UAE summer airfares to London, Istanbul, New York crash - tickets as low as Dh1,300

Fares from Abu Dhabi to global holiday destinations are even more affordable compared to ticket prices for flights departing from Dubai International Airport. For example, tickets from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai are available for Dh708 for travel between July 15 and 31.

"We are seeing a much more manageable increase in airfares this July," said Rashid Abbas, Managing Director of Arooha Travels. "In some cases, fares to some CIS and Indian destinations have dropped to lows of Dh610 to Dh800. The prices are certainly more attractive than what travellers have had to contend with in the last couple of years,” he said.

Lowest since 2020?

Are these airfares the lowest since 2020? “Yes and no. In some cases, the fares are dramatically low. However, to certain European destinations, travellers still need to shell out Dh2,500 to Dh3,800 for a last-minute ticket. Still, it is far lower than the prices we have been seeing since 2022, where ticket prices rose to exorbitant levels,” said Abbas.

“If you are seeking a direct flight from Dubai to London, Stockholm, Lisbon or Barcelona, fares are still in the Dh2,500 to Dh3,000 levels. However, some European destinations, especially flights operated by budget carriers (Eurowings, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi), are selling tickets from Dubai to Paris for Dh2,815, for example. Flights to Berlin are available for Dh1,860,” said Afi Ahmed, Chairman, Smart Travels.

Last-minute results

Here are some great last-minute deals for under Dh2,000 for travel from July 15 until 31

From Dubai

Dubai to Tbilisi on flydubai Dh1,300

Dubai to Istanbul on AJet Dh653

Dubai to Chisinau, Moldova on Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Dh538

Dubai to Cairo on Air Arabia Express Dh1,430

Dubai to New York on United Airlines Dh2,945

Dubai to Bangkok on Emirates Dh3,763 (direct

From Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi to Yerevan on Etihad Dh618  

Abu Dhabi to Manama on Etihad Dh415

Abu Dhabi to Muscat on Etihad Dh485

Abu Dhabi to Istanbul on Etihad Dh1,006

Abu Dhabi to Athens on Etihad Dh1,635

From Sharjah

Sharjah to Istanbul on AJet Dh706

Sharjah to Doha on Qatar Airways Dh755

Sharjah to Tbilisi on Air Arabia for Dh1,432

From Ras Al Khaimah

RAK to Mumbai on IndiGo Dh742

RAK to Istanbul on AJet Dh653

Is demand waning?

According to travel agents, one of the main reasons for the drop in fares is the changing behaviour of UAE residents when it comes to travel. “For example, couples and bachelors usually plan their trips home during off-peak months to take advantage of cheaper airfares,” said Sapna Aidasani, Head of Marketing at Pluto Travels.

“People are no longer travelling for one to two months at a stretch, but rather for shorter durations of two to ten days. Travellers are now returning sooner."

She said the trend has changed towards shorter trips, typically a week, ten days, or fifteen days. "On return, they break their holiday again and are opting for destinations closer to the UAE, such as Azerbaijan or Schengen nations (if visa allows). Africa is also gaining popularity. Many residents have adjusted their travel plans and are now considering destinations beyond India," Sapna added.

Moreover, corporate leaves rarely exceed twenty days, and employees prefer to break up their travel into two to three trips a year. She said Dubai residents generally prefer not to stay away from home for extended periods, usually returning by the first week of August. “They then plan their subsequent trips during the winter or Diwali, often breaking their summer travel into two shorter holidays," she said.