Gift Shopping at the Airport: Can You Get Away With It?

I was horrified to learn that, before we met, my husband used to routinely do all of his Christmas shopping at the airport on his way home to see his family. John Grisham novels and electronic coin sorters for everybody! But with more major retailers and local stores opening airport locations, I started to wonder: Can you buy gifts at the airport without giving yourself away as a last-minute-shopper?

To find an answer, I went for a virtual shop at a few major U.S. airports. Here are some of the more promising gift shops I found:

• JFK Airport- New York: Cartier, Clinique, Mont Blanc, Kids Works, Discovery Channel Store, Virgin Books/Music, Metropolitan Museum of Art Store, Muji
• La Guardia Airport- New York: Discovery Channel Store, Metropolitan Museum of Art Store, PGA Tour Shop
• McCarran International Airport- Las Vegas: Kids Korner II, Fossil, Crabtree & Evelyn, Swarovski, Bose, Borders
• Los Angeles International Airport: The Body Shop, Life is Good, Kids Works, Brookstone
• Miami International Airport: Havana Shirt Store, Hugo Boss, Island Styles, Leather & Co., L'Occitane, Borders
• San Francisco International Airport : San Francisco Museum of Modern Art MuseumStore, The Body Shop, Gucci, PGA Tour Shop, Sephora, MNG by Mango

Based on these examples, it seems like you might actually have better luck shopping at the airport nowadays than at a local mall. However, shop options do vary, so be sure to check store listings at your departure and arrival airports in advance. Many airports post store and restaurant directories on their websites.

And remember flight carry-on restrictions. Many airlines allow you to carry one shopping bag as your personal item in addition to your carry-on, but it's worth checking in advance and shopping strategically.

Do you have more airport shopping ideas? Share your suggestions by submitting a comment below!