Right after security in Terminal A, Aelia Duty Free is your main stop for last‑minute buys before CTA departures.
This shop sits airside in Terminal A, on the way to the Schengen gates, so you hit it naturally after security without doubling back. It follows standard duty free pricing, with regular promos on spirits and cosmetics, so you can compare quickly against downtown Catania or your home airport. Layout is typical walk-through style, but you can bypass sections if you stick to the edges.
Aelia Duty Free stocks the usual duty free mix: major perfume brands, skincare, spirits, cigarettes, and a core range of confectionery and snacks. Expect big European labels rather than niche Sicilian producers, though you do see some local wines and limoncello near the wine and liquor shelves. Alcohol limits are signposted in English and Italian, which helps if you’re flying onward to the UK or outside the EU.
Prices sit in line with other Italian airport duty free shops, so spirits and cosmetics can be a good deal compared with city boutiques, but chocolate and souvenirs often match high-street rates. Opening hours track the main flight banks from early morning to late evening, roughly 2 hours before the first departure until the last wave goes out of Terminal A.
One practical tip: if your gate is in the lower A20s, shop on the way in. There’s no second Aelia satellite near those end gates, and walking back can eat 10–15 minutes close to boarding.