Airport Experience® News - Retail Issue 2026

Left: On-premise meets off-premise at Dufry’s Blinded Tiger at JFK, where the company embedded a speakeasy-style cocktail lounge, Blinded Tiger, in its duty-free liquor and tobacco store.

One of the perks of traveling abroad is snagging a few luxury goods at the nearby duty free shop. But as wars and sociopolitical unrest continue to rattle the global economy, do international travelers still want to engage in buying items beyond the essentials? As global conditions and consumer behavior continue to evolve, duty-free operators and airports alike are innovating to ensure the sector’s ongoing appeal. While attitudes toward luxury spending are in flux, consumers are still shelling out, according to the latest Bain-Altagamma Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study. FREE Local Offerings, Experiential Approaches Drive Duty Free Gains BY SARAH BELING DEVELOPMENTS

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AX NEWS SEPTEMBER 2026