Sydney Airport is giving away $1 million to shoppers

Sydney Airport is giving away $1 million to encourage more travellers to shop duty free.
Anyone who spends at least $50 in a retailer in any of the terminals is in with a chance to win the life-changing sum.
Sydney Airport will also give away significant monthly prizes as part of the promotion.
READ MORE: Here’s everything you need to know about shopping at DFO in Sydney.

Next time you’re heading through Sydney Airport, just know that you could walk (or fly) away a millionaire.

Announced this week, Sydney Airport has ponied up $1 million and will be giving the life-changing sum away to shoppers making a $50 (or more) purchase at any participating retailer in T1 International or Domestic Terminals 2 and 3 during the promotional period (March 17, 2025 to August 1, 2026).

And yes, it’s your typical “shop to win” competition but the prize is considerable. Especially since there’ll be numerous weekly and monthly prizes popping up as well, digging up all kinds of gift cards, luxury getaways, tech bundles and more to give away to lucky shoppers.

The monthly prizes are as follows:

Australia’s Taronga Zoo Ultimate Retreat Prize Package for Two Adults (Valued at up to AUD$2,000)
Apple Prize Package (Valued at up to AUD$3,395)
Australia’s Gold Coast Theme Park Adventure for Two Adults & Two Kids (Valued at up to AUD$5,420)
Luxury Escapes travel experience to Bali, Indonesia for Two Adults (Valued at up to AUD$8,700)
Ultimate Sydney Experience (Valued at up to AUD$1,345)
Luxury Escapes Travel Experience to Adelaide, South Australia for Two Adults (Valued at up to AUD$5,200)
A Flight Centre Voucher (Valued at AUD$5,000)
Samsonite Luggage Collection Prize Package (Valued at AUD$3,562)

The process is simple. When you make a purchase at any participating stores across Sydney Airport’s extensive retail offering, you just need to scan a QR code and give your email. You can grab multiple entries based on how much you spend as per below:

$50 – $99.99 = 1 entry
$100 – $199.99 = 5 entries
$200+ = 15 entries per $200 spent

A Duty Free Renaissance

According to a recent report by Technavio, the global duty-free retailing market is estimated to grow US$22.74 billion from 2025 to 2029. Travel retail research agency M1nd-set found that in-store experience is becoming more valued than the inevitable cost savings when it comes to duty free shopping, suggesting that things like design and experiential features play a big part in encouraging travellers to shop before or after their flight.

The benefits of shopping duty-free are well known and mostly have to do with savings. By avoiding import taxes and duties, people are able to grab more luxurious goods for less money. It’s long been used as a tactic for savvy travellers to constantly live the high life while still budgeting.