Airport Experience® News - Customer Service Issue 2025

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Left: Going hand-in-hand with experiential retail, personalized shopping experiences are becoming more common. To meet the needs of the luxury private jet traveler with a personalized retail experience, Duty Free Holdings created the Executive Retail Shops duty-free concept.

Personalized Approach Indeed, increased personalization may just be the next thing in experiential retail. To meet the needs of the luxury private jet traveler with a personalized retail experience, Executive Retail Shops is a new duty-free concept available at Miami Opa Locka Executive Airport (OPF) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). “Today’s luxury customers expect more than just access to premium products; they’re looking for unique, memorable experiences that reflect their lifestyles and values,” says James Mullaney, president of Duty Free Holdings. “Experiential retail delivers on that by creating moments of discovery, delight and personalization – qualities that resonate deeply with discerning clientele who are used to tailored, bespoke services,” “In the private aviation space, where time is precious and expectations are high, our retail concepts stand out by offering curated environments that are as sophisticated and exclusive as the journey itself,” Mullaney adds. Executive Retail Shops offer such personalization benefits as AI bottle printers so customers can personalize a bottle of Johnnie Walker; products tailored to specific locations and seasonal promotions; and mobile ordering and delivery directly to the plane. Mullaney notes that Executive Retail Shops plans to expand into high-traffic U.S. hubs like San Diego, Las Vegas, plus Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota and West Palm Beach in Florida, as well as introduce new brands and enhance personalization options. “We believe the future of airport retail lies in offering more engaging, curated and personalized experiences moving beyond simple transactions,” he adds. “As travelers, especially in the luxury and private aviation segments, place greater value on exclusivity and meaningful interactions, experiential retail will continue to emerge as a key differentiator in the airport environment.”

requires creativity and a willingness to think beyond the basics.” She adds that it’s up to the operator to take the lead on changing the airport retail landscape. “The most competitive proposals will include experiential ideas before the airport even asks for them,” Farris says. “Operators should be thinking about how to differentiate themselves, and how they bring those ideas to life every day. The future of experiential retail in airports will belong to those who follow through on their vision and help elevate the reputation of both the airport and themselves.” Farris also notes that experiential retail is a great way for smaller operators to stand out. “In larger corporate structures, experiential elements are harder to execute, as there are more hoops to jump through and response times are often delayed. Smaller, more nimble businesses can respond quickly, engage directly with customers and create authentic, memorable moments. This is where they truly shine.” Stiene notes that as more airports are reducing their retail offerings in favor of food and beverage operations, there’s opportunity to combine the two in an experiential setting. “I understand the need for food and beverage choices to increase customer satisfaction, but so many retail operators now have food and beverage concepts, so why not get creative and celebrate an experiential retail experience inside the food and beverage concept?” she proposes. “We’re also noticing that lease terms are significantly

increasing, which allows operators to make changes to their store atmosphere so that they’re continuing to keep their store changing with a new and fresh look. “My hope is that operators will work with their vendors to provide unique experiential events, leaving passengers with that last impression and experience before they depart,” Stiene adds. Clear Channel’s Sayer believes experiential activations are going to become even more modular with turnkey displays. “This will allow them to move the brand activation around to different airports and take advantage of the conferences and events happening locally around an airport,” he says. “I also think you could anticipate an increased use of technology like temporary digital screens sharing AI-informed travel tips as well as intentional programs driving travelers to post or share their experience with a brand on social media. And as more consumers transact via mobile devices you can look for more three-way partnerships between media vendor, airport concessionaire and a third-party brand – known as the ‘holy trinity’ in airport retail advertising and marketing sales vernacular.” Avolta’s Remoundos thinks that experiential retail will move beyond pop-ups to become a more permanent fixture in the airport. “Through thoughtful planning of permanent engagement zones, we can host activities based on passenger interests, trends and seasonality,” she says. “Experiential retail will be increasingly driven by data to curate hyper-personalized customer experiences.”

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AX NEWS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2025