Gate-side duty free in NAT terminal
Alicante Duty Free sits airside in the NAT terminal, just past central security and on the main path to the international gates. It opens for the first departures in the morning and typically trades through the last outbound flights, so early Ryanair runs and late-night EasyJet crowds both pass through. Expect the usual walkthrough layout between passport control and the departure lounges, with most passengers funneled directly through the shop before reaching gates.
You’ll find standard duty-free stock: 1L bottles of gin, whisky, and vodka, rows of Spanish cava, and sleeves of Toblerone and Ferrero Rocher. Local touches show up in turrón from Jijona and Alicante, plus regional wines from Alicante and Jumilla, often around €6–€12 a bottle. Cigarettes and rolling tobacco sit in a separate section near the back with multi‑carton deals aimed at UK and EU holiday traffic.
Prices track typical Spanish duty-free levels: spirits are usually a few euros below downtown supermarkets, perfumes and cosmetics line up with other EU airports, and chocolate multipacks occasionally drop under €10 during promos. Staff do currency conversions in real time, but paying in euros on a normal card generally beats letting the terminal do the exchange. You’ll see seasonal stands for local sweets around December and Easter, especially near the front tills.
If you’re short on time before a Schengen flight from NAT, walk straight through the main aisle and use the side exits near the cosmetics section to reach the gates in under 3 minutes from the shop entrance.