Beer, Brennivín, and skincare all sit under one roof here
Duty Free Store Airside sits after security in Terminal 1 at KEF, right in the main passenger flow toward the gates. You walk through it almost by default, so it’s easy to grab something even on a 40‑minute layover. Shelves lean hard on Icelandic brands alongside the usual global liquor, perfume, and chocolate lines. Prices on alcohol and cosmetics usually beat downtown Reykjavik by a noticeable margin thanks to duty-free rules.
Liquor is the main draw: you’ll see full shelves of Icelandic schnapps like Brennivín, local aquavit-style bottles, plus the standard 1‑liter Scotch and vodka deals. Multi-bottle promo packs often undercut EU duty-free by a few euros, especially on gin and whisky. If you’re connecting onward to the US or UK, just remember the 100 ml liquids rule for any second security check and keep receipts handy for customs.
Non-alcohol options run from big bags of Icelandic chocolate and licorice to skincare lines that trade on geothermal and glacial themes. Expect airport pricing: single chocolate bars hover around café prices, while gift boxes start in the 1,500–3,000 ISK range. Tobacco, perfume, and cosmetics take up most of the floor space, with the usual big-name brands and rotating promo stands near the central aisle.
There’s no real queue system beyond standard cashier lines, but mornings around the 06:00–09:00 bank of North America departures get hectic. Factor in 10–15 minutes if you plan a liquor run during that window. Last practical tip: if your gate is in the higher 30s, shop first, then walk; KEF’s single terminal stretches more than it looks on the map when boarding starts at T‑minus 30.