Alcohol

🍷 Wine

Rules differ by region: Duty-free quantity limits on arrival vary significantly — Australia (2.25L) and Canada (1.5L) are more restrictive than the US and UK.

💼 Cabin bag

Depends

Only if purchased airside (after security) in a sealed duty-free bag with receipt. Cannot be opened on board.

✈️ Hold (checked)

Yes

Up to 5 litres per person for alcohol under 24% ABV. Must be in original retail packaging.

💡 Tip: Pack wine in checked baggage inside a dedicated wine sleeve or wrapped in clothing. Airlines aren't liable for breakage. Duty-free allowances apply on arrival, not departure.

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Airline-specific rules

🇮🇪RyanairBottles must be in checked baggage; duty-free wine purchased after security may be carried on board in a sealed bag.

🇬🇧EasyJetWine in hold must be well-padded; duty-free purchases in tamper-evident bags are permitted in cabin.

🇺🇸DeltaPassengers may not consume their own alcohol onboard; it must be served by crew.

🇺🇸American AirlinesDuty-free alcohol in a sealed bag from the point of purchase is allowed in cabin on international flights.

Common questions

A standard wine bottle holds 750ml, which is well over the 100ml carry-on liquid limit, so it will be confiscated at the checkpoint if you try to bring it from outside the airport. The only exception is wine purchased airside after security in a sealed duty-free bag with a receipt, which is permitted in carry-on as long as the bag stays sealed. Pre-security purchases must go in checked baggage.

You can pack wine in your checked bag without an aviation restriction on quantity, but Australian customs limits duty-free wine on arrival to 2.25 litres per adult. Canada is even more restrictive at 1.5 litres duty-free. Bringing more than the duty-free allowance is not banned outright, but you will owe duty and tax on the excess and must declare it on arrival.

Duty-free wine in an official sealed retail bag with a receipt is generally not opened at the departure gate, but customs officers at your destination can and do inspect duty-free purchases. If the seal is broken or the receipt is missing, officers may treat the bottle as a personal import subject to duty. Keep the bag sealed and the receipt visible inside it.

Buy wine at an airside duty-free shop after you have cleared security, not before. Make sure the shop seals the bottle in an official duty-free bag and places your receipt inside it. For connecting flights, check whether your transit airport allows sealed duty-free liquids through its own security — some airports, particularly in Asia, require those bags to be re-screened.