More flights by Indian carriers offer modest fare relief, but strong summer demand keeps prices elevated.
Dubai: Indian expatriates travelling home for the holidays are seeing some relief as airfares on UAE–India routes ease slightly, with airlines restoring capacity and adding more flights to the market.
Travel agents said airfares, which had surged earlier this month due to limited flight availability, strong summer demand and regional disruptions, have eased slightly on some UAE–India routes. However, they cautioned that ticket prices remain higher than last year and could rise again as the peak holiday travel season continues.
Raheesh Babu, COO of Musafir.com, said fares on some UAE–Kerala routes that had climbed to around Dh3,500-Dh3,600 have now fallen to about Dh2,600.
“Availability has improved. The number of flights operated by Indian carriers has increased, so supply has gone up a bit,” Babu said.
However, he noted that fares remain higher than they were at the same time last year. Earlier this month, ticket prices on some July travel sectors had climbed to nearly Dh3,000 before easing.
The UAE–India aviation corridor remains one of the world’s busiest international air travel markets, underpinned by strong demand from business travellers, tourists and the large expatriate community with close family ties between the two countries.
June to August is traditionally one of the busiest and most expensive periods for air travel, as millions of passengers fly during school holidays for family visits and summer vacations. For UAE residents, demand for outbound travel to India, Europe and other popular destinations typically surges during this period.
Airlines generally sell their lowest-priced seats first during peak travel seasons, leaving fewer budget-friendly options available as departure dates approach, which pushes average fares higher.
More flights return
Travel agents said the recent easing in airfares is largely due to the gradual restoration of airline capacity, as carriers resume services that were disrupted by regional tensions.
Zaid Ameen, owner of Go Kite Tours & Travels, said flight operations were affected during the recent regional conflict, with only a handful of airlines maintaining normal schedules.
“During the conflict and in the initial days after the ceasefire, operations were limited. Only Emirates and flydubai were operating at full capacity, while most of the available services were operated by Indian carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India and Air India Express. Flights have now returned,” Ameen said.
He added that the resumption of services by more international airlines has helped improve capacity and ease fares.
“Many international carriers have resumed operations, providing some relief. If more flights are added and additional direct services are introduced, it will help bring fares down further. Salam Air’s Muscat operations have also increased overall capacity,” he said.
Ameen expects fares to remain relatively stable in the near term. “There is a good chance current rates will hold. Oil supplies are improving and crude prices have eased, which is also a positive factor,” he said, adding that fares on some routes have dropped by around Dh300 to Dh400.
On Kerala routes, Ameen said airlines have started lowering fares as demand has eased slightly and more seats have become available.
“The Kerala sector remains expensive, but flights are no longer completely full and tickets are not selling out as quickly, so airlines have had to reduce fares,” he said.
Fares to Kochi, which had climbed to around INR25,000, remain elevated despite the recent decline. “There has also been a slight dip in fares to Calicut following the increase in IndiGo flights,” he added.
Ameen expects fares to move closer to normal levels over the next month and a half as more services are restored, including additional Air India Express flights from regional airports.
Peak summer demand keeps fares elevated
Despite the recent easing, travel agents said ticket prices remain well above normal levels as strong summer holiday demand and reduced flight frequencies continue to support higher fares.
Safeer Mahmood, general manager of Smart Travels, said there is no clear indication that fares are on a sustained downward trend.
“It is only a temporary dip,” he said, noting that ticket prices can change rapidly depending on seat availability and last-minute cancellations.
“Travellers may occasionally find lower fares before July 8, but compared with last summer, prices are still around 15 to 20 per cent higher,” Mahmood said.
He attributed the higher fares to peak summer demand and the fact that airlines have yet to fully restore operations.
“Compared with summer 2025, flight frequencies are still lower, and not all services have resumed,” he said.
An airline source said Air India Express has restored about 80 per cent of its operating capacity in the region, with additional services expected to return in the coming weeks.
“Passengers should look out for occasional fare drops, as cancellations can free up seats and bring prices down. They need to monitor prices closely at the moment,” he said.
Mahmood added that travellers may sometimes find cheaper tickets when cancellations release inventory, but regular price tracking is essential.
“Tracking fares closely would definitely help,” he said, noting that travel agents may also have pre-blocked seats that can sometimes be offered at lower rates.
Small fare drops seen before schools close
TP Sudheesh, general manager of Deira Travels, said a slight dip in airfares has been observed on some routes ahead of the school holidays.
“For Kannur, fares that were around Dh1,500 have dropped by Dh400–Dh500,” said TP Sudheesh.
“The decline began from June 27. With schools reopening from July 3, some last-minute fare reductions are visible,” he said, adding that the trend may be short-lived. “There has been a small drop, but after June 28 fares could rise again as schedules normalise and airlines release more capacity,” he said.
“From July 1, fares could rise again, with rates moving towards the Dh1,300–Dh1,400 range,” he added.
Travellers advised to remain flexible Sapna Aidasani said UAE–India travel demand remains strong, particularly during the July holiday period.
“Travel between the UAE and India remains very strong, especially during the July holiday season,” she said. Sapna Aidasani added that flights are operating from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, with Emirates and flydubai maintaining regular schedules, while some airlines continue to gradually restore capacity.
She said one-way fares on full-service carriers are generally in the range of Dh1,250 to Dh1,500 or higher, while budget airlines are typically priced between Dh850 and Dh1,100, depending on the route and availability.
However, she noted that travellers can still occasionally find lower fares when airlines release unsold inventory or when cancellations free up seats.
“We recently secured one-way fares of around Dh550 per person for a family travelling between Dubai and India, and we also saw Emirates fares ranging from Dh650 to Dh950 on selected flights,” she said.
“These offers are limited and sell out quickly,” she added. Sapna Aidasani said some Dubai–India routes have seen a slight softening in fares for August, though demand is expected to remain strong.
“While fares are elevated during the peak season, travellers who plan ahead, stay flexible and closely monitor the market can still find good value,” she said.
Passengers travelling to India are also required to complete the Air Suvidha 2.0 Health Self Declaration Form before departure. The online form becomes available only within 24 hours of the flight and cannot be filled out earlier.
