Retail Comes Close To $1 Billion For Qatar Airways In Historic Year

The strongest results in the history of Qatar Airways Group were released on Monday, with retail subsidiary Qatar Duty Free (QDF) making a strong contribution. The airline, whose home base is Hamad International Airport in Doha, produced a record-breaking profit of QAR7.85 billion ($2.15bn), soaring by 28% from $1.7 billion a year earlier.

Revenue grew by only 6.3% to QAR85.64 billion ($23.5 billion) for the 12 months ending March 31, 2025, illustrating how the airline’s partnership strategy, carefully planned route development, in-flight service, and agility in the face of an unstable political and economic environment have paid off.

Last week, the airline also agreed to a huge order of Boeing jets (up to 210) during Donald Trump’s visit to Qatar, boosting the beleaguered aircraft manufacturer beset by safety and production issues.

Meanwhile, the 100% holding, QDF Company, which operates the entire over-430,000 square feet retail offer at Hamad International, increased its share of the airline’s revenue. In the 12 months to March, QDF’s sales across more than 200 retail and food and beverage (F&B) outlets grew by 12% year-over-year, processing over 15 million individual transactions in the period.

The 12% figure is less than the 18% reported earlier this year directly by QDF for calendar 2024, suggesting that there has been a softening of sales in the first quarter of 2025, which is the retailer’s 25^th anniversary year.

Helping QDF last year were record-breaking passenger numbers at the Qatar Airways hub. In 2024, traffic reached 52.7 million, up by 15% to keep it in the top tier of ACI World’s ranking for busiest international airports at #10. The airport slipped down a place from the year before as Hong Kong International returned to the Top 10 (at #9) after a very delayed revival due to post-Covid caution, but finally went into overdrive last year (up 34%).

How Qatar Airways benefits from duty-free

For FY25, Qatar Airways broke out its duty-free goods and beverages revenue, which reached QAR3.56 billion ($977.2 million). All of it is likely to be derived from QDF, but the retailer did not confirm this at the time of writing.

This year, there is an extra level of activity in terms of stores opening in the newly inaugurated concourses D and E, adding to A, B and C, plus high-profile 25^th anniversary activity, which included two weekends in May when there was 25% off on almost everything.

Revenue is therefore expected to soar and Thabet Musleh, Qatar Airways’ chief retail and hospitality officer told me that this year he would be upping the experience level at Doha’s Hamad Airport “and leading with concepts that no other airports have deployed,” an example being the existing Dior Luxury Beauty Retreat, the world’s largest and the first in an airport. (A detailed interview with Mr. Musleh will appear soon.)

Qatar Airways Group CEO, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer has described QDF “as the heartbeat of our passenger-focused operations”, rare praise from an airline head, most of whom barely acknowledge their retail business (if they have one). It underlines the crucial role that the carrier believes that shopping and F&B plays in its overall operation.

QDF’s vision will continue with what it calls “ground-breaking” projects, including major campaigns. These have included igniting the thrill of Formula 1 (the airline is a partner), featuring an airport F1 car display, racing simulators, and race-themed dining experiences; big luxury-label activations such as Chanel’s Winter Tale; and the beauty-focused Yves Saint Laurent’s Summer Mirage.

As part of QDF’s 25th anniversary celebrations it is also launching at least 25 new retail and F&B concepts this year while parent Qatar Airways expands services to Toronto and São Paulo from June.