Dubai: Dubai Duty Free has set a new monthly record in September, with sales reaching AED671.79 million (US$184 million), fuelled by a strong surge in demand for luxury goods, electronics, and confectionery. This milestone eclipses the previous September record of AED600 million (US$165 million) set in 2024, marking an impressive AED71.29 million (US$19.53 million) increase or 11.87 percent year-on-year growth and securing the highest September sales in the company’s history.
According to Emirates News Agency, September now ranks as a top 10 ever month for Dubai Duty Free, contributing to a remarkable series of monthly records already achieved in January, February, April, May, July, and August. The sales growth of 11.87 percent was achieved against passenger growth of around 4.2 percent, demonstrating that sales growth outperformed passenger growth by about 7.6 percent. The final passenger numbers for September are expected to be released by Dubai Airport later this month.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, commented on the performance, stating, “September’s record sales is a significant moment for Dubai Duty Free and a testament to the incredible efforts of our team and the loyalty of our customers. Achieving AED672 million in a single month and outperforming passenger growth highlights the strength of our retail offering, and we remain committed to continuously enhancing the customer experience.”
For the year to date, sales have increased by 7.45 percent, reaching AED6.075 billion (US$1.664 billion), which represents an increase of AED421 million (US$115 million) over last year. Sales were robust across various important categories, including Confectionery (up 57.7 percent), Fashion boutiques (up 21.5 percent), Tobacco (up 6.9 percent), Perfumes (up 5 percent), Gold (up 21.9 percent), Electronics (up 10 percent), Millennium Millionaire (up 20.5 percent), Finest Surprise (up 32.9 percent), Watches (up 5.1 percent), Liquor (up 2.3 percent), and Precious Jewellery (up 3.8 percent). Dubai Chocolate also contributed AED27 million (US$7.4 million) in sales, with 350,000 pieces sold in September. Including confectionery, the Top 10 categories were up 12.1 percent and excluding confectionery they were up 8.2 percent.
High-end fashion emerged as the leading category in September. The newly opened Louis Vuitton boutique in Terminal 3, Concourse A, launched on 4th September and contributed 36 percent to overall Fashion revenues in Concourse A. Adding to the luxury momentum, a new Cartier boutique opened on 25th September in the same concourse, underlining strong demand for premium brands among global travelers.
Tech-savvy travelers contributed to a spike in electronics, particularly following the 19th September launch of the Apple iPhone 17. Despite limited supply, the launch drove AED9.7 million (US$2.7 million) in sales over just 12 days, resulting in a 10 percent rise in the electronics category.
Gold sales soared by 21.9 percent compared to the same month last year, reflecting both strong demand and rising global prices. The price of gold increased from around US$2,700 per ounce in September 2024 to approximately US$3,700 per ounce in September 2025, helping to drive exceptional category performance.
Dubai Duty Free’s pre-loved luxury boutique, REKLAIM, continues to attract interest from brand-conscious luxury shoppers. In September, REKLAIM generated AED3.5 million (US$1 million) in sales. A standout transaction included the sale of a Patek Philippe watch for AED253,386 (US$69,420) in Concourse D.
Sales across all major regions were positive: Africa increased by 14.85 percent, Europe by 17.85 percent, the Indian Sub-continent by 12.75 percent, the Americas by 16.1 percent, the Russian region by 7 percent, and the Middle East by 4.3 percent (despite a 3.8 percent decline in KSA). The Far East grew by 12.3 percent (with China up 11.3 percent) and Australasia rose by 12.6 percent.
