Abu dhabi: Dubai Duty Free recorded August sales of AED646.23 million (US$177 million), setting a new monthly record for August. This achievement surpasses the operator's previous peak of AED588.13 million (US$161 million) reached in August 2018, an increase of nearly 10%. Sales in August 2025 represented an increase of 15% over last year's August sales of AED561.53 million (US$153.84 million). Sales averaged around AED20.8 million (US$5.70 million) per day during the month, while passengers estimated about 275,000 a day during the same period.
According to Emirates News Agency, Dubai Duty Free's Managing Director, Ramesh Cidambi, expressed satisfaction with the performance, highlighting that the sales have outpaced passenger growth by about 9%, a testament to the team's exceptional efforts. The airport retailer also reported an increased spend per passenger, with a rise of almost US$4 per departing passenger, and a higher penetration rate compared to last August.
The robust results in August have brought Dubai Duty Free's year-to-date (YTD) sales to AED5.4 billion (US$1.48 billion), marking a 6.93% increase from the previous year. The growth underscores the effectiveness of Dubai Duty Free's diverse product strategy and premium retail experience. Significant sales contributions came from major categories, with Confectionery leading the growth at 68.90%, followed by Gold at 28.55%, Perfumes at 13.13%, and Cigarettes and Tobacco at 11.05%. Other notable increases included Millennium Millionaire ticket sales at 33.70%, Watches at 17.70%, Precious Jewellery at 24.17%, Cosmetics at 8.91%, Liquor at nearly 3%, and Electronics at 2.34%.
Overall, the Top 10 categories recorded a combined growth of 15%, with a 10.44% rise even when excluding Confectionery. Dubai Duty Free's luxury boutiques, a key component of its success, also performed well. Fashion boutiques in Terminal 3's Concourses A and B saw a 10.86% increase compared to August 2024, with Cartier posting a remarkable 29.33% growth. Additionally, daily transactions in the boutiques rose to 254, with an average transaction value of AED8,004.
From a location perspective, all major areas outperformed compared to August last year. Sales in Concourses A and B increased by 17% each, Concourse C rose by 16.45%, and Concourse D by 7.91%. Terminal 2 Departures saw a 13.60% rise, while Al Maktoum International Airport (AMIA) experienced a 56.91% increase. The Arrivals Shops also posted strong results, with sales up by 11.72%, despite heightened competition in Terminal 3 Arrivals.
Momentum was evident across key regions and markets, with the highest growth seen in passengers traveling to the U.S. at 27.94%, followed by the Middle East at 19.78%, the Indian Sub-continent at 17%, Africa at 15.28%, Europe at 13.46%, Australasia at 9.49%, the Far East at 9.15%, and the Russian region at 3.26%. The strong performance across major geographical regions underscores Dubai Duty Free's global reach and diverse customer base.
Looking ahead, Dubai Duty Free plans to enhance its retail offerings. A new Louis Vuitton and Cartier boutiques are set to open in Concourse A, further strengthening the luxury portfolio. Cidambi noted that the Louis Vuitton boutique is expected to open later this week, complemented by the Cartier boutique by the end of September. Additionally, refurbishment work is underway in Concourse A to introduce a new 'Gifts from Dubai' concept store by December.