Dubai Duty Free marked its 42 years of outstanding commercial performance, recording sales of Dhs69.097m (US$19m) in just 24 hours, driven by a 25 percent discount on the chain’s merchandise.
The anniversary result represents an increase of 15.18 percent, or Dhs9.1m (US$2.5m), compared to the same day last year.
It also stands as the second highest single day of sales in the history of Dubai Duty Free, just Dhs351,000 short of the all-time record.
Dubai Free Trade
Sales momentum was seen across all Duty Free airport operations, with strong results at both Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.
At Dubai Airport, Terminal 3 generated the most sales, while Terminal 1’s Concourse D brought in Dhs13.6m ($3.73m), marking a 9.14 percent increase compared to 2024. At Al Maktoum International Airport, sales on the anniversary reached Dhs1.073m ($294,240 per year), representing 294,240 cents per year.
The anniversary success builds on a strong 2025 for Duty Free, which recorded many record-breaking months during the year.
November delivered the retailer’s highest monthly performance, with sales of Dhs876.56m ($240.16m). In December, Dubai Duty Free also surpassed Dhs8 billion in consolidated sales on December 9.
The one-day anniversary promotion triggered massive passenger engagement, as travelers took advantage of the limited-time discount during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
Selling by categories
Perfumes also emerged as the best-selling category on the anniversary, generating Dhs17.455m ($4.782m) in sales, up 14.73 percent compared to the same day in 2024. Dubai Duty Free’s Millenniummaire and Finest Surprise promotions also combined for best-in-class ticket sales of Dh11m. ($3.01m), supported by a record 13,589 online transactions, up from 8,252 last year.
Watches followed with sales of Dhs7.672m ($2.102m), representing an increase of 42.88 percent. Alcohol and cosmetics ranked fourth and fifth, recording sales of Dhs6.460m ($1.770m) and Dhs4.534m ($1.242m), respectively.
Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free said: “Thanks to strong passenger engagement and spending, the Dubai Duty Free team achieved over 69m sales in the 24-hour period, with 95,784 transactions compared to 93,251 on the same day last year.
“Anniversary sales were double the pre-anniversary average of Dhs30m per day in December and I sincerely thank everyone for this incredible achievement which demonstrates the team’s ability to handle growing demand driven by a one-day anniversary discount on one of the busiest travel days of the year.”
First launched in 2003 to mark 20 years of Dubai Duty Free, the anniversary promotion has become a fixture on the retail calendar around the world.
The 25 percent discount continues to attract tourists from around the world, many of whom plan to travel around December 20 to take advantage of the limited-time offer, consistently delivering strong sales during peak travel periods.
