Eid Al Fitr: Airfare prices skyrocket to double as demand soars

Dubai News

As the Eid Al Fitr holiday season approaches, airfares to popular destinations have surged by two-fold in the UAE, and this increase in prices can be attributed to the growing number of residents looking to travel as more Covid-19 restrictions are lifted globally. Eid Al Fitr is expected to begin on April 21 if the Moon is sighted.

Most of the companies have sold out their Eid holiday packages by the end of March as the demands are high this year as all markets are open and free from Covid-19 restrictions.

Some of the most popular destinations include Pakistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Armenia, and Switzerland, which are conveniently located four to five hours away from the UAE.

As travel becomes more accessible, more individuals are opting to explore different countries during the holiday season, resulting in an increase in airfare prices.

Moreover, the availability of budget-friendly travel packages has made it easier for people to plan and book their vacations. Many airlines and hotels are offering attractive discounts and deals to encourage people to travel.

Nevertheless, the demand for an affordable vacations with budget destinations like Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Albania remains high; probably due to their affordability and visa-friendly policies or simply due to travel restrictions being uplifted. Either way, people seem to be eager to avail the opportunity and make the most out of the long weekend.

Peak pricing

An economy-class one-way ticket on Emirates Airline to Islamabad, Pakistan, usually goes for about Dirham 1,000 or less during the off-season.

Prices during this Eid week, however, are currently more than Dirham 2,000.

A one-way ticket from Abu Dhabi to the Maldives on Etihad is between Dirham 500 to Dirham 550, except for April 20, when the price rockets to Dirham 3,350.

Usual prices for return tickets to and from places like Georgia is Dirham 800, but now they are more than Dirham 2,000.

It was cheaper to fly from Abu Dhabi than Dubai.

With Eid approaching, travellers from the Middle East are planning their trips to make the most out of their time and prioritising quality time to spend with family and friends abroad, and with so many great places to choose from, the options can be overwhelming.

The 10 most-searched countries from the UAE were Pakistan, India, the UK, Egypt, Philippines, Italy, Indonesia, the US, Maldives, and Thailand.

Dubai resident Dr Javairia Hassan is travelling to Islamabad with her husband, two children and parents to spend Eid holidays with their extended family.

She said she paid Dirham 15,150 for Emirates flight tickets — a cost that would have been “much less” if it was not during peak season.

“Ticket prices are sky rocketing this time of the year,” she said. “We always fly with Emirates and we spent almost the same that we did on our UK trip recently.”

But travelling to her home country was important for Dr. Hassan this year, who has not been there since the pandemic hit in 2020.

“It’s absolutely a peace of mind that after so long we can easily fly whenever we want, especially on Eid,” she said.

“Eid is naturally the best time for reunions with family and enjoy some seasonal meals.

“Our plan is to spend some quality time with family and friends.”

On April 8, Dubai’s low-cost airline flydubai announced a flash sale to 20 destinations, just in time for the holidays. It runs until April 20 for flights between April 15 and 23.