Right after T1 security, Caribbean Hub is your main duty-free stop.
Caribbean Hub sits airside in Terminal 1, just past the post-security shopping strip, so you hit it on the way to most MBJ gates. It runs during core departure banks, roughly early morning through the late-evening resort flights, and you can walk it end-to-end in under five minutes.
This is a standard duty free: liquor, tobacco, perfume, cosmetics, and a wall of branded souvenirs tied to Jamaica and Montego Bay. Expect rum in 750 ml and 1L bottles, mid-shelf labels starting around US$15–20 and going up fast for aged local stuff. Perfume and cosmetics usually price in USD with the usual “2 for” promos at the front tables.
Most items ring up in US dollars, but they generally accept JMD and cards with no problem; receipts print in USD. If you’re targeting spirits, focus on Jamaican rum and local liqueurs that are harder to find at home, rather than the same global vodka and whisky you’ll see at any hub. Chocolate and coffee gifts sit near the registers, often under US$10 per box.
Lines spike when two or three departures out of T1 cluster within 45–60 minutes, especially on weekend afternoons. Stock can thin on specific rums and gift packs later in the day during high season. If you care about a specific bottle or flavor, walk over shortly after clearing security instead of waiting for boarding calls.
Practical tip: keep your boarding pass handy; staff at Caribbean Hub in T1 usually scan it before ringing up duty-free alcohol and tobacco.