It used to be the part of the trip you got through, but Melbourne Airport is making a case for it being the part you plan for.
Not every part of a trip earns its place in the retelling. The airport run, most of the time, is the part you put behind you. But if you’re flying internationally through Melbourne Airport, you might find yourself actually looking forward to the stop.
That’s largely down to Laneway, Melbourne Airport’s official online duty free shopping platform. Sort your picks from home up to 60 days before you fly, pay no GST and collect at Terminal 2, whether you’re heading out or have just landed. Prefer to shop in person? Head to Lotte Duty Free in the international departures terminal and see what’s worth bringing home.
Which Melbourne Airport duty free picks make the best finds?
The best duty free finds don’t feel like something that happened at the last minute. They feel chosen. Here are three picks worth adding to your list before your next international flight:
- Lindt Tokyo Style Chocolate
- Lark Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky
- TAG Heuer Watch
A chocolate bar inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony
If you followed the Dubai Chocolate craze last year, you already know what Lindt saw coming. Roasted rice in a chocolate bar sounds like something that shouldn’t work, but Lindt’s Tokyo Style Chocolate Matcha Strawberry makes a strong case.
At its centre is an almond-matcha core made with Chamei Minami ceremonial-grade matcha. It’s then layered with freeze-dried strawberry pieces and crispy, nutty roasted genmai rice, all wrapped in smooth Swiss white chocolate.
The bar started with 200 numbered examples at Lindt’s London Piccadilly flagship. Now you can pre-order Lindt on Laneway or pick one up at Lotte Duty Free in the Melbourne departures terminal. Light to carry, specific enough to feel chosen, and the kind of thing that comes with a story worth telling.
Three Tasmanian single malts that tell very different stories
Lark has been distilling in Tasmania for more than 30 years. The island’s cool climate and access to wine casks from Tasmanian wine regions all shape a spirit that doesn’t taste like it was made anywhere else. This Travel Retail Exclusive range across Laneway’s Lark collection and Lotte Duty Free gives you three ways in.
- Cinder Forest is aged in port and sherry casks before a finish in American oak. The result? Vanilla and honey up front, with chocolate and spiced dates coming through underneath.
- Wild Haven goes into rum cask territory, which pushes everything to be fruitier. Think candied pecan and caramelised banana, with spiced fruit cake in the warmth behind it.
- Ember Eclipse is the most layered of the three. Pear tart, praline and quince paste lead into maple butter and tea, with a finish that takes its time getting there.
They’re different enough that picking one says something about the person you’re buying for. If you’re flying home after a long trip, pre-ordering means the bottle is waiting at the counter rather than travelling in your luggage the whole way round.
A chronograph with over 160 years of Swiss precision
TAG Heuer has been making chronographs since 1860 and has been Formula 1’s official timekeeper for decades. There are watches that make more sense to buy duty free than anywhere else, and on a TAG Heuer, no GST means the price is lower than anything you’d find in retail.
A TAG Heuer makes as much sense as a gift for someone marking a milestone as it does for you. Stop by Lotte Duty Free in the Melbourne international departures terminal to see the range in person and know which watch you actually want.
Add duty free shopping to your travel plans
A good duty free stop is one you plan, not one you stumble through on the way to the gate. Laneway and Lotte Duty Free at Melbourne Airport make the planning part easy, whether you’re sorting it from home weeks before you fly or browsing in person before you board.
To pre-order, browse the full range of duty free products on Laneway and check special offers for online-only promotions before your next international flight. Pre-order your duty free finds up to 60 days out and collect at Terminal 2 on departure or arrival. Qantas Frequent Flyers earn 1 Point per dollar spent on eligible purchases.
