Dubai International Airport is a hub for travelers from across the globe, renowned for its exceptional shopping options at Dubai Duty Free. As of August 1, Russian travelers have even more reason to celebrate as Dubai Duty Free now accepts Russian rubles, enhancing the shopping experience for international visitors.
A Dubai Duty Free spokesperson confirmed this update, citing a response to the growing demand from customers, as reported by the Russian News Agency Tass. In the first half of 2024 alone, over 44.9 million passengers traversed through Dubai International Airport, with 1.3 million of them hailing from Russia.
“Russian rubles have been accepted at our exchange offices for some time, and we are now integrating this into our point-of-sale systems due to the increasing number of Russian visitors,” the spokesperson elaborated.
This strategic move aims to make shopping at Dubai Duty Free more convenient for the rising number of Russian travelers passing through the airport.
Despite significant disruptions earlier in the year due to the most severe storm in UAE’s history, which resulted in over 1,000 flight cancellations and 61 flight re-routes, Dubai International Airport handled more than 44.9 million passengers between January and June. From April to June alone, the airport saw a traffic surge, accommodating 21.8 million passengers, marking a 7.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.