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UAE National Day long weekend: Flight ticket fares soar up to Dh2,500 to India

Travel industry experts note that December is the peak season for residents travelling back to their home countries

The upcoming long weekend for the UAE National Day has seen a surge in ticket prices to India and Pakistan. Travel industry experts have noted that December is the peak season for passengers travelling back to their home countries – in particular India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

This, they note, is due to the long weekend for UAE National Day, which falls on Friday, December 2. Residents will get a long break during this time from December 1 to December 4.

Post National Day, the school winter break will also occur on December 11, lasting until January 2, 2023.

Travel executives say fares are priced as high as Dh2,500 for a one-way ticket in certain sectors. “We have been receiving heavy demand for south Indian sectors, and ticket price start from Dh700 and go up to Dh2,500 for a direct flight from Abu Dhabi and Dubai,” said Harish Melath, sales and marketing executive at Deira Travels.

A quick search on an online ticketing platform for tickets to the Indian city of Kannur in November shows one-way ticket prices of Dh350. The same route during the long weekend in December shows rates starting from Dh700.

“I am traveling to Kerala, India, just after the National Day break, as fares were too high during the long weekend. I paid Dh6,300 just for two-way tickets for my four-member family. During off-peak times, airfares are typically half this price,” said Yahiya Mohammed, a Dubai resident.

“The ticket price to North Indian cities has also been quite high compared to regular prices but, to Pakistan, it has increased, with a starting fare of Dh 450,” said Melath.

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Industry experts also mentioned that residents are opting out of going on vacation for National Day to places in the Caucasus region, and are choosing to schedule travel to their home towns only once the winter break commences.

“We have received just a handful of family inquiries to travel during the National Day holiday. But the number of people wanting to meet their families back in their home countries is definitely high,” said Melath.

Ranju Abraham, operation director of Tours on Board, said they had recorded a heavy demand from individuals who have their families back in their hometown. He noted that a large number of individuals, such as bachelors, are making sure to travel during the break so that families may travel after, during the winter break.

“Families prefer a budget three-day vacation to nearby destinations, so their children don’t miss out on school,” said Abraham.

Taha Siddique, Owner of Siddique Tours and Travels, said he has consistently recorded heavy bookings to India during the National Day for a few years now. “My clients travel during the long weekend to their hometowns. And this National Day, too, I have received many bookings and inquiries on airfare. They travel when and if the airfare doesn’t burn a hole in their pockets,” he said.

“Many of my clients are flying from Dubai to South Indian cities on November 30 and December 1 for a week or ten days to spend time with their families,” added Siddique.

He also mentioned that many of his clients are travelling on December 12 for nearly twenty days and will return to the UAE post the New Year break.