In Pictures: India-UAE ticket rates are only heading in one direction for now

It was a given that once UAE-India flight services resumed, the rush would be on. But as more airlines announced the relaunch of services on this sector, the belief was that rates would stick to their COVID-19 phase levels – but that’s not how this is shaping up.

If in August ticket rates from the UAE to India cost a little over Dh450 one-way on average, these have shot up by more than a double in recent weeks. India’s decision to further delay launch of full international commercial services is pushing rates ever higher, with a ticket to Delhi going for a whopping Dh5,000 on Diwali (November 4)

John Gollar of Uranus Travels says the recent IPL matches and the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup have also added pressure to the surge in ticket prices. “Air fares will rise further due to peak season travel,” he said.

So, if anyone has plans to make a trip to India this month, he or she will be facing quite a mark-up on the ticket. Because frequency of flights are yet to come anywhere near the 4-5 daily flights that individual airlines used to operate in 2019.

The upward pressure on rates is also extending to budget airlines. flydubai prices an Economy ticket to India in the Dh750 to Dh1,500 range. Indian carriers such as Go First, Indigo and SpiceJet operate one-way flights from UAE to India at Rs12,000 to Rs15,000, while a round trip costs Rs40,000.

In a departure from current trends, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi is offering tickets to three destinations in Kerala for under Dh500. But these are specifically to mark the airline’s launch of services to that south Indian state.

An Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Kochi costs between Dh1,200 to Dh1,400. Fares to Bengaluru have risen to Dh1,500 from 1,200 from just a month earlier.

Flights to Mumbai cost around Dh1,900 and airfare to Delhi hover around Dh2,400, making it one of the costliest destination in India. But, according to industry sources, these Delhi trips are costing a whole lot more these days.

Economy class tickets on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai have climbed to Dh3,200-3,500. All these fares mentioned are for one-way tickets.

Emirates remains the most in-demand airline followed by flydubai, IndiGo and Air India Express.

It’s not just air fares, even hotel rates have increased three-fold, said Gollar. “Most of the three- and four-start hotels are witnessing huge demand irrespective of their location. This demand has pushed prices up. A hotel room that was costing Dh110 is priced at Dh300.”

Not that any of this is deterring Indians want to board a flight to the UAE. They have got the Expo and the T20 matches to come to this month.

And who knows – India might just start allowing full international flight services from December? Or will that be in January?