Air New Zealand Air Points - Duty Free reqts when transitting LAX/HKG

With the recent tightening of regulations
around the carriage of liquids, aerosols and
gels (LAGs) in cabin baggage, many
customers get particularly confused with duty
free items. In general, customers should be
encouraged to purchase duty free at their
destination. However, many still choose to
purchase at their point of departure – this
often leads to heartache when they are
confiscated at a transit point. The following
information may come in useful:


Transit LAX

- Customers transitting on NZ1/ NZ2 who go
be subject into the sterile transit facility will not
to further screening. They can therefore take
their dutyfree purchased after security in
AKL/LHR.

- Business Premier customers who choose to
clear security to access the International
Lounge will be subject to screening and any
non-compliant LAGs will be confiscated

- Any customers transitting to any other flight
(other than NZ1 to NZ1 or NZ2 to NZ2) are
subject to screening and any non compliant
LAGs will be confiscated.



Transit HKG

- All transit customers will be re-screened and
non compliant LAGs will be confiscated

- There are great duty free options whilst in
transit in HKG, but items should not be
purchased if they are transferring onto another
international flight in AKL/LHR

- For a limited time, Air New Zealand will
watch over any duty free liquids from the
inbound flight until the customers reboard the
aircraft to avoid any unsuspecting customers
having their duty free confiscated.

From today, the new LAGs requirements take
effect on all flights out of New Zealand and all
flights into and out of Australia. Any people
desiring additional information should be
directed to www.flysmart.govt.nz
or the brochures available at New Zealand airports.

Thanks very much nz_crew for the info :)

Just a few points for anyone flying NZ1 or 2:

NZ1: Auckland is one of the best places in the world for duty free booze - buy it on arrival in Auckland. The rules seem to say max is 2 bottles, but I never have a problem taking 3 through (although YMMV)

NZ 2: Options to buy on arrival are extremely limited in London and the prices are not good - buy your duty free in LA (you will have to pick it up at the entrance to the airbridge), the prices are quite good.

Thanks very much nz_crew for the info :)

Just a few points for anyone flying NZ1 or 2:

NZ1: Auckland is one of the best places in the world for duty free booze - buy it on arrival in Auckland. The rules seem to say max is 2 bottles, but I never have a problem taking 3 through (although YMMV)FYI for NZ the rules are a 1125ml bottle of spirits, 4.5 litres of Wine/Beer, 200 cigarettes/250gms tobacco/50 cigars, and NZ$700 of other goods purchased overseas. If you are not over all that you can then bring 2 additional bottles of spirits, but apparently you need to declare this at customs.

So sticking to the rules you can bring in 6 bottles of wine, 3 bottles of spirits and 200 cigarettes if you so desire.

FYI for NZ the rules are a 1125ml bottle of spirits, 4.5 litres of Wine/Beer, 200 cigarettes/250gms tobacco/50 cigars, and NZ$700 of other goods purchased overseas. If you are not over all that you can then bring 2 additional bottles of spirits, but apparently you need to declare this at customs.

So sticking to the rules you can bring in 6 bottles of wine, 3 bottles of spirits and 200 cigarettes if you so desire.
And Baileys is treated as equiv. to wine. :D

All of the above assumes LHR is final destination. If travelling further then you can't take any liquid duty free from AKL, LAX or HKG.

FYI for NZ the rules are a 1125ml bottle of spirits, 4.5 litres of Wine/Beer, 200 cigarettes/250gms tobacco/50 cigars, and NZ$700 of other goods purchased overseas. If you are not over all that you can then bring 2 additional bottles of spirits, but apparently you need to declare this at customs.

So sticking to the rules you can bring in 6 bottles of wine, 3 bottles of spirits and 200 cigarettes if you so desire.

Yes, that is right. I usually bring in three bottle of spirits, and I have never had a problem. But it is 4.5 litres of wine/beer or the spirits.

Yes, that is right. I usually bring in three bottle of spirits, and I have never had a problem. But it is 4.5 litres of wine/beer or the spirits.:confused: To the best of my knowledge it is both 4.5l of wine and 3 bottles of spirits?

:confused: To the best of my knowledge it is both 4.5l of wine and 3 bottles of spirits? It's *and* but it's only one bottle not three of spirits. The allowance is 4.5 litres of wine (or beer) and "*one bottle* containing not more than 1125ml of spirits, liqueur, or other spirituous beverages"

However travellers can bring in more spirits than the one bottle provided in the allowance. Just declare them and if the total amount of customs charges owed is under $50, then you won't be asked to pay:


If the total amount owing is less than $50 for any goods imported in excess of the allowances for alcohol and/or accompanied goods, no revenue collection will be made. This revenue waiver does not apply to tobacco products.

As long as not over the duty free limit on other components, this means you can take 3 bottles of spirits and 6 of wine (normal sizes for each).

As long as not over the duty free limit on other components, this means you can take 3 bottles of spirits and 6 of wine (normal sizes for each).


Really? I had always understood that three bottles of spirits meant that the wine allowance was excluded. :D

I had better start comparing some duty free Oz red prices with their counterparts in the Wellington supermarkets ^

Just a reminder that if you take the Air NZ international shuttle flight to CHC leaving the auckland international terminal NZ 303 that this is classed as a international flight still .. So if you buy duty free outside of NZ and carry it onto the plane this will be confiscated before you are allowed to board this flight .. This is because you have to go through security again in AKL .. As crew on this flight i have seen a few people been removed from their duty free !!! If you clear customs in AKL you will however be fine as the next flight will be a domestic one and liquids will be allowed on board ..

Just a reminder that if you take the Air NZ international shuttle flight to CHC leaving the auckland international terminal NZ 303 that this is classed as a international flight still .. So if you buy duty free outside of NZ and carry it onto the plane this will be confiscated before you are allowed to board this flight .. This is because you have to go through security again in AKL .. As crew on this flight i have seen a few people been removed from their duty free !!! If you clear customs in AKL you will however be fine as the next flight will be a domestic one and liquids will be allowed on board ..

Yup - security rule is based on the terminal not the flight #.

The duty free shop in AKL departures (after security) refused to sell me alchohol as i was travelling via LAX even though i was travelling onto LHR on NZ2. No matter what I said they refused to serve me

Really? I had always understood that three bottles of spirits meant that the wine allowance was excluded. :D

I had better start comparing some duty free Oz red prices with their counterparts in the Wellington supermarkets ^

You've been missing out! You haven't lived until you've lugged 12 bottles of wine and 6 of spirits (between 2 pax naturally) from AKL international to domestic in Xmas eve crowds, then onto a BEH 19-seater to BHE... amazingly, I've never been questioned about my vastly excessive carry-on for those tiny domestic planes, it seems to be yet another illustration of how duty free is magically exempt from all the normal rules :)

Don't forget that www.dutyfreestores.co.nz give you 20% off the duty free price if you join their frequent buyer club and pre-order. By far the best DF deal in this neck of the woods, IMHO - their selection isn't great but it's servicable...