5 days ago
Some UAE flights full, ticket prices rise sharply as summer break nears end
Most flights returning to the UAE are already full, and the few seats still available are filling up fast as the summer holidays draw to a close and schools prepare to reopen.
Travel agents said that the ticket prices on many routes have gone up sharply, with some destinations seeing fares nearly double compared to earlier in August.
'High demand season'
Mir Raja Wasim, manager at Galadari International Travel Services , said that the demand is high across key routes to the UAE. 'We have seen that sectors like India, Pakistan, Egypt and other countries, where the UAE has a significant population, are very expensive and high in demand,' said Wasim.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
'Flight load is very high and flights are returning to full capacity from these countries with people who had gone on leave. The demand is slightly higher this year as the population has increased,' added Wasim.
According to travel agents, the average ticket price from India is over Dh2,000, and from Pakistan Dh1,500. 'Close to 100 percent of last-minute bookings are getting filled and we have not received any updates on extra flights being put to service,' added Wasim.
Travel agents have also said that the price increase is clear when booking for families. 'If a family is travelling back, prices are around Dh5,000 to Dh6,000 difference. One ticket will have at least Dh1,000 extra when compared with the regular airfares. So by that we can calculate the amount a family of four has to shell out,' said Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager at Wisefox Tourism.
According to Subair, almost every flight from India and other countries has seen a sharp increase in prices. 'If you see the airfare of Air India Express, you will notice that it's the cheapest compared to other airlines. However, those flights are also flying nearly full capacity,' said Subair.
Travel agents also mentioned that the airfare higher compared to last year. 'Every year, we see the airfare spike during the school reopening season, but this year we have noticed that it is higher compared to the previous years. This year, most of them travelled in the middle of June or at the end. So now many are trying to return at the same time,' said Subair.
According to a Khaleej Times analysis, return fares from several countries have risen significantly in the second half of August.
Skyscanner data shows that the cheapest direct flight to Dubai on Emirates is currently about Dh1,300, compared to around Dh2,468 for a direct flight from Mumbai in the third week of August. Layover flights from many sectors in India that cost about Dh1,000 are now priced at over Dh1,500 in the later days of the month. The lowest fare in August is of August 26 at Dh784.
From Pakistan, the cheapest flight from Karachi is Dh750 with one stopover, while Peshawar is at Dh1,044 currently. However, in the third week of the month, an increase of at least Dh400 to Dh600 can be seen.
In Lebanon, a Beirut–Dubai ticket that cost Dh1,751 on 15 August has risen to Dh2,144 on FlyDubai and Dh2,803 on Emirates later this month.
From Egypt's Sohag, a ticket that is Dh931 on August 15 now costs at least Dh1,387 between 21–25 August. The rise is less steep from the UK - London to Dubai fares have gone from Dh1,321 to Dh1,456.
Advice for travellers
Agents say that those who haven't booked their flights yet should either return now or wait until after the first week of September, when fares may drop. 'For those without urgent travel needs, waiting could save money, but there is little chance of finding low fares in the coming days as flights are already nearly full,' said Wasim.
