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The month of May continued the positive sales momentum for Dubai Duty Free with “extraordinary” sales figures.
Dubai Duty Free has reported remarkable sales of AED724.7 million (approximately US$198.5 million) for May 2025, marking a significant 12.5% increase over the same month in 2024. This achievement represents the highest sales figure recorded so far this year, showcasing the resilience and growth of the retail sector within the airport environment.
As it stands, May 2025 ranks as the second-highest sales month ever for a non-December period, trailing only behind November 2024. It also secures its position as the ninth among the all-time top ten sales months when factoring in December’s figures, highlighting a trend of increasing consumer confidence and spending at Dubai Duty Free.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, expressed his satisfaction with the results, stating, “May continued the strong growth story of 2025. I am especially happy that the increase in sales was observed across many major categories. As of May 31, our revenue has exceeded AED3.5 billion (US$1 billion), reflecting a year-to-date growth of nearly 6.5%. These positive results are a direct reflection of the commitment and excellence shown by our entire team of staff.”
What’s particularly impressive is that the sales growth of 12.5% is expected to outpace the average passenger traffic growth by 7-8%. Based on internal estimates, an average of approximately 242,000 passengers passed through the airport each day in May. Daily sales averaged AED23.3 million (US$6.38 million), with sales penetration rising to 28%, up from 26.3% in May 2024. Additionally, the average spend per departing passenger climbed to US$46.7, marking a US$3 increase year-on-year.
Confectionery sales increased by 81% in May.
The performance across various product categories was also noteworthy. Notable growth was seen in Confectionery, which skyrocketed by 81% to achieve sales of AED73.9 million (US$20.2 million), largely due to the success of ‘Dubai chocolate’. Perfume sales reached AED132.8 million (US$36.4 million), showing an impressive 15% increase compared to last year.
In the cosmetics category, sales rose by 10.8% to AED35.2 million (US$9.6 million). Cigarettes and Tobacco also posted strong figures, climbing 14.4% and bringing in AED77.6 million (US$21.3 million). Similarly, gold sales were up 11.65%, reaching AED70.7 million (US$19.4 million), while Precious Jewelry saw a stunning 31.75% increase, culminating in sales of AED20.2 million (US$5.5 million). Liquor sales climbed nearly 4% to AED89.9 million (US$24.6 million), and Electronics experienced a 5.4% increase with sales of AED41.7 million (US$11.4 million).
Fashion boutiques also enjoyed positive growth, reporting a 4.7% increase over May 2024 with sales totaling AED71.3 million (US$19.5 million). This uptick contributed over AED80 million (US$22 million) in additional sales compared to May of the previous year.
Looking at the airport’s concourses, Concourse B in Terminal 3 emerged as a leader in growth with a remarkable 17.5% increase, while Concourse D in Terminal 1 followed at 10.7%. Concourse A and C saw rises of 7.8% and just under 1% respectively. Notably, Terminal 2 Departures recorded an exceptional 20.8% year-on-year growth, while Arrivals shops across all terminals achieved a combined growth of 6.25% following recent renovations and refurbishments.
Sales growth was evident across all key passenger demographics, with significant increases reported in various regions. The European market surged by 25.9%, the Russian region saw a growth of 14%, the Far East increased by 5.2%, the Middle East by 14%, and the Indian subcontinent by 4%, despite recent travel disruptions.
REGION: Gulf Africa
