Thousands of students will go back to school today as UAE residents resume their regular routines following the two-month summer vacation. Residents who left booking air tickets to the last possible minute are seeing a significant increase in airfares, with some delaying their return to the country as a result.
Despite the sharp increase in airfares, travellers can still find affordable options with the right strategies. Industry experts recommend flexible travel dates, exploring alternative airports, and using price comparison websites and fare alerts to secure the best deals.
Ayoub El Mamoun, a travel expert at Skyscanner, stressed the importance of flexibility and planning. “Be flexible with dates – travelling during less popular weeks such as those who booked tickets in the week of August 12 would have saved up to 11 per cent compared to early July,” he said, speaking to Khaleej Times.
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Rashida Zahid, VP Operations at Musafir, advised residents to book flights during off-peak periods for potential savings.
Choosing alternative airports will also help residents save some cash. As Khaleej Times reported, residents — especially those with large families — are making significant savings by opting for connecting flights instead of direct ones to the UAE.
Zahid highlighted the seasonal influx of residents returning to the UAE as a primary reason for the fare increases. “Increased demand is due to the back-to-school season and end of summer holidays, as many residents rush to return to the UAE before the academic year commences. This has led to a significant influx of residents creating a spike in demand resulting in higher ticket prices.”
These price hikes inevitably impact travellers, especially those travelling for essential purposes such as work or family visits. Zahid said: “Some travel might decrease due to increase in price, however, work-related trips and visits to family during peak seasons remain unaffected.”
Airfares soar
The spike in demand has led to noticeable price hikes across several routes. Zahid noted, “Airfares from India, UK, Egypt, and the Philippines to UAE have seen a moderate increase of approximately 15 – 20 per cent this month compared to the previous months.”
Specific routes, such as those to the south of India and London in the UK, have witnessed the most significant price surges due to the ongoing summer school holiday season. “With a large expat population in the UAE, the demand for flights to India and UK during this period is exceptionally high,” she added.
El Mamoun noted similar trends for flights to European destinations. “Flights from the UAE to popular European destinations like London and Paris have experienced notable price hikes. This is primarily due to increased demand during the summer months, as many travellers from the UAE prefer to escape the heat and enjoy the cooler European climate.
Airfare price fluctuations are common during peak travel seasons and holidays. Zahid pointed out that ticket prices for routes to India, the UK, Egypt, and the Philippines tend to rise during major holidays such as Diwali, Eid, Christmas, and Easter. “The UK sees price surges during summer holidays and Christmas,” she noted, while routes to Egypt peak during the summer and winter seasons and Eid.
Looking ahead, both Zahid and El Mamoun anticipate that ticket prices will remain elevated during peak travel seasons, major holidays, and global events. “Ticket prices remain elevated during peak travel seasons – summer and winter holidays, major holiday seasons – Eid, Christmas, Diwali, Onam, etc.,” Zahid explained.
El Mamoun said flight prices in general are more expensive now across all hauls when compared to the likes of 2019, for a variety of reasons including inflation and fuel prices.
However, he noted that increasing airline capacity and competition, especially from budget carriers, could lead to occasional price drops, particularly when new routes are introduced.