ATU Duty Free

Liquor and perfume prices here get compared to IST on every trip

ATU Duty Free sits airside in ESB’s International Terminal and runs 7/24, so it’s open for those 03:40 Turkish Airlines departures to Europe and the late-night Gulf flights. This is the main duty free after passport control, before most international gates, and it’s where Ankara regulars mentally check prices against Istanbul and Antalya before buying anything significant.

Liquor first: recent reviews quote 1L premium vodka around 22–25 EUR and whisky promos like 2 bottles for roughly 30–35 EUR during campaigns. Cigarette cartons usually undercut downtown Ankara but still lose to Germany and other EU duty frees. For raki, locals say some brands are only slightly below Migros or Carrefour in the city, so pull out your phone and compare supermarket apps before you grab a 2‑ or 3‑bottle pack.

On the cosmetics side, multiple flyers report perfumes and skincare running noticeably higher than at Istanbul Airport and major EU hubs. The selection leans mainstream: big fragrance houses and standard skincare, but limited niche options or high-end makeup compared with what you’d see at IST. Electronics are here but rarely a deal, so Reddit regulars stick to alcohol and cigarettes when they buy at all.

Watch out for staff at the entrance steering you into promo bundles; several reviews call out hard sells on multi-bottle liquor or fragrance sets. The shop runs 24 hours, with the better liquor campaigns often popping up around Bayram and New Year. One last tip: if you still haven’t compared prices, walk one slow lap, check IST/Migros numbers on your phone, then decide at the back wall before heading to your gate.