Due to a sharp spike in ticket costs last winter—more than fifty percent—many UAE citizens were forced to scramble to modify their vacation plans.
Travel specialists in the area underlined that many locals have had to reconsider their original plans to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve in their home countries as a result of this abrupt increase. As a result, more and more people are choosing to enjoy the holidays in the United Arab Emirates, where the spirit of celebration is in full flow.
Lakshmi Anand, Managing Partner of S&T Travel Dubai, stated in an interview with No Brokerage Dubai that “flight tickets have increased by 50 to 60 per cent in December 2023 since the school holidays started.” In contrast to summer vacations, when prices are in the Dh2,000 area, famous tourist destinations like Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan have flights starting at Dh3,200. Due to the increasing demand, land packages to these locations have also escalated. This winter, flights to home nations including India, Pakistan, and the Philippines will witness a 50% increase until the second week of January 2024.
Industry veterans say that even nations like Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Albania, where residents of the United Arab Emirates may apply for e-visas and have their visas issued in three to four days, have experienced a sharp rise in airfare. “As a result, travellers are having trouble completing the vacation packages,” she continued.
Travel operators often highlight the fact that families usually take a winter vacation to return home. But in order to get better deals, people who do this typically book many months in advance.
Residents express disappointment at the sharp rise in ticket prices, saying they are ready to go home and spend time with their family.
“My husband and I were initially thinking of travelling to Paris, but getting leave was an issue for my husband,” French expat Marie Dubois stated. Then, a coworker of his who had previously requested a leave of absence cancelled his plans because of an emergency in his family (here). Unfortunately, the cost had significantly increased by the time we could purchase our tickets.
“I looked up the prices and saw that a round-trip ticket on Emirates to Paris cost more than Dh4,200 per person. Air France was similarly comparable. Even a nonstop trip on Gulf Air cost each passenger almost Dh3,300.