Global travel retail is on a confident upward trajectory in 2026. International air passenger numbers surged 10.4% in 2024 compared to the prior year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 3.8%, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). More travellers in the air means more eyes — and wallets — in airport duty-free stores, and spirits brands are capitalising on every moment of it.
Duty-free sales are now expected to drive much of the growth in prestige spirits worldwide through 2029, as consumers who have pulled back on high-end purchases in domestic markets continue to treat travel as an occasion for premiumisation. The global travel retail spirits sector is projected to reach well beyond US$10 billion in retail value, and the race to claim shelf space at Changi, Dubai, Heathrow, and beyond has never been more competitive.
“Duty-free sales are expected to drive much of the growth in prestige spirits worldwide through 2029 — the channel has become a critical engine for the entire premium segment.”
So which spirits are winning? Here is Expedixo’s breakdown of the best-selling and fastest-growing categories and brands in global travel retail right now.
The Top 5 Best-Selling Spirits in Travel Retail
Scotch Whisky
Johnnie Walker
The undisputed king of global travel retail. Johnnie Walker has held the top-selling brand position in the channel for over three decades. Its breadth — from Black Label to Blue Label and beyond — captures every type of traveller, from gift-buyers to serious connoisseurs. The brand grew nearly 8% in volume in a recent reporting year, continuing to underpin Diageo’s global travel retail performance. The recently launched Johnnie Walker Blue Label Azure is the brand’s latest premium push aimed squarely at the channel’s most aspirational shoppers.
American Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s
A consistent top-five performer across global airports, Jack Daniel’s benefits from universal brand recognition and strong gifting appeal. Brown-Forman’s travel retail strategy has increasingly focused on premium extensions and exclusive packaging, helping the Tennessee whiskey hold its ground even as Scotch and agave spirits grow their share. The recent unveiling of The GlenDronach House Editions through Brown-Forman GTR signals the group’s broader ambition in premium travel retail whisky.
Scotch Whisky
Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal holds a strong position in global duty-free, particularly in Asia Pacific where blended Scotch remains a gifting staple. Pernod Ricard’s travel retail arm has been highly active in 2026, with the Chivas Regal Crystalgold innovation generating considerable buzz at airports across the region. The brand’s strength in emerging travel markets such as India reinforces its long-term position in the channel.
Hennessy
Hennessy remains the dominant force in the cognac category — historically the most profitable international spirit category for duty-free retailers. The brand has navigated headwinds after certain markets restricted resupply of cognac in late 2024, creating short-term disruption. Despite those challenges, Hennessy’s global recognition and deep roots in Asian travel retail ensure its continued prominence. Moët Hennessy’s broader portfolio approach, including rum brand Eminente, reflects a diversified strategy for the channel.
Absolut
Rounding out the traditional top five, Absolut maintains solid travel retail volume through strong price positioning and gifting-friendly packaging. While vodka’s value growth in the channel has been more measured — posting around 5% compared to agave’s explosive gains — Absolut’s widespread airport presence and Pernod Ricard stablemate advantages keep it reliably in the upper tier of global duty-free bestsellers.
The Fastest-Rising Category: Agave Spirits
If there is one story defining travel retail spirits in 2026, it is the ascent of agave. Tequila and mezcal posted value growth of 56% in travel retail in recent reporting periods — a figure that dwarfs virtually every other category. At the premium-plus and prestige-plus price brackets, growth rates were even more extraordinary, reflecting a traveller base that is increasingly educated about and willing to pay for ultra-premium agave expressions.
Patrón El Alto — a blend of extra añejo, añejo, and reposado Tequilas — has already become the second best-selling prestige-plus Tequila in the channel, commanding nearly a 30% market share in its segment. Activations in India’s fast-growing duty-free market at Delhi and Mumbai airports have been complemented by summer campaigns at UK and Spanish airports tied to Ibiza’s club scene.
Meanwhile, Teremana — Dwayne Johnson’s tequila distributed globally by Mast-Jägermeister — has made a significant mark on the channel’s premium shelf, introducing the brand to millions of international travellers who may not have encountered it domestically.
6 Key Trends Shaping Spirits in Travel Retail 2026
World Whiskies: The New Frontier in Duty-Free
Beyond Scotch, world whiskies are carving out meaningful space on travel retail shelves. Japanese whisky, led by House of Suntory’s Yamazaki and Hakushu, has been a standout performer in Asia Pacific. Suntory opened a dedicated 13.5 sq m shop-in-shop with Lotte Duty Free at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3, a sign of the brand’s confidence in the channel as a priority sales environment.
French malt whisky brand Alfred Giraud has expanded its distribution with DFS Group at airports in Asia and the United States, while Welsh whisky is quietly building a travel retail footprint from a niche but growing base. The world whisky trend reflects a broader palate shift among international travellers, who increasingly seek the unfamiliar and the exclusive when browsing duty-free aisles.
What to Watch in the Second Half of 2026
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is generating major marketing investment across the travel retail channel. Diageo Global Travel has already launched a suite of FIFA World Cup activations across airport locations, and tournament-themed limited editions and gifting packs are expected to drive significant spirits volume as passenger numbers peak during the summer.
Premiumisation shows no sign of slowing. As consumers in developed markets tighten domestic spending, the duty-free environment remains a context where treating oneself to something special feels both justified and accessible. For spirits brands, the airport shelf has never been a more important stage.
“Duty-free sales are expected to drive much of the growth in prestige spirits worldwide through 2029 – the channel hasWalk through Heathrow, Dubai, LAX, or Changi today and watch what actually moves – the brands winning are those executing sharper strategies, not just bigger bottles.” become a critical engine for the entire premium segment.”
For retailers and brands alike, the message is clear: the traveller of 2026 is informed, experience-driven, and increasingly adventurous. The spirits that win the aisle will be those that combine provenance, storytelling, and the irreplaceable sense that what is available here cannot be found anywhere else.
