By Staff Reporter
Dubai Duty Free closed September with a record-breaking AED 671.79 million (US$184 million) in sales, driven by strong demand for luxury goods, electronics, and confectionery.
The figure surpasses the previous September record of AED 600 million (US$165 million) set in 2024, marking an 11.87% year-on-year increase and the highest September sales in the company’s history.
The milestone makes September one of Dubai Duty Free’s top 10 months ever, adding to a series of record-breaking performances earlier this year in January, February, April, May, July, and August. Sales growth of 11.87% outpaced passenger growth of around 4.2%, highlighting strong performance per traveler.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, said:
“Achieving AED 672 million in a single month and outperforming passenger growth highlights the strength of our retail offering. This is a testament to our team and the loyalty of our customers.”
Luxury fashion led the surge, with the newly opened Louis Vuitton boutique in Terminal 3 contributing 36% of Concourse A fashion revenues. A Cartier boutique opening later in the month further underscored the appetite for premium brands. Electronics also rose 10%, boosted by the launch of the Apple iPhone 17, which generated AED 9.7 million (US$2.7 million) in just 12 days. Gold sales climbed 21.9%, supported by rising global prices, while pre-owned luxury retailer REKLAIM saw AED 3.5 million (US$1 million) in sales.
Confectionery led category growth with a 57.7% jump, including 350,000 pieces of Dubai Chocolate sold. Overall, the top 10 categories were up 12.1%, or 8.2% excluding confectionery. Regional sales were positive across the board, with Europe up 17.85%, the Americas 16.1%, and Australasia 12.6%.
Year-to-date, Dubai Duty Free’s sales reached AED 6.075 billion (US$1.664 billion), a 7.45% increase over 2024, setting the stage for a strong finish to the year.
News Source: Dubai Media Office
