According to a comparison conducted by Khaleej Times, the cost of flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on several popular destinations more than doubled between the second and last weeks of August. This increase is linked to residents preparing for their return from summer vacations before the resumption of the academic year and regular work activities.
However, the price hike is not universal. While fares from some Indian cities and Beirut increased, prices from Karachi, Lahore, and New York remained stable or even decreased during the same period.
KT compared the available one-way economy class fares for travel in the second week of August with fares for the last week of the month. The check covered flights from India, Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon, London, and New York to UAE airports.
Fares on some routes more than doubled
One of the most significant increases was noted on the Bengaluru-Dubai route. A direct IndiGo ticket that cost 828 dirhams on August 13 reached 1694 dirhams by August 30, representing an increase of over 100 percent.
A similar jump was observed on the Kochi-Dubai line. An IndiGo ticket that cost 1424 dirhams on August 13 rose to 2943 dirhams by August 30. Other options from Kochi also became more expensive, increasing from approximately 1098 to 1887 dirhams.
Fares from Kozhikode rose from about 1174 dirhams in the second week to the range of 1956–2022 dirhams in the last week. The cost of flights from Hyderabad to Dubai increased from 857 to 1321 dirhams, and from Mumbai to Dubai—from 780 to 1095 dirhams. Delhi-UAE routes showed a more moderate increase, rising from approximately 877 to 1167 dirhams. Fares from Beirut to the UAE increased from 831 to 1423 dirhams, while there was only a slight increase from Cairo—from 1066 to 1132 dirhams.
Not all routes became more expensive
This trend was not evident on several other routes. A direct Karachi-UAE ticket, which cost about 919 dirhams on August 11, was available for approximately 792 dirhams on August 30. Lahore-UAE fares also dropped from approximately 1226 to 1062 dirhams. Direct flights from New York to Dubai remained almost unchanged, at around 2880 dirhams, and connecting options also showed general stability.
Prices in London varied depending on passenger choice between direct and connecting flights. Some connecting options maintained a price of around 797 dirhams, while direct flights were significantly more expensive.
Highest demand observed in southern Indian states
Subair Tekepuratvalappil, Senior Manager at Wise Fox Tourism, noted that the highest demand is recorded in the Southern Indian sectors, as seats are filling up quickly from Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. He predicts that fares are expected to rise sharply starting around August 26 and remain high until September 5, as residents return to the UAE before the start of the school year. According to him, prices are likely to stabilize after September 10.
Pavan Pujari from Luxury Travels stated that the last week of August is becoming particularly busy as families plan their return trips. He emphasized that there is a clear increase in demand for flights to the UAE at the end of August, as many families aim to return before schools open, and the most convenient direct flights are filling up quickly.