Eid declared. Don't look now, but your airfare just shot up

A little festive premium is understandable but thrice the amount should be termed fleecing, no?

I am really upset right now. With myself! The thing is, I knew I wanted to travel in August, to club my leave with the Eid Al Adha break. But I did not book my flight months in advance. Not sure what was I thinking when, in early July, despite finding the airfares quite reasonable for the mid-August period, I hesitated to click on the 'Buy Now' button. As my spouse asked me in a rather poignant tone - 'Were you waiting for the fares to go down?'
Who books their tickets weeks in advance? 'Smart people,' she said (she'd secured hers and the kids' tickets much in advance for her July travel). There must be plenty of 'smart people' in Dubai, then. For, when I finally got around to casually checking the airfares yesterday, I almost couldn't believe my eyes. I double-checked if I'd mistakenly searched for the 'First Class' or if I'd selected three passengers instead of one. Neither was the case. It was one return ticket and the price was only a little less than what the rest of my family (spouse, one 12+ child, and one under 12) spent on their return airfare when they booked in advance.
Yes, it is Eid and a lot of expats will want to travel to celebrate it with their loved ones, but is that reason enough for airlines to hike the airfares by, what, three times? A little festive premium is understandable but thrice the amount should be termed fleecing, no? I know - it's jeemand and shupply, but whatever happened to competitive pricing?
Friends and colleagues have suggestions for me. 'Try with cookies off,' one said. Excuse me, I've been off cookies since April! 'Noooo, I mean of the computer.'
Ermm. tried that without much luck. 'Book two one-way tickets and add a stopover,' another advised. Doesn't work out any cheaper. Only longer. 'Did you know that 3pm on a Tuesday is the best time to book tickets?' What, wait another day and let the airfares soar even higher - thanks but no thanks. 'Book group travel - it always works out cheaper.' Now you want me to go around looking for co-passengers? 'Staycation?' Oh, c'mon! Does anyone have any sane suggestion for me?