Airport Electronics Inc. (AEI ) Retail was established in 1995 to operate retail stores in Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. For over 19 years, AEI independently developed and managed multiple specialty retail, news, and gift stores in Atlanta (Hartsfield-Jackson) and New York (Laguardia and JFK) Airports.

Three influential concepts with enduring retail impact were City News, Atlanta City Store, and ZONA.

In 2012 AEI entered the international luxury travel business as a partner in Duty-Free Americas Peachtree LLC. The joint venture operates two large traditional duty-free stores and seven specialty branded boutiques in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

AEI expanded its international luxury travel ventures in 2012 through its partnership with DFS Group — operating ten Duty-Free stores in New York's JFK Terminal 4, Delta Airlines' new International hub, and an operating base of nearly a dozen other international carriers.