Liquor in checked luggage

[ellipsis]

We're going to Turks & Caicos for our anniversary. Everything is insanely expensive, so I'm thinking of bringing some liquor in our checked bag. What's the best route for this to maximize space and avoid breakage/spilling, mini (plastic) bottles?

[Vespasia]

I've always just wrapped bottles in my clothes and I have never had an issue. However, it's always been on flights home when I wasn't worried about having to wash clothes if something broke or leaked.

You might want to look into something like this just to be on the safe side. I'm considering getting a set for our South Africa trip. 

[majesty318]

I have bags like posted above that I just used for wine coming back from Mendoza. They worked great. I had one more bottle than insulated bag and just wrapped it in my clothes/ packed in the middle of my suitcase.

However, are you sure liquor is expensive there? Normally everything but alcohol is expensive in the Caribbean.

[ESF]

Along the lines of what Vespasia posted, i just ordered these:

www.amazon.com/Reusable-Wine-Bottle-Protector-Sleeve/dp/B01F6CDE40

Nearly all five star reviews so I assume they work. Haven't used them yet, but will be giving them a go in a month. Need to stock up at duty free at LAX before we go to French Polynesia as alcohol prices there are insane. I can report back.

[gardengal]

Can you just stock up at Duty free before you leave the US? I guess that assumes it's a direct flight.

[audry80]

We went to Turks in November. Bought booze at the Duty Free in Ft. Lauderdale airport and carried it on after getting it at the gate.

You’re going to have so much fun!!

[jamaicam]

There are probably customs laws about what you are allowed to bring into countries so check those to make sure you aren't carrying in too much! I think for a lot of places, it is one bottle of spirits per adult or maybe 2 bottles of wine.

And wine is super expensive across the Caribbean - rum is whats cheap!

[mbcdefg]

MH collects craft beer so we've flown home to New Jersey with bottles from California, Belgium, and elsewhere.

We wrap the bottles in plastic grocery bags (to somewhat contain the damage if the bottles were to break), and wrap them in our clothes. We use extra clothes to fill in the gaps to try and prevent the bottles from moving around too much. So far, knock on wood, we've never had anything break. 

As someone said, though, this has always been on the flight home. We've never flown TO a destination with liquor. 

[tacokick]

Just to echo everyone else, bottles of like rum shouldn’t be more expensive. Wine, maybe.

We have brought clear bubble wrap and wrapped stuff in clothes from Europe and it was fine.

[mrsukyankee]

Wine skins. Definitely wine skins. We wrapped one bottle in something not wine skins and it broke. Boo.

[Whitecaps]

Big Ziplock bags and then wrap in clothing. We've only ever done this coming home but have carried home up to eight full-size bottles with no problems.

[dragon's breath]

With other breakable items, I've wrapped them up (in a ziplock first, then something for padding) then stuffed them in my/my son's shoes, then filled the empty space with stuff like socks, then wrapped the shoes in something else (shoes were in a bag to keep other items clean). The shoes helped provide a sturdy layer of protection, would minimize shifting, and doesn't take up extra space.

[GilliC]

I have a few wine skins and the equivalent that I’ve picked up at World Market (and the Container Store I think?) and we use them all the time. We do a lot of international wine touring when we travel, bring cachaça back from Brazil, etc. I still tend to position bottles in the middle of my suitcase, just to be safe, but everything has been fine so far (knock on wood). I don’t bother sealing the ends, because we reuse them over and over. And I tend to keep 1 or 2 in my suitcase just in case we want to bring something home from a trip.

[mrsd2006]

Everything in T&C is ridiculously expensive! Buying at the duty free store is a great idea.

[alleinesein]

I use the BottleBully for booze travel. www.amazon.com/Protection-Break-Proof-Shock-Proof-Leak-Proof-Satisfaction/dp/B00HIUTK4C/ref=lp_13760907011_1_1?srs=13760907011&ie=UTF8&qid=1555198734&sr=8-1

It has kept my stuff safe from India to Croatia to the UK and home to the US. It takes up a bit more room in the suitcase than the wine diaper but it offers an extra layer of protection.

[neonpink]

I have successfully brought back 5 bottles of guavaberry liquor and two giant bottles of rum from St. Martin. (gifts and some for us.) I wrapped individually wrapped everything in a plastic grocery bags then wrapped my clothes around and between them. I was so amazed that nothing broke.