Last Minute Christmas Gifts to Get at the Airport

Have you ever been at the airport, ready to fly home for Christmas, and realized you forgot the gifts for your family and friends? Well, you’re not the only one. Worry not, duty-free shops come to the rescue! But unless you have a long wait for a transfer, the time is ticking. So here’s some ideas for last-minute Christmas presents you can get at the airport!

1. Duty-free cosmetics

First things first, when at an airport you have to look for cosmetics. The duty-free stores often have deals that you won’t encounter anywhere else – so you can get that perfume bottle your dad has been eyeing for a while or that face cream your grandmother has been talking your ear off about.

And the best thing about these stores is that not only do they sell full-sized products, but also different sets of mini products that are airport-exclusive. So you can turn your forgetfulness into a unique last minute gift! And who doesn’t love a good bodycare or beauty set?

2. Airport electronics

If cosmetics don’t rock your boat, consider opting for an electronics gift. Be it headphones, earbuds, speakers, or even phones. Airports usually have a wide selection of electronics gadgets and accessories, so if your secret santa is a bit of a geek, that’s your starting point!

A little travel specific tip from us – if your gift recipient is a frequent traveller, you should also consider a power socket adapter, one of the ones that can adapt to sockets all around the world. Might not be your first thought, but it certainly is a great one. Talk about useful and practical gifts!

3. Bags and backpacks

Airports are a paradise for buying bags and backpacks – and rightly so. Almost every airport has a section with travel (but not only travel) accessories that will make the perfect gift. Whether an everyday bag, a travel backpack or even just a wallet, airports have it covered. And it is often brands that you might have trouble finding otherwise, so don’t miss out!

And apart from bags and backpacks that can be found in the general duty-free stores across the airport, if you have the budget, you should also look in the individual designer stores that are located in some airports.

4. Clothing

The list wouldn’t be complete, if clothing didn’t make it up here. Although we would not particularly recommend opting for that option as a last minute gift, since it’s the most troublesome one – you have to know the size and the taste of the person you’re buying it for. Still, if you know all that information, there’s plenty of options to pick from. Even the smallest of airports have one or two stores with luxury clothing, not to mention the biggest airports which have endless options of designer brands. Go crazy!

5. Airport jewellery shops

We know that when it comes to jewellery presents, some people might look forward to seeing the iconic blue box under the Christmas tree – well, this can be challenging to pull off at the last minute at an airport (but not impossible). Airports like London Heathrow, Charles-de-Gaulle Airport or Hong Kong International Airport do in fact have Tiffany & Co. stores, but most airports have many other options that are just as great and won’t break the bank. Whether in the duty-free stores or separate brand specific stores, you can have your pick and deliver that bling for Christmas.

6. Books at the airport

This might seem boring, but we think books as gifts are having a comeback. And airports are rich in those. Each airport has at least one little section with international books, ranging from bestsellers to niche items. Books are also the safest gift when you have very little time for shopping – just check if the description on the back sounds interesting and the book is in an appropriate language, and off you go!

7. Local foods and drinks

Probably one of the most popular purchases at airports are the foods and beverages specific to the country or area one flies from. And this can extend to Christmas gifting! What better gift to receive than something new you can try with your family and friends whilst hearing stories about the place that they come from. Needless to say that the products sold in fine foods stores at airports are usually of great quality and could put even Santa to shame.

And if you’ve been considering getting someone a nice wine or liquor for Christmas anyways, why not buy it at the airport where the selection could be different than where you live. Sometimes, the price is better as well – it’s a win-win!

8. Duty-free cigarettes

A somewhat controversial idea of a Chrristmas present are cigarettes. But hear us out! We’re not saying you should encourage someone to smoke, but if the gift receiver will smoke one way or another, why not get them some supply?

At the airport you can usually get multipacks for a reasonable price! And in some countries (outside of EU) you can still get flavoured cigarettes, which are considered quite a catch by some smokers. So why not? Maybe not as a standalone gift, but they sure can complete a present alongside something else. And are also perfect if you’re in a time crunch!

9. Flowers at the airport

In case you’re arriving on Christmas day, but are at the airport with not enough time to spare to go gift shopping, and so are left without a gift, we’ve got one last solution for you. At the arrival halls you can usually find flower shops – go and get some flowers to not come empty handed! You might not have a proper present, but let’s hope your presence and some nice flowers soften the blow!

And there you have it! Some ideas for last minute Christmas gifts you can get at the airport, so that you don’t have to waste time thinking where to start and just get straight down to business. And remember, if you’ve forgotten a gift or two, but are already at the airport, all is not lost! It’s simply time for some duty-free shopping. And the best thing is, you don’t even have to worry about fitting it all in your suitcase! Good luck!

One more gift idea…

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