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Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah: Which UAE airport offers cheapest flights this summer?
Khaleej Times compared return airfares to find travellers could save hundreds of dirhams simply by choosing a different departure airport
- PUBLISHED: Sat 11 Jul 2026, 6:00 AM UPDATED: Sat 11 Jul 2026, 9:02 AM
Flying from the airport closest to home may not always get you the cheapest ticket. A Khaleej Times analysis of return airfares from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah found that travellers could save hundreds of dirhams on some routes simply by choosing a different departure airport.
The comparison looked at airfares for the same travel dates to 13 popular routes, including destinations in India, Pakistan, and Egypt, as well as holiday hotspots such as Istanbul, Baku and Tbilisi.
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Among the routes analysed, Abu Dhabi offered the lowest fares on the majority of destinations checked, while Sharjah and Dubai emerged as the cheapest on several others.
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How KT compared fares
The comparison was based on the lowest available return economy fares listed on Booking.com for one adult travelling on the same dates. Searches were carried out on July 10. Since airfares are dynamic, prices may change depending on demand and availability.
Does the airport really make a difference?
Yes.
On several routes, the fare difference between airports ran into hundreds of dirhams for a single passenger.
For families, the savings could be even greater. A difference of Dh250 per ticket, for example, would translate into Dh1,000 for a family of four. The price difference is mainly because airlines do not operate the same routes from every airport. Some destinations have more competition, while low-cost carriers mainly operate from specific airports, resulting in lower fares on selected routes.
Travelling home?
The analysis found that Abu Dhabi offered the cheapest fares on most of the Indian routes checked.
A return ticket to Mumbai started from Dh1,206 from Abu Dhabi, compared with around Dh1,500 from Dubai. For Kochi, fares started from Dh1,376 from Abu Dhabi, while the lowest fare from Dubai was around Dh1,959.
On the Delhi route, however, Sharjah emerged as the cheapest option, with return fares starting from Dh1,171, compared with higher fares from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The trend continued on other Indian routes, with Abu Dhabi offering the lowest fares to Chennai, Kozhikode and Bengaluru.
The picture was different for Pakistan.
For Karachi, the cheapest return fare started from Dh1,083 from Dubai, while Sharjah offered the lowest fare to Lahore, starting from Dh1,450.
Among other popular destinations, Abu Dhabi offered the lowest fare to Cairo, while Dubai was the cheapest for Jeddah, with return fares starting from Dh1,001.
Cheapest airport by destination
| Destination | Lowest departure airport | Lowest return airfare | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | Abu Dhabi | Dh1,206 | ||
| Delhi | Sharjah | Dh1,171 | ||
| Kochi | Abu Dhabi | Dh1,376 | ||
| Kozhikode | Abu Dhabi | Dh1,256 | ||
| Chennai | Abu Dhabi | Dh1,236 | ||
| Bengaluru | Abu Dhabi | Dh1,672 | ||
| Karachi | Dubai | Dh1,083 | ||
| Lahore | Sharjah | Dh1,450 | ||
| Cairo | Abu Dhabi | Dh1,915 | ||
| Jeddah | Dubai | Dh1,001 | ||
| Istanbul | Sharjah | Dh1,222 | ||
| Baku | Abu Dhabi | Dh1,501 | ||
| Tbilisi | Sharjah | Dh1,631 |
Planning a holiday?
The analysis also found noticeable differences in fares to popular holiday destinations.
For Istanbul, the cheapest return fare started from Dh1,222 from Sharjah.
Travellers heading to Baku could find the best deal from Abu Dhabi, with fares starting from Dh1,501, while Sharjah again emerged as the cheapest option for Tbilisi, with return fares starting from Dh1,631.
The findings suggest that travellers planning a holiday should compare fares from all three UAE airports instead of searching from just one departure point.
Is it worth driving to another airport?
In many cases, yes. If the fare difference is only Dh50 or Dh100, travelling to another emirate may not be worthwhile.
However, when the saving runs into several hundred dirhams per passenger, driving to another airport could make financial sense, especially for families.
Travellers should also factor in fuel, parking or taxi costs, baggage charges and flight timings before making a final decision.
Things to remember before you book
A few extra minutes comparing fares could make a noticeable difference.
Before booking, travellers should:
Compare fares from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Check nearby travel dates if their plans are flexible.
Compare both low-cost and full-service airlines.
Look at baggage charges before choosing the cheapest ticket.
Include the cost of travelling to the airport in the overall budget.
Is there an airport that consistently offers cheap flights?
The Khaleej Times analysis found that there is no one airport that consistently offers the cheapest flights.
While Abu Dhabi offered the lowest fares on most of the routes analysed, Sharjah emerged as the cheapest on several destinations, and Dubai remained the best-value option for others.
For travellers booking summer flights, spending a few extra minutes comparing fares across all three UAE airports could result in significant savings, particularly for families travelling together.
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.