost retail in the UK, the UK comes out cheaper too.

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.