UAE Travel Trend: Airfares To South Asia See A Spike Amid Eid al-Fitr Travel Rush

You are already well aware of the situation in the Middle East. As a result, there are only limited flights operating from the UAE. However, if you were planning a weekend away for Eid al-Fitr, chances are that you were met by soaring airfares. Yes, for the week Eid al-Fitr weekend, the UAE to South Asian countries are seeing a spike in airfares, and here’s all you need to know about it.

Airfares See A Hike During Eid Weekend

As revealed in a report of the Gulf News, flights to destinations like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are facing an airfare hike. This comes as there is festive demand and a shortage of available flights. If you check the price on several travel aggregator websites, it shows a spike in the prices of airfares. For instance, a direct economy flight from Dubai to Mumbai is priced at AED2,045 for travel between March 20th and 23rd. Similarly, those to Delhi are priced at AED2,885.

Why Is There A Spike In UAE To South Asia Airfares?

The current situation in the UAE also plays a role in the spike in airfares. Although the demand for leisure travel has mostly dropped, residents who are heading home to meet their families are mostly the ones who are flying. Travel companies have revealed how many are flying back to their home country for a short holiday, and there is especially high demand in South Asian countries. But mostly, there is a demand for those who are travelling for emergency purposes. Basically, these are people who have to travel no matter what due to instances like a medical emergency or work-related purposes.

Also Read: What Are The Home Surveillance Camera Rules That Abu Dhabi Residents Must Follow?

There’s A Limited Airline Operation

This surge comes due to the limited airline operations across the Middle East. Moreover, about six million passengers have already been affected by flight disruption. So, the airlines are facing rising operational costs, especially due to fuel. Jet fuel prices have seen a rise ever since the conflict started, with prices in Asia rising by about 80% and doubling in Europe, as mentioned by Reuters.

And with Eid al-Fitr weekend here, the situation is not getting any better. Since this is one of the busiest travel periods in the UAE, there are few seats available, and demand continues to remain strong, especially for South Asian expatriates who wish to travel to their home.

While UAE carriers continue to show a relatively stronger performance, this comes at a time when disruption levels continue to remain uneven across airlines.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/Aflo Images from アフロ（Aflo）(Cover image is for representative purposes only)