Dubai Shopping Festival 2026: dates, discounts, raffles, what to buy

The short version

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is a 6-week shopping marathon from mid-December to end of January. 25-75 % off in malls, daily raffles, street shows, weekend fireworks. The best time to buy luxury in Dubai — prices actually drop, not just marketing.

2026 dates (provisional)

DSF officially starts Dec 13-15, 2026 and runs through Jan 28-29, 2027. Exact dates published in August at myfestival.ae. 47 days of shopping in parallel.

Sub-festivals inside DSF:

• DSF Opening Weekend: Dec 13-15, big fireworks at Burj Park, lights show
• NYE Period: Dec 30-Jan 2, the absolute peak — hotels and malls overloaded
• DSF Final Sale: Jan 22-29, last and biggest discounts

Where the discounts land

(1 200+ shops)

• Mid-range (Zara, H&M, Mango): 30-50 % off
• Luxury (Gucci, Dior, Chanel): 20-40 % off
• Sport (Nike, Adidas): 30-60 % off
• Electronics (Apple authorised): 5-15 % off (Apple minimal)

Mall of the Emirates (570 shops)

• Similar to Dubai Mall, slightly weaker luxury, stronger mid-range
• entry 30 % off during DSF

Dubai Outlet Mall (240 shops)

• Outlet mode year-round, +20-40 % off during DSF
• Where last-season luxury sits at 70-80 % of retail
• Brands: Coach, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein

Souks (Gold, Spice)

• Not officially DSF-affiliated, but prices flex
• Gold by weight +8-12 % making charge (vs the usual 12-18 %)
• Another 15-30 % negotiable on top

Citizen vs tourist pricing

• Most shops are one price for everyone
• Tax Refund layered on top for tourists (see below)

Raffles and odds

The main ones:

DSF Mega Raffle (Range Rover Velar or Sport)

• Spend 200+ AED at any partner mall → coupon
• Weekly draw on Wednesdays
• 6 cars across the festival
• Real odds ~1:80 000 (official stats)

Infiniti car raffle

• Similar, Infiniti QX series
• 2 cars total

DSF Gold raffle

• 1 kg of gold (worth ~250 000 AED)
• Coupons at and Carrefour
• Once per DSF

1-million dollar raffle (Mega Raffle)

• Spend 500+ AED at a DSF partner → entry
• Drawn at festival close
• 1 winner per DSF

Tax Refund for tourists

VAT 5 % is in the price. Tourists refund through Planet Tax Refund:

• Min purchase: 250 AED per receipt
• Window: 90 days from purchase
• Where: Planet kiosks at DXB Terminals 1/2/3 (before passport control)
• Real return: ~4.3 % (after 0.7 % fee)
• Payouts: cash, card, Apple Pay

Tip: ask the cashier to process Tax Refund right away — they sometimes forget.

What's actually worth buying

Definitely:

• Cosmetics (Estée Lauder, Lancôme) — 30-50 % off + tax refund
• Perfume (Chanel, Tom Ford) — often below Europe
• Sportswear (Nike, Adidas, Puma) — 30-60 % off
• Bags and luxury accessories (Coach, MK, Tory Burch outlet)
• Electronics if purchase 1 000+ AED (refund margin matters)

Think twice:

• iPhone and Apple — official prices above US, little upside
• Watches: Rolex, Patek — Cup prices, possible upside via DTM shops with bigger discounts
• Gold by weight if you know the carat market

Skip:

• Mall food, usually pricier than City Walk locals
• Common medications — buy at home
• Tobacco — no duty advantage

DSF events

• Burj Khalifa Light Show — daily 18:30 and 19:30, free from Souk Al Bahar
• — peak activity, 30 AED entry
• Dubai Fountain extended hours — till 23:00
• Outdoor concerts — City Walk and Bluewaters, free
• Sky display (drone show) — Dec 31 and Jan 1

When to fly in

• Dec 13-22 — opening week, fireworks, calmer malls (prices not yet maxed)
• Dec 23-Jan 2 — peak, very expensive hotels, best skid days at New Year
• Jan 3-15 — calmer, discounts deepen
• Jan 22-29 — Final Sale, lowest prices

What to bring

• Large suitcase (for the new shopping)
• Card with no foreign-transaction fee (Wise, Revolut)
• Tax Refund process knowledge
• Passport in the mall — original needed for refund
• Comfortable shoes — the malls are huge

Tip: a DSF-focused trip should base in Downtown (Dubai Mall) or Mall of the Emirates. Marina and JBR are further from shopping centres — taxis add 30-60 AED a day.

If you want a DSF trip with a hotel in the right area and dates picked for max discounts, message us.