Duty Free Shopping at Istanbul Airport: List of Stores, Timings & How to Pre-Order

Istanbul is one of the world's most dynamic and historic cities that can be reached via two international airports:

• Istanbul International Airport (IST)
• Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)

The Istanbul International Airport is Turkey's largest international gateway, while the Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is the city's second-largest airport. Both are known for their state-of-the-art facilities, modern infrastructure and efficient services.

Both these airports offer travellers the opportunity to explore various recreational activities while waiting for their flight. One of these is availing of high-end products at a lower price at duty-free stores. 

Duty-free is the concept of purchasing an item without paying import taxes. Travellers can save money when shopping world-class products abroad at duty-free stores.

In this article, we will explore all about duty-free shopping at Istanbul Airports.

Istanbul Airport Duty-Free Website

Given below are the duty-free websites for the different international airports in Istanbul: 

• Duty-free at Istanbul International Airport: www.unifree.com
• Duty-free at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport: istanbul-sabiha.shopdutyfree.com

If you want to shop for duty-free products, you can do so by visiting their website or shopping duty-free offline. 

What Can You Do on the Istanbul Duty-Free Website?

On the duty-free websites, you can: 

• View a Variety of Luxury Products: You can easily find your product by filtering out on basis the product category, brand and price to shop online easily.
  
• Shop Exclusive Products: When you shop online, you also get access to site-exclusive products from world-class brands. You also have unmissable offers for your favourite products that you can’t miss.
  
• Understand Your Allowance Limits: Shopping duty-free also comes with its limitations that passengers need to adhere to avoid paying tax on their purchases. You can easily find this information on the website.
  
• Shop Campaign Products: You can choose to purchase combined products and get great discounts on cosmetics and food products. 

Which Terminals have Duty-Free Shops at Istanbul Airports?

Both international airports in Istanbul have only one terminal for international and domestic flights. Duty-free stores are commonly found in: 

• Istanbul International Airport - T1
• Sabiha Gökçen International Airport - T1

At the duty-free stores located in both of Istanbul's International Airports, you can find different kind of products such as:

• Children's Fashion and Toys
• Electronics
• Books & Stationery
• Fashion Accessories like Eyewear, Bags and Purses
• Beauty and Personal Care
• Souvenirs
• Cosmetics & Perfume
• Watches & Jewellery
• Tobacco Products
• Alcoholic Products
• Chocolates and Confectioneries
• Magnets
• Plates
• Pashminas
• Turkish Delight
• Baklava
• Local Desserts

If you are flying to the Istanbul International Airport, you can visit the Unifree website to view the different stores and brands available. You cannot pre-order duty-free items online, but you can visit the stores in person to purchase your favourite products. 

There are also campaigns and discounts available that you can avail when at the stores.

If you are flying to Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, you can order duty-free products online through the Dufry Duty-Free website. To do so, follow these 4 simple steps:

• Step 1 - Browse the Online Catalogue: From electronics and beauty to food and liquor products, you can choose the favourite products you want from a wide selection of world-class brands.
• Step 2 - Add Products to Your Basket: After deciding on your products, add them to the cart and proceed to checkout.
• Step 3 - Confirm Your Order: Click on 'Order Now' and proceed to fill in your information. You will also be required to fill in the pick-up location of your products such as the arrival/departure time and date, and the location. After this click on 'Place Order'. You will receive a confirmation mail of your order.
• Step 4 - Pick-up and Pay in Store: Finally, on the day of travel, you must visit the designated pick-up location and collect your products by paying the final amount in-store.

What are the Required Documents for Duty-Free Shopping Online?

To collect your pre-ordered items at the airport, you will need to have the following documents:

• Valid Passport
• International Boarding Pass
• Confirmation Email

What Modes of Payment are Accepted when Shopping Duty-Free?

When pre-ordering from the Dufry website, the payment mode accepted is Cash on Delivery in store.

You can also shop using currencies like the following at select stores: 

• British Pound
• Euro
• US Dollar
• Turkish Lira

Although credit and debit cards are becoming more widely accepted in Turkey, cash remains the preferred method of payment. You can find ATMs and exchange centres in the airport to pay for your expenses.

Some duty-free shopping tips and etiquettes are: 

• Know the Allowance Limits: Duty-free allowances vary from country to country so, ensure there is no complication when you land in your destination country. You should also be aware of the baggage allowance of countries you are travelling to. Items like alcohol and tobacco products also have an age restriction of 18 years and younger.
• Shop Before Travel: Shopping before you travel can save you time and offer additional discounts! You can shop duty-free from the official website, reserve your items and collect them on the date of departure.
• Do Your Research: If you want to buy a luxury item in a duty-free shop, you will need to do some prior research. While duty-free prices are often lower than regular retail prices, it's a good idea to compare prices to get better deals.
• Keep Track of Your Spending: It is important to monitor your spending to ensure you stay within your budget and duty-free allowance. It's easy to get carried away with the savings and deals offered when you shop duty-free internationally.