A New Way to Think about Duty Free

Large airports around the world share many similar qualities. True, the food court options vary considerably, depending on where in the world you might be.  You may be part of the majority or part of the minority depending on where you are.  The tourist-oriented shops are suggestive of the culture that lies just outside the airport walls.  But in general, once you have experienced one airport, there is little left to discover new in another airport. 

One of the things that large airports all share in common are the duty free shops.  Airports provide this sense of a no-man’s land where heavily taxed items can be purchased tax free.  Duty free shops are filled with the same array of alcohol, cigarettes, perfume, expensive chocolates and small electronic gadgets.  Duty free shops are tailored to the needs of the traveler, since everything can be easily carried with you as you continue your journey.  Whether you are a browser or a buyer, duty free shops are a helpful outlet in helping to pass the long, boring hours of waiting for your departure.

However, the duty free shopping available at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel takes duty free shopping to a whole new level.  These shops are not designed for the mobile traveler.  Instead, these shops are designed for the Israeli traveler wishing to buy household items tax-free.  Alongside the standard duty free wares which can all be purchased in bulk, one can buy a food processer, a KitchenAid mixer, a vacuum cleaner, a microwave, or even a large screen plasma television…to name just a few examples.          It’s an ingenious system that openly “beats the system”.  When leaving on your trip, you stop by the duty free shop and make our tax-free purchases. Upon your return to Israel (whether that be just a few days or many weeks) you pick up your new purchases at the duty free desk in the baggage claim area.  There is even a home delivery service option, if you buy a very large item that you cannot easily transport back to your house.  

It’s a very common sight to see Israeli travelers leaving the baggage claim area loaded down with as much duty free purchases as luggage.  A case  of wine, a microwave oven, a blender, a vacuum cleaner, bags overflowing with cigarette boxes…all precariously balanced on top of their suitcases.  Custom officials typically just look the other way.  Although occasionally you do read in the news of a customs crackdown on people buying more than the acceptable amount of such products at one time.    

Yes, I openly admit that we have also gone household shopping in the duty free shops at Ben Gurion!  It does provide an incredible savings for large ticket items, since these items are heavily taxed in Israel.  As a result, that KitchenAid mixer was almost the price it would have been in America!