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Travelling back to UAE? Residents change dates, airports to save on late August flights
Earlier, Khaleej Times reported that airfares on some UAE-bound routes had more than doubled by late August, with the steepest increases on busy Indian sectors
- PUBLISHED: Wed 12 Aug 2026, 6:00 AM
As airfares remain high on several UAE-bound routes, some residents are changing travel dates, flying into different airports and delaying family trips to reduce the cost of returning after the summer break.
Earlier, Khaleej Times reported that airfares on some UAE-bound routes had more than doubled between the second and final weeks of August, with some of the steep increases seen on busy Indian sectors. Now, travellers said that they are adjusting their plans rather than paying peak fares during the end-of-August and early-September rush.
Family delays return to save Dh3,200
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Fazil, whose family is currently in Kochi, had initially planned to bring them back to the UAE towards the end of August. But uncertainty over his job meant he held off from booking tickets for the family.
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“Initially, I was planning to bring my family back to the UAE towards the end of August. But at that time, there was some uncertainty about my job, so I did not want to spend a large amount on tickets without knowing what would happen. Later, my company called me and confirmed that I would continue, which was a big relief,” he said.
By the time he started checking fares, prices had climbed. His travel agent told him that tickets for four people from Kochi to the UAE during the first week of September would cost around Dh7,000.
Fazil decided to return earlier on his own because he needs to resume work, while his family will travel on September 15. By waiting until after September 10, the fare for four people is around Dh3,800, saving the family about Dh3,200.
“For one passenger, you may somehow manage the higher fare, but when you are booking for the whole family, the difference becomes huge. We would rather wait a few extra days than spend thousands of dirhams more,” he said.
Flying to different airports
A. Tiwari, whose family is in Delhi, found another way to reduce the cost. Instead of booking tickets to Dubai for September 3, the family of four will fly to Abu Dhabi.
“The average fare we were finding from Delhi to Dubai was around Dh1,200 per person. When we checked Delhi to Abu Dhabi for the same date, we found tickets for around Dh850,” he said.
That works out to a saving of about Dh350 per passenger, or around Dh1,400 for the family of four.
Tiwari said the change is convenient because the family lives in Dubai South. “Abu Dhabi is not very difficult for us. Once we land, we can take a taxi or arrange a car and drive back home. Even after considering the road journey, we are still saving a good amount compared with buying four tickets directly to Dubai,” he said.
“For a family, you have to look at the total cost and not just one ticket. Dh300 or Dh350 may not look like a huge difference for one passenger, but when four people are travelling together, it adds up.”
Strong demand until September 10
Travel agents said these changes are becoming more common as passengers try to avoid the most expensive travel period.
Bharath Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels,said that demand for UAE-bound flights is expected to remain strong until around September 10.
“We are seeing heavy demand for flights coming into the UAE, especially towards the end of August. A large number of residents are returning after the summer break, and this is keeping airfares high on several busy routes,” he said.
Aidasani said prices are expected to ease once the main return rush passes. “The demand should remain strong until around September 10. After that, we expect airfares to come down as the number of passengers returning reduces and more lower-priced seats become available.”
He added that travellers who are not tied to a fixed date could save by delaying their journey by a few days.
“If travellers can wait until after September 10, they are likely to find better fares compared with the end of August or the first week of September.”
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.