Duty Free at PHX
 

Not sure if this is the correct forum for Duty Free...Before boarding a USAirways flight from PHX to Mexico City and went to the duty free store inside Terminal 4, and bought a carton of smokes. After showing the cashier my boarding pass and passport, I was surprised I was handed the carton of cigarettes. In the past, they used to hard it to you just prior to boarding the aircraft (on the jetway).

What prevents someone from buying duty free at the airport, then just leaving the airport and dropping it off in your car in the parking lot, then going back through security again to board your plane?

Nothing! I have done it myself several times with liquor when flying to YVR...

Fly More & Get A Better Seat

If you want go to third level where you can go shop at the Duty free near security checkpoint. If you need purchasable the Duty Free before you headed to security checkpoint. They will be delivered right at your boarding door. If you need purchase inside security where you walked to N4 in the concourse B near British Airways lounge. You need to do filled the customs forms before you are landed into your final destination cities. I'm sure if you have anything more questionable for your concerns.

seems like a loophole
 

This just seems like a big loophole in the entire Duty Free system.
1) Buy a fully refundable ticket to Canada.
2) Pass Security at T4
3) Buy a very cheap carton of cigarettes and a bottle of Vodka
4) Turn around and leave airport
5) Get a refund on ticket

Is the time, money (gas and parking) and effort you spent at the airport really worth it?

^^ are you really "saving" that much?

On a few cartons of smokes, maybe. But from what I could see, the local prices for alcohol were way lower than what the duty free had to offer, and the choices were much wider, too.

So, the exercise now has to be: go to PHX duty-free and buy 20 cartons of smokes but no vodka! :D

Seeing the high taxes on cigarettes, it may be worth it, though I’m not up on what a carton costs in AZ since I quit smoking a few years ago. Even then, it may be less trouble to buy online from an Indian Tribe.

Very true, maybe not worth it...but makes you wonder why the government hasn't figured out this loophole.

They haven't figured out airport security, what makes you think they're going to work on this properly?

And actually legal. :rolleyes: