Dubai Duty Free Reports Record Sales Of AED 671.79 Million In September 2024 Driven By Luxury Goods Demand

Dubai Duty Free achieved a new monthly sales record in September, reaching AED671.79 million (US$184 million). This was driven by increased demand for luxury goods, electronics, and confectionery. The figure surpasses the previous September record of AED600 million (US$165 million) set in 2024, marking an 11.87% year-on-year growth. This makes September one of the top 10 months ever for Dubai Duty Free.

The growth in sales outpaced passenger growth, which was around 4.2%, with final numbers pending from Dubai Airport. This means sales exceeded passenger growth by approximately 7.6%. Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, remarked on the achievement: "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."

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 significantly to Fashion revenues there. Additionally, a new Cartier boutique opened on 25th September in the same concourse, highlighting strong demand for premium brands among global travelers.

Tech-savvy travelers also boosted electronics sales following the launch of the Apple iPhone 17 on 19th September. Despite limited availability, this launch generated AED9.7 million (US$2.7 million) in just 12 days, contributing to a 10% increase in electronics sales.

Gold sales rose by 21.9% compared to last year due to strong demand and rising global prices. The price of gold increased from about US$2,700 per ounce in September 2024 to roughly US$3,700 per ounce in September 2025, boosting this category's performance significantly.

Confectionery also saw impressive growth with Dubai Chocolate contributing AED27 million (US$7.4 million) from selling 350,000 pieces in September alone. Including confectionery, the top ten categories grew by 12.1%, while excluding it they rose by 8.2%.

Sales across major regions showed positive trends: Africa increased by 14.85%, Europe by 17.85%, and the Indian Sub-continent by 12.75%. The Americas saw a rise of 16.1%, while the Russian region grew by 7%. In the Middle East, sales increased by 4.3% despite a decline of 3.8% in KSA.

The Far East experienced a growth of 12.3%, with China up by 11.3%, and Australasia rose by 12.6%. These figures reflect strong performance across diverse markets globally.

For the year so far, sales have risen by 7.45% to AED6.075 billion (US$1.664 billion), an increase of AED421 million (US$115 million) over last year’s figures.

The pre-loved luxury boutique REKLAIM continues attracting brand-conscious shoppers with AED3.5 million (US$1 million) in sales during September alone; notable transactions included a Patek Philippe watch sold for AED253,386 (US$69,420).

This consistent growth highlights Dubai Duty Free's robust retail offering and commitment to enhancing customer experiences continuously.

With inputs from WAM