With airfares climbing sharply on several UAE-bound routes, some residents are changing their return dates, choosing alternative airports and delaying family travel to avoid the peak-season surge expected in late August and early September.
The annual summer return rush is putting pressure on popular routes from India to the UAE, prompting families to compare different travel dates and arrival points before booking their flights.
For some travellers, waiting a few days has resulted in savings of thousands of dirhams.
Family delays return to save Dh3,200
Fazil, whose family is currently in Kochi, initially planned to bring his family back to the UAE towards the end of August. However, uncertainty over his employment delayed the booking.
Once his job was confirmed, he began looking for tickets but found fares significantly higher than expected.
A travel agent quoted around Dh7,000 for four passengers travelling from Kochi to the UAE during the first week of September.
Rather than pay the higher fare, Fazil returned to the UAE earlier to resume work, while his family will travel on September 15. The later booking brings the total fare down to about Dh3,800 — a saving of approximately Dh3,200.
“For a family, the difference becomes huge,” Fazil said, explaining that waiting several days was preferable to paying thousands of dirhams more.
Travellers look beyond Dubai airport
Other UAE residents are finding savings by comparing fares to different airports.
A. Tiwari, whose family is in Delhi, found that flights to Abu Dhabi were considerably cheaper than tickets to Dubai for the same date.
The family of four was looking at September 3 travel. While flights from Delhi to Dubai were averaging around Dh1,200 per passenger, tickets to Abu Dhabi were available for approximately Dh850.
That translates to a saving of about Dh350 per traveller, or roughly Dh1,400 for the family.
Tiwari said travelling through Abu Dhabi remains practical because his family lives in Dubai South. After landing, they can continue their journey by taxi or private car.
The experience highlights how comparing UAE airports can make a noticeable difference to the overall cost of family travel.
Return rush expected to continue into September
Travel industry professionals say demand for flights into the UAE remains particularly strong as residents return from their summer holidays.
Bharath Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels, said the strongest demand is expected to continue until around September 10.
A large number of UAE residents travel to their home countries during the July and August school holidays before returning ahead of the new academic year. This seasonal rush is contributing to higher fares on several busy routes.
According to Aidasani, passengers who have flexibility in their schedules may benefit from postponing their journey.
Airfares are expected to become more competitive once the main return wave begins to ease and additional lower-priced seats become available.
How UAE travellers can reduce flight costs
For families planning their return, flexibility could be key to reducing expenses.
Travellers can compare flights on different dates, check fares to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and consider travelling after the peak period where possible.
The savings can become particularly significant for families travelling together, as even a few hundred dirhams saved per ticket can translate into more than Dh1,000 in total.
With demand expected to remain elevated through early September, residents returning from their summer break may find that changing their travel date or airport could offer substantial savings.
