Dubai Duty Free hits all-time high with Dhs805.6 million in October sales

Dubai Duty Free has achieved a new milestone as it heads into the final two months of the year, announcing all-time high October sales of Dhs805.6 million (US$220.7 million) and marking its eighth-record month out of ten this year.

Ranked first among the eight record-breaking months in 2025, October sales exceeded the previous October record set in 2023 of Dhs692 million (US$189 million), underscoring the operation’s sustained growth momentum.

October also recorded the third-highest monthly sales in Dubai Duty Free’s history, following the all-time record of Dhs821.4 million (US$225 million) achieved in December 2024.

In a strong indicator of retail performance, October’s sales growth outstripped passenger traffic by at least 10 percent (the final passenger numbers for October will only be released by Dubai Airport later this month), achieving an impressive 19.31 per cent increase over October 2024.

Commenting on the performance, Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, said, “A big thank you goes to our Chairman, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum for his unwavering support to our operation. Thanks also to the team at Dubai Duty Free for their extraordinary hard work and dedication in meeting the needs of an ever-increasing number of passengers.”

Year-to-date sales reached Dhs6.88 billion (US$1.885 billion), representing an 8.72 per cent increase or Dhs552 million (US$151 million) over the same period last year.

Perfumes continued to dominate as the retailer’s top-selling category generated Dhs139.9 million (US$38.3 million) in October. Gold ranked second with Dhs97.2 million (US$26.6 million) fuelled by the

Diwali season and the enduring appeal of the precious metal as both a luxury and cultural purchase.

Other leading categories rounding out the top five performing categories, all contributing to the strong October sales, include Liquor with sales of Dhs96.7 million (US$26.5 million), while Confectionery recorded its highest ever sales at Dhs78 million (US$21.4 million), driven by the continued success of “Dubai Chocolate”. This subcategory also achieved the highest individual sales, totalling Dhs34 million (US$9.3 million) with a staggering 428,000 pieces sold equivalent to 71 tons across nine brands in October. Tobacco also performed strongly, recording Dhs74 million (US$20.3 million) in sales.

Fashion boutiques including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Gucci and Cartier remain strong contributors, performing extremely well with sales up 43.5 per cent over October 2024. The increase in sales can be attributed in part to the opening of Louis Vuitton and Cartier boutiques in September in Concourse A. The second Louis Vuitton boutique, spanning 280sqm, has quickly become a destination for travellers seeking premium fashion. Meanwhile, the second Cartier boutique of 140sqm has also made a strong impact since its debut in late September. The sales in the fashion boutiques underscore the spending power of international travellers and the continued appeal of the luxury brands.

Standout transactions in the luxury fashion category in October include Dhs2.2 million (US$605,000) sales from REKLAIM, Dubai Duty Free’s pre-owned luxury concept store, which included the sale of an Audemars Piguet watch priced in excess of Dhs200,000 (US$54,794) in Concourse A and two Hermes Birkin handbags, each in excess of Dhs120,000 (US$32,876) purchased in Concourse D and the Emirates First-Class Lounge, respectively.

All locations performed strongly, with Concourse A up 27.4 percent, Concourse B up 21.5 per cent, Concourse C up 21.9 percent, Concourse D up 11.2 per cent, and Terminal 2 up 13.1 percent. Arrivals recorded an 18.3 percent increase despite competition within the airport.

Momentum was also evident across key regions and markets. Sales to passengers travelling to Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and Australasia all rose by more than 20 per cent. Russia recorded an increase of 14.2 percent, while Africa was up 18.5 per cent. The Indian-sub continent showed the smallest growth among the regions, with sales up 6.62 per cent.

WAM