Duty Free Store

After T1 security you’re forced through a mini duty-free mall

Right after security in Terminal 1, every departing passenger is routed through the Duty Free Store before reaching gates for Ryanair, easyJet and others. The space is big for an airport that handles around 8–9 million passengers a year, so expect a long walk past shelves of alcohol, tobacco and sweets before you even see your gate area.

Alcohol takes up most of the floor: full walls of Port, Madeira and Algarve wines, plus 1L bottles of mainstream spirits. Regulars report that Douro and Algarve labels often match what you see in Continente or Pingo Doce supermarkets in town, just at higher prices. You occasionally see multibottle promos like 2‑for‑1L on gin or whisky in summer, but these change by season and stock.

Tobacco is another focus, with carton deals aimed at UK and EU holiday traffic, and plenty of rolling tobacco behind the counter. Frequent flyers say they stand in the aisle and quickly price‑check vs UK arrival duty‑free or Tesco/Sainsbury’s on their phones before buying a single pack, because prices swing by several euros per carton depending on brand and current offers.

Perfume and cosmetics get less space than in Lisbon or Porto, and several Skytrax reviews mention that big brands can run 5–10% higher than in Portuguese city‑centre perfumeries. Peak summer afternoons see long queues at the tills and awkward trolley traffic, which makes this area feel like a cramped shopping street when you just want to reach a 16:00 departure on time.

What regulars do: buy wine and Port in Faro or resort supermarkets, then use this store only for last‑minute gifts or to burn leftover euros on chocolates. If you don’t plan to shop, walk the middle path straight through and save browsing for the smaller kiosks near your gate where you can grab a €1–2 bottle of water with less stress.