UAE travel: Airfares could get cheaper in coming weeks – News

Hijri holidays are expected to lead to sector-specific price spikes

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Airfares are likely to drop in the coming weeks, Emirates Travel said.

They said this was due to the initial summer peak having subsided, although prices may rise in some sectors due to the looming Hijri holidays.

The first fortnight of the school holidays is the most popular time for travel, but also the most expensive, according to online travel agency Skyscanner. “Data from Skyscanner shows that travelers can save an average of 10 per cent on travel during the week of 19 August compared to early July, which translates to an average savings of Dh760 for a family of four.”

is speaking khaliki eraTP Sudheesh, General Manager, Deira Tourism Board, said: “Historically, prices start to drop from the second week of July. This has been a prediction and is also supported by past data. Ticket prices are determined by market demand. After the peak summer season, the prices will drop. I would say the peak this year is from June 20th to July 15th. So after the seasonal peak subsides, the ticket prices will drop from August 20th to September 10th It’s going up again. This is because around August 29th is the Onam festival and schools will reopen around that time. So not only will there be an increase in inbound arrivals from the subcontinent to the UAE, but European expatriates will also return to the country.”

Anticipating exceptions, Sudheesh added: “A few countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia may not experience a drop in traffic and prices. People who have not traveled back home may consider taking a three- to four-day vacation to these neighboring countries. Around the third week of July, we will have Hijri New Year, but we don’t know yet if it is a public holiday. If it is declared a public holiday, then people may take a slightly longer break during this time and may Want to travel to these countries that offer visa-on-arrival options, needless to say these countries are fairly close to the UAE.”

As the long-awaited Eid al-Adha holiday draws closer, residents making last-minute travel plans have seen airfares jump significantly.

According to research conducted by online travel agency Skyscanner, 91% of UAE tourists have decided to travel abroad this summer; however, almost half (48%) have yet to book a holiday.

According to the company, only 4% of UAE tourists are actively looking for travel deals during what the company calls “the cheapest week in summer”.

Raja Mir Wasim, manager of international travel services, said: “Prices are directly related to demand and supply. Last week, due to the Eid holiday, many people wanted to travel, so the demand was high. Therefore, prices initially increased. But from next week, prices Volatility is likely to stabilize and more fare options are expected to be offered.”

“Even first class and business class were full until (earlier) this week. But with the peak holiday season coming down for a while, prices will normalize soon,” he added.

But Reena Philip, managing director of AirTravel Enterprises, took a slightly different view, saying the early signs didn’t suggest that would happen anytime soon.

Philip said: “I think it will be a while before airfare prices come down. I checked a destination in India a few days ago and frankly it still hasn’t gone down. Usually we do see price drops after the initial seasonal peak , but so far it hasn’t happened. So, we’ll just have to wait and see.”