Like it or not, shopping has become a significant part of the airport and travel experience. The concept of duty-free was introduced as international travel expanded, and passengers could take advantage of buying certain goods without paying certain taxes and duties (as the goods are heading out of the country). Nowadays, many global airports have made shopping the centerpiece of the airport experience, essentially giving passengers an upper-end mall to explore while they wait for their flight.
Most major hub airports offer a typical range of standard duty-free goods, but some have gone above and beyond - let's take a look at five of the best airports for duty-free shopping. 1 Doha Hamad International Airport Placed top in Skytrax awards again The Skytrax Awards is an annual award process that rates airlines and airports in many different categories. This is a passenger-voted awards system, so it implicitly incorporates all these factors.
In 2024, Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) was placed top for shopping, having also achieved this honor in 2023. Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here . Hamad International Airport is a massive facility with one main passenger terminal.
This setup makes shopping easier, with all shops and brands accessible to all passengers. A multiple terminal airport (such as London Heathrow) can struggle with this, as not all brands will be available to all passengers. The main terminal offers 40,000 sq.