TechTrainer

I recall one time buying a bottle on an international flight into YVR but when I went to my connection (YVR-YYJ) I was told I wasn't allowed to bring the bottle with me. That was some years ago; has this policy changed at all?

Adam Smith

If you have to go through security, between flights, definitely not, since it's over 100 mL.

yultraveler

Yes you can provided your duty free purchases are in a sealed security bag. Works well if you are coming from Europe or the US.

http://www.catsa.gc.ca/duty-free-purchases

Option #2 is to stash the duty free in your checked bag before your clear customs and drop your bag at the connection desk.

Zarg

It is definitely possible - I've done it on several flights from Asia into YYZ and then onwards onto YOW after clearing customs.

The flight attendant or DFS need to seal the bottle in a special tamper-proof bag made for duty free alcohol purchases.

When you get to the CATSA security screening, give them the bottle and they will do some swabs and some other fancy tests, and then they'll return the bottle to you re-sealed.

It's possible that other airports might not have the same testing equipment that YYZ has - so you might want to check in advance (although I'd be surprised if YVR wouldn't have the same equipment).

Worst case is you can stuff it into any checked baggage after you've passed through customs but before checking your baggage onto your connecting flight.

eigenvector

I have transited YVR with sealed duty-free in tow many times; it will not be a problem. Since I often connect out of YVR on a small plane with no overhead bins sometimes I will just put the duty-free into my checked luggage before re-checking it (as you must at your Canadian point of entry).

superangrypenguin

Biggest takeaway. KEEP YOUR RECEIPT!! The fella behind me trying to leave YYZ using the NEXUS line got nailed. He had his liquor in that special bag but didn't have a receipt. He argued and made a scene, but the NEXUS agent refused. He had to check it.

YOWler

Receipt needs to be inside the sealed bag. They look for that. Sometimes DFS forgets to do that.

Adam Smith

Interesting, I didn't realise they had changed the rules on this in 2014, I've still seen a number of people get theirs confiscated since then. Maybe they didn't have their receipts or had opened the bags or something. I learned something new today!

mabramovich

Is there any more clarity on this? I arrived in YYZ yesterday with duty free from DXB. Connecting on a separate ticket to the US today. According to the CATSA website, I should be ok. The person selling me the duty free did not put the receipt IN the bag, although I do have the receipt. The website is ambiguous on whether that's ok or not. Further, how does adding liquid to a checked bag work for preclearance? I clear with hand luggage, am told no liquids, and then exit the US preclearance area to get my bag tagged and come back to drop it off?

Also, where is the list of approved countries available? Is there no documentation?

YogiB

I would argue that you can't buy alcohol in the DFS when exiting an international flight. You need to shop your boarding pass and the one that is valid for your Canadian airport is for an inland flight, so not accepted at DFS.

... but I could be wrong.

EmailKid

Well, the flight is behind you now, so hopefully you will post how it went.

I'd say that CATSA is irrelevent, as you are officially entering US at YYZ, so US rules apply. I've read that this special packaging is allowed in US, but never tried it myself.

But the biggie to me is that you are traveling the next day.

Let us know how it went.

AA_EXP09

No problems for me, personally, having taken many USA flights over the last year, occasionally with duty free.