taking booze back to the states

For the international leg the duty free folks deliver it to you in the cabin and you can keep it with your carryon but when you clear customs in Houston they make you put the bottles in your checked bags before you get on your next flight.

You'll want a sturdy box or something for the Houston Hartford leg because the bottles will almost certainly break all over your bags otherwise.

i guess that i can rule this out if i check my bags straight through to hartford from san jose. it may be better just to pay a few more bucks and put the rum in with my checked bags before i get to the airport.

gracias!
chino

<may be better just to pay a few more bucks and put the rum in with my checked bags before i get to the airport>>

Hey chino,

Why not bring some bubble wrap from home, buy the Flor de Caña from a supermarket and pack them in your check-in. You will find good prices at the grocery.

I brought back bubble pack for this purpose last time. If you are a US citizen you may get by. My experience as a Canadian landing in the US and having a connecting flight, my bottles were confiscated ...rudely I might add.
I wasn't given the opportunity to transfer them to my lugagge. I now book earlier to avoid landing in the states. Way less headaches, and canada customs doesn't take your booze.

This is such a hassle. Duty free rules dictate that you can't check duty-free booze. TSA rules in the States forbid booze in carry-on luggage.

OP... you can't check your bags all the way through to Hartford. You have to clear immigration and customs at your first stop. Duty free shops often have cardboard boxes that are pretty sturdy. You can bring in up to 6 bottles through Texas. Then after customs it has to go in the checked luggage.

thanks everyone!
chino