How to Fly Liquor Home From the Caribbean

Buy as many bottles of the liquor of your preference as you can carry in your luggage. International airlines allow 50 lbs. of weight per suitcase per passenger from the United States. When traveling to the Caribbean, you are allowed to carry one checked suitcase and one carry on. Any additional checked luggage requires a fee. Due to Homeland Security rules, you can carry liquids in checked luggage only. As such, be aware that any alcohol you plan to travel with must be placed in your checked luggage.

Seal all bottles of liquor you purchase to prevent liquid from seeping out and destroying clothes and other items in your suitcase. To seal, wrap the bottle cover in scotch guard or some other type of tape. If you buy your alcohol from a duty free store, the bottles may already be sealed. If not, you can ask a cashier or manager to seal it for you. Alternately, you can purchase scotch tape or borrow some from your hotel.

Wrap the liquor bottle in a material that provides cushioning for the flight home. To do this, wrap the bottle in a T-shirt or two. You can also wrap the bottle in a towel. This cushioning limits the possibility of breakage during the flight, which can be bumpy. It also protects the bottle while it is loaded on and off the plane. Loaders sometimes throw baggage around, allowing suitcases to bump into each other and other objects, thus increasing the chance that breakable items may shatter.

Organize the bottles in your suitcase. Proper packing of breakable bottles requires that you cushion them within your clothing. Avoid putting the bottle on the bottom, top or edges of the suitcase. Instead, place the items in the middle of the suitcase with clothing between them to prevent bottles from bumping into each other during the flight.

Tell customs officials you have liquor in your luggage once you land at the airport. It is customary to be asked what you brought with you from the Caribbean, as officials want to prevent the entry of fresh fruit, vegetables and other illegal items. You may be asked to open your suitcases for inspection.