As airfares on several routes to the UAE surge, many residents are modifying their travel arrangements to avoid peak prices. Some are shifting their return dates, choosing alternative airports, or postponing family trips to reduce expenses after the summer break.

Reports indicate that ticket prices on certain UAE-bound flights more than doubled between mid and late August, with the steepest increases observed on busy routes from India. In response, travelers are seeking ways to minimize costs during the high-demand period spanning late August to early September.

Delaying Travel to Save Thousands

Fazil, whose family is currently in Kochi, initially planned to bring them back to the UAE at the end of August. However, uncertainty about his employment status delayed his ticket purchase. After his company confirmed his job continuation, he found that fares had risen significantly.

His travel agent quoted approximately Dh7,000 for four tickets from Kochi to the UAE in the first week of September. To save money, Fazil chose to return earlier to resume work, while his family postponed their trip until September 15. By traveling after September 10, the family secured fares totaling around Dh3,800, saving about Dh3,200.

“For one passenger, you may somehow manage the higher fare, but when you are booking for the whole family, the difference becomes huge. We would rather wait a few extra days than spend thousands of dirhams more,” Fazil said.

Choosing Alternative Airports

A. Tiwari, with family in Delhi, opted to fly to Abu Dhabi instead of Dubai to reduce costs. Tickets from Delhi to Dubai for September 3 were averaging Dh1,200 per person, while flights to Abu Dhabi on the same date were around Dh850 each.

This change saved approximately Dh350 per passenger, or Dh1,400 for the family of four. Tiwari noted that since his family lives in Dubai South, traveling from Abu Dhabi by taxi or car was still convenient and cost-effective.

“For a family, you have to look at the total cost and not just one ticket. Dh300 or Dh350 may not look like a huge difference for one passenger, but when four people are travelling together, it adds up,” he explained.

Strong Demand Expected Until Mid-September

Travel agents report that such adjustments are increasingly common as passengers try to avoid the most expensive travel period. Bharath Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels, said demand for flights to the UAE remains high until about September 10 due to residents returning after the summer break.

“We are seeing heavy demand for flights coming into the UAE, especially towards the end of August. A large number of residents are returning after the summer break, and this is keeping airfares high on several busy routes,” he stated.

Aidasani anticipates that prices will decline once the peak return period ends. “The demand should remain strong until around September 10. After that, we expect airfares to come down as the number of passengers returning reduces and more lower-priced seats become available.”

He advised travelers who have flexible schedules to consider delaying their trips to benefit from lower fares. “If travellers can wait until after September 10, they are likely to find better fares compared with the end of August or the first week of September.”