UAE residents head for Eid, summer holidays as airfares zoom past 2019 levels

Dubai: Airfares from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to popular holiday spots have finally shot past pre-Covid levels, as demand runs strong among UAE residents for travel and extended breaks this Eid and upcoming summer.

Ticket prices to summer-time holiday choices - Turkey, Thailand, London, Indonesia, Singapore (which attracts business plus leisure travellers), and European destinations – are now ‘at least’ 15-20 per cent higher compared to 2019,

We are witnessing an increase in ticket prices across all markets. Rates are still steady to a few destinations like Georgia and Azerbaijan.

- Sapna Aidasani, Marketing Director at Pluto Travels

The UAE recorded a staggering 34 per cent increase in ticket prices between Q4-2019 (when was the period just before Covid turned into a pandemic) and Q4-2022. International travel from India saw the highest increase, with a 41 per cent spike, followed by UAE, Singapore (30 per cent) and Australia (23 per cent).

These are based on Airports Council International data for the Asia-Pacific region.

How are airfares stacking up?

Return Economy rates to Istanbul (for travel from July 1-20) average Dh1,741 (on Pegasus Airlines and flydubai) compared to about Dh1,500 in 2019. Return airfares to Bangkok (on Emirates) are going for Dh3,965-Dh4,384, compared to the Dh2,154 summer fares four years ago.

Those to London are at Dh3,019-Dh4,252 (on British Airways) compared to Dh1,779 in 2019.

India-UAE airfares, for example, have also jumped by 20-26 per cent against 2019 levels, especially to cities with high VFR (visit friends and family) demand, said Afi Ahmed, Managing Director of Smart Travels.

Travel at any cost

Despite the high rates, there is no slowdown in demand for travel. Skyscanner’s latest survey revealed that 55 per cent of UAE residents would like to travel somewhere they have never been before for the upcoming break.

Ayoub El Mamoun at Skyscanner, said, “87 per cent of travellers (survey size of UAE 1,000 residents) are planning to get away for the upcoming holidays.”

Despite continuing delays in getting new Schengen visas, travel demand to European nations is also experiencing an all-time high.

Ghassan Al-Khatib, Head of Products and Partnership at ember Lifestyle, a luxury travel and concierge service

The requests we have for Italy are insane, followed by Greece. These are the top-selling destinations for us at the moment.

- Ghassan Al-Khatib, Head of Products and Partnership at ember Lifestyle, a luxury travel and concierge service

According to Sapna of Pluto Travels, “The applicants who have received their visas are travelling irrespective of any or all challenges.”

They are going for longer holidays

Another post-Covid travel trend is taking hold. UAE travellers plan to take longer breaks. “Three years ago, the average time at a holiday destination did not exceed 5-7 days,” said Sapna. “Today, travellers are looking to explore and spend over 15-20 days at holiday destinations.”

UAE residents are booking long-term holiday homes and want to immerse themselves in culture, interact with locals, cook for themselves, and explore the destinations they are travelling to.

Keep in mind, these trends are not limited to millennial or Gen Z travellers.

“People across the board are opting for longer holidays; home country travel is not a priority anymore,” she added.