Dubai Duty Free Now Accepts UPI Payments From Indian Travellers

Indian travellers visiting Dubai can now make purchases at participating Dubai Duty Free outlets using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), with an additional 10% discount on eligible transactions, capped at AED100.

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), announced the facility on Nov 5.

The initiative allows Indian visitors to pay directly through eligible bank accounts linked to their UPI applications, providing an alternative to cash and foreign currency payments.

Travellers must activate UPI International or UPI Global services through their UPI-enabled applications before making payments overseas.

The service must be linked to an eligible Indian bank account that supports international UPI transactions.

Once activated, customers can use their applications to pay at participating Dubai Duty Free terminals where UPI acceptance is available.

Network International will serve as the acquiring partner, facilitating UPI payments across the retailer's participating payment terminals.

Dubai Duty Free operates at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, serving passengers travelling through the emirate.

The arrangement expands the availability of Indian digital payment services at international retail destinations.

It also provides travellers with another payment option while shopping abroad, reducing their reliance on physical cash.

Under the promotional arrangement, eligible purchases made through UPI will qualify for a 10% discount, subject to a maximum benefit of AED100.

For instance, an eligible purchase worth AED500 would attract a discount of AED50, while the benefit would be capped at AED100 for qualifying purchases of AED1,000 or more.

The offer forms part of NIPL's efforts to expand international acceptance of UPI at overseas retail establishments.

However, the discount applies only to eligible transactions at participating terminals.

Travellers should review the offer's terms and conditions, including applicable restrictions and eligibility requirements, before making purchases.

They should also ensure that international UPI payments are enabled through their banking applications to avoid difficulties at checkout.

The initiative strengthens UPI's presence in Dubai's retail payment ecosystem and offers Indian passengers greater flexibility when shopping at airport outlets.