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UAE flights: Airfares see 30% increase as Eid Al Fitr, school holidays overlap
Eid is expected to fall on March 31 this year, while schools in the UAE will begin their spring break on March 18
- PUBLISHED: Thu 6 Mar 2025, 4:41 PM
Travel experts in the UAE are observing a rising trend in inbound travel for Eid Al Fitr this year, thanks to the favorable weather conditions.
Meanwhile, despite a slowdown in business travel, airfares across the country continue to climb by at least 20 per cent as Eid Al Fitr holidays will partly coincide with the school spring break.
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Eid is expected to fall on March 31 this year, while schools in the UAE will begin their spring break on March 18.
Raheesh Babu, COO, musafir.com said, “We've observed a surge of 30 per cent in holiday bookings during the Eid and Spring Break period. There has been an increase in outbound travel.”
Destinations such as Switzerland, Italy, Latvia, South East Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, African countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Zanzibar and CIS countries such as Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan remain the preferred choice for families.
Residents invite family, friends for Eid
Babu added, “Travel fares have increased by approximately 15-20 per cent compared to last month. This hike is primarily driven by heightened demand during Eid and Spring Break, due to last-minute bookings.
“Additionally, there’s a growing trend for inbound travel within the UAE, as residents seize the opportunity to invite family and friends for Eid celebrations. The holiday bookings have increased by approximately 25 per cent this month compared to last month. This increase is driven by a strong interest in outbound travel to popular destinations,” he added.
Meanwhile, several UAE-based, regional, and international airlines are increasing flights to meet the growing demand.
Concurring with this outlook, Reena Philip, General Manager Operations Airtravel Enterprises and Tourism LLC said, “Airfares have increased by 20-30 per cent this year during both Eid and school vacations, as the two coincide. Typically, airfares rise during school holidays or Eid separately, but with both occurring together, the increase is even higher. Many people choose to travel back to their home countries during this period. We’re seeing a significant number of holiday travel inquiries for Europe, though most people lack a Schengen visa, and appointments for visa applications are still unavailable.
“Business travel has slowed down by about 30 per cent due to the Ramadan season, but it is expected to pick up in the third week, as the fasting period will almost have ended by then.”
Japan thrives amid ongoing Expo success
Certain destinations like China and Japan continue to do well, even for business travel, as the Expo in Japan will be running until March 16.
“Japan is doing well, primarily due to the Expo. Saudi Arabia is currently on hold due to Ramadan, so visa issuance has paused. On the other hand, China is seeing good business performance,” said Lakshmii Annand, Managing Director, TravelzMind.
She added, “We earlier had packages available five to six months ago, along with special offers, but for new bookings, the rates are considerably higher. Vietnam this year is particularly doing well. Bhutan continues to attract attention as well. Additionally, Albania is also gaining interest, especially for travellers with a US visa, as they can get a visa on arrival.”
