Dubai Duty Free achieves record USD 177 million in August sales

Dubai: Dubai Duty Free posted record monthly sales of USD 177 million in August 2025, marking the highest-ever revenue for the month and surpassing the previous peak of USD 161 million recorded in August 2018.

The August figures represent a 15% increase compared to the same month last year, when sales stood at USD 153.84 million. On average, daily sales reached USD 5.7 million, supported by passenger volumes of around 275,000 per day.

Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, credited the result to strong operational performance. “August’s record adds to the impressive streak of records set earlier this year in January, February, April, May, and July. Based on our internal tracking, sales have outpaced passenger growth by about 9%, which is a remarkable achievement,” he said.

Key product categories delivered solid gains, with confectionery leading the growth at 68.9%. Gold sales rose by 28.55%, perfumes by 13.13%, and cigarettes and tobacco by 11.05%. Additional increases were noted in Millennium Millionaire tickets (33.7%), watches (17.7%), precious jewellery (24.17%), cosmetics (8.91%), liquor (3%), and electronics (2.34%). Overall, the top 10 categories combined grew by 15%.

Luxury boutiques also contributed significantly. Fashion outlets in Terminal 3 Concourses A and B rose 10.86% year-on-year, with Cartier leading at 29.33%. Daily boutique transactions increased to 254, while the average spend per transaction climbed to USD 2179.

Performance across airport locations was broadly positive. Sales in Concourses A and B grew 17%, Concourse C by 16.45%, and Concourse D by 7.91%. Al Maktoum International Airport posted the strongest growth at 56.91%, while arrivals shops rose 11.72% despite intensified competition.

By region, passenger spending saw the highest increases from travellers to the U.S. (27.94%), followed by the Middle East (19.78%), Indian Subcontinent (17%), and Africa (15.28%).

Looking ahead, Dubai Duty Free is expanding its luxury portfolio. A new Louis Vuitton boutique will open in Concourse A this month, followed by Cartier later in September. A “Gifts from Dubai” concept store is also scheduled to debut in December.