duty-free shop

Meaning

A retail outlet found in international airports, sea ports, or onboard airplanes that sells goods free of local import taxes and duties. Travelers typically use these shops to buy perfume, alcohol, tobacco, or luxury goods before boarding an international flight.

Examples

• I always buy a bottle of perfume at the duty-free shop before my flight.

  I always buy a bottle of perfume at the duty-free shop before my flight.

• Is the duty-free shop open 24 hours at this terminal?

  Is the duty-free shop open 24 hours at this terminal?

• You can save some money on high-end cosmetics if you get them at the duty-free shop.

  You can save some money on high-end cosmetics if you get them at the duty-free shop.

• Let's stop by the duty-free shop to pick up some souvenirs for the family.

  Let's stop by the duty-free shop to pick up some souvenirs for the family.

• She bought these designer sunglasses at the airport's duty-free shop.

  She bought these designer sunglasses at the airport's duty-free shop.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I bought this perfume in a free-duty shop.

  ✓ I bought this perfume in a duty-free shop.

  'Duty-free' is a compound adjective where 'duty' comes first. Do not reverse the words.

• ✗ Let's go to the taxes-free shop.

  ✓ Let's go to the duty-free shop.

  While 'tax-free' is sometimes used, 'duty-free shop' is the standard term for these airport stores. 'Taxes-free' is grammatically incorrect.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I need to buy some Swiss chocolate at the ___ before we board.

  💡 A store in the airport where you don't pay local taxes.

  Show answer

  duty-free shop

• Is there a ___ in the international terminal?

  💡 A shop selling tax-free goods to travelers.

  Show answer

  duty-free shop