With the end of summer break and the start of the new school year gets closer, travel and tourism agencies in the United Arab Emirates have noted that return flight reservations to the Emirates are almost fully booked, with bookings reaching full capacity by mid-August.
This increase in ticket prices has been caused by a significant rise in demand, particularly from major European and Asian cities.
Emirates Daily stated that the increase in demand is mostly due to UAE citizens eager to come back before the start of the school term. This high level of demand has caused airfare prices to increase significantly, with fares going up to 50% higher than their usual rates. A high-ranking employee at a top tourism firm has verified that seats on flights are extremely limited from mid-August to September 10, giving little opportunity for last-minute bookings.
Nations like Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria have experienced significant rises in airfare costs, with round-trip tickets from Cairo reaching as high as 3,000 dirhams due to sudden high demand. Nonetheless, the emergence of budget airlines in the UAE has helped to control the increase in air ticket prices, giving travelers cheaper alternatives based on their preferred airline.
As per a sales director from another tourism company, return ticket prices from favorite Arab destinations have surged from 1,700 dirhams to 2,500 dirhams, while flights to Europe now cost between 2,200 dirhams and 3,000 dirhams. On occasion, the cost of round-trip tickets to Europe has reached up to 5,000 dirhams.
An expert in tourism noted a more than 50% increase in return ticket prices to the UAE from popular destinations, particularly Asian routes reaching high prices of 6,000 dirhams, a significant change from the usual rates seen all year.
To avoid the high expenses, it is recommended for travelers to plan their journeys ahead of time and choose to travel during off-peak times, like weekdays, when prices are typically lower.
