Dubai Duty Free set a new monthly record in September with AED672 million in sales, led by luxury, electronics, and confectionery categories.
DUBAI: Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has reported a record-breaking month in September, achieving AED671.79 million (US$184 million) in sales — the highest ever for the month and one of the top 10 monthly performances in the company’s history. The remarkable milestone marks an 11.87% increase compared to September 2024, surpassing the previous September record of AED600 million.
Fuelled by strong demand in luxury goods, electronics, and confectionery, the record sales were achieved despite a modest 4.2% growth in passenger numbers, showcasing an impressive 7.6% outperformance relative to traffic growth.
“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,” said Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free. “It highlights the strength of our retail offering and commitment to enhancing the customer experience.”
Year-to-date, DDF has generated AED6.075 billion (US$1.664 billion) in sales — up 7.45% year-on-year. Luxury fashion led the charge in September, especially with the launch of the new Louis Vuitton boutique in Terminal 3, Concourse A, which contributed 36% to fashion revenues there. A new Cartier store further strengthened the luxury footprint.
Electronics sales also soared following the 19th September release of the iPhone 17, generating AED9.7 million in just 12 days. Gold sales climbed 21.9% year-on-year, driven by rising global prices, while DDF’s sustainable luxury concept, REKLAIM, brought in AED3.5 million — including a standout AED253,386 Patek Philippe sale.
Confectionery sales were up 57.7%, with 350,000 pieces of Dubai Chocolate sold, bringing in AED27 million. Other top-performing categories included fashion boutiques (up 21.5%), tobacco (up 6.9%), perfumes (up 5%), and precious jewellery (up 3.8%).
Sales were up across all major regions, with strong growth from Europe (17.85%), the Americas (16.1%), and the Indian Sub-continent (12.75%), underlining DDF’s global retail dominance and continued customer appeal across diverse markets.
