Dubai’s reputation as a shopping city rests on the malls, but the actual bargains are at the edges of town: The Outlet Village near Dubai Parks and Dubai Outlet Mall on the Al Ain road, where last-season stock from the same brands you saw at full price in Dubai Mall sells at 30 to 70 percent off. Winter is the time – the Dubai Shopping Festival (expected mid-December to mid-January) piles extra discounts on top, and the open-air Outlet Village is pleasant to walk around when it is 24°C rather than 44°C.
The Outlet Village, Jebel Ali
Built to look like an Italian hill town – terracotta façades, cobbled piazzas, a bell tower – The Outlet Village has around 125 outlet stores: Armani, Hugo Boss, Coach, Michael Kors, Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Swarovski and a large Level Shoes outlet. Discounts are typically 30–50 percent off the last full price, more during sales. It is small enough to cover in two hours and next to Dubai Parks and Resorts (Motiongate, Legoland, Real Madrid World), which makes a natural family split: theme park in the morning, outlets while the children nap. Open 10:00–22:00, until midnight on Thursday to Saturday. Bus 22 from Ibn Battuta metro; otherwise 35 minutes by taxi from the Marina.
Dubai Outlet Mall, Al Ain Road
The older and larger of the two, Dubai Outlet Mall has some 240 stores and goes deeper on mid-market and sports brands – Adidas, Nike, Puma, Levi’s, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Timberland, Carter’s – plus department-store outlets. Discounts run higher, often 50–70 percent, at the cost of a less curated feel. It is 25–30 minutes from Downtown by taxi (about AED 60) on the Dubai–Al Ain road, with free parking, a food court and a small kids’ zone. Open 10:00–22:00, later at weekends. Worth it if you are equipping a family for a season; The Outlet Village is the better half-day out.
Dubai Shopping Festival and the sales calendar
The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is the reason shopping-focused visitors come in winter: city-wide sales, raffles, fireworks and late opening hours, expected from mid-December 2026 to mid-January 2027 (dates to be confirmed). Both outlets run DSF promotions on top of their standing discounts, and the post-Christmas week is when new markdowns land. Outside DSF, the big sale windows are the Dubai Summer Surprises (July–August, but you are not here for that) and Eid.
Tax-free shopping for tourists
Tourists can reclaim the 5 percent VAT on purchases of AED 250 or more at participating shops, including both outlets. Ask for a tax-free tag at the till (Planet Tax Free), keep the receipts, and validate at the airport self-service kiosks before check-in; the refund lands on your card within days, minus a fee. On a AED 3,000 shopping day that is about AED 130 back – enough for the taxi.
Where to stay near the outlets
Nobody stays for the outlets alone, but families doing Dubai Parks often base themselves nearby: Lapita Hotel is inside Dubai Parks, and the Marina and JBR hotels are 30 minutes away – see our Dubai Marina and JBR hotel guide. For Dubai Outlet Mall the Downtown hotels are closest. For everything else on where to shop, start at shopping in Dubai in winter.
Good to know
The Outlet Village for designer and premium brands and a pleasant open-air setting; Dubai Outlet Mall for bigger discounts on sports and mid-market brands and more choice.
Taxi is easiest – about 35 minutes from Dubai Marina, 45 from Downtown. Bus 22 runs from Ibn Battuta metro station on the red line.
Yes. Both are open daily; Friday hours start at 10:00 and run late. Weekend afternoons are the busiest.
Expected from mid-December 2026 to mid-January 2027; the 2025/26 edition ran from 5 December to 11 January. Dates are announced in the autumn.
Yes, 5 percent VAT is refundable on purchases of AED 250 or more at participating shops. Get a tax-free tag at the till and validate at the airport before departure.
