As summer vacation comes to an end, some residents returning to the UAE have found themselves grappling with high airfares that have made direct flights a luxury many can no longer afford. To counter the rising costs, they have opted for connecting flights with layovers in other countries, despite the added travel time.
Alex J., a 52-year-old Canadian national residing in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), is returning to Dubai with his family from Montreal and will have two layovers in Europe. He mentioned that by choosing this route, he would be saving Dh1,200 per person, totalling savings of approximately Dh6,000 for the entire family.
“A direct flight from Montreal to Dubai is priced at Dh3,700 for one person with a travel time of 13 hours. However, a connecting flight, with a total travel time of 28 hours, will cost me around Dh12,000 for five tickets,” said Alex.
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“On our way back we will explore Venice, where we will have a 6-hour layover. We will also have a 7-hour layover in Vienna. With this much time in our layover, our journey wouldn’t be tiring. It’s like we are taking a break during our flight,” said Alex.
Schools in the UAE are expected to reopen on August 26, which has put pressure on families to secure flights as soon as possible. However, with the exorbitant prices of direct flights, connecting flights or flying to neighbouring countries have become a popular choice.
Ammar B, a businessman and resident of Abu Hail, is returning to Dubai with his family. He faced steep costs for a direct flight from Mangalore to Dubai, amounting to approximately Rs300,000 (Dh13,150).
However, by opting for a connecting flight via Muscat, he managed to cut the expense nearly in half. “The price of direct flights have almost doubled since we left for our summer vacation. We noticed a significant difference in fares by choosing a route through Muscat,” said Ammar.
Ammar will be travelling on August 24 with his wife, five children, and parents — nine people in total. “For a direct flight, each ticket costs us Rs35,000 (Dh1,534), but by booking flights to Muscat, which cost us just Rs12,000 (Dh524) per ticket, we’re saving over 70 per cent on this leg of the journey,” said Ammar. This significant saving is a huge relief for the large family as they make their way back to Dubai.
In addition to the savings, Ammar has decided to make the most of his time in Muscat by spending two days at his brother’s place. “This stopover will allow us to break up the journey while enjoying some quality time with my brother’s family and other relatives,” said Ammar.
After their stay in Muscat, the family plans to travel by car to Dubai. The five-hour drive from Muscat to Dubai will conclude their journey, allowing them to arrive in Dubai refreshed and ready to settle back into their routine. “Not only am I saving money on our trip, but I am also getting to spend quality time with my brother’s family. Our children will have more time together before they all resume their academic journeys,” said Ammar.