A KT analysis found that travellers with flexible schedules ahead of the summer holiday season could still save hundreds of dirhams by adjusting their departure dates.
With the Eid Al Adha weekend starting on May 22 for some residents in the UAE, travellers are still deciding whether to book flights immediately or wait a few days in hopes of lower fares, as ticket prices continue to fluctuate across key routes.
A review of one-way fares listed on flight booking platforms on May 21 found noticeable variations depending on departure dates, with some routes showing price drops on select days.
The analysis found that travellers with flexible schedules ahead of the summer holiday season could still save hundreds of dirhams by shifting their departure dates by just a few days, although fares on several high-demand routes remain elevated.
Significant fare differences were observed across key routes. On the Dubai–Islamabad route, one-way tickets for May 25 departures ranged from Dh1,684 to Dh1,882, while fares for May 29 dropped to as low as Dh669.
A similar pattern was seen on Lahore flights, where May 26 departures often exceeded Dh1,000, but prices for May 28 and May 29 fell to around Dh688–Dh723 on select options.
Istanbul fares also fluctuated sharply, with some direct flights on May 25 priced above Dh2,100, while May 28 and May 29 departures were available from around Dh1,400.
Cairo routes showed comparable trends, with May 25 flights near Dh1,900, while some May 29 fares dropped to around Dh816.
However, not all destinations saw significant reductions, with routes such as Kochi remaining consistently expensive due to strong demand during the Eid travel period.
According to Binsiya Ferbin, many UAE residents are now booking earlier than in previous Eid seasons to secure better fares before prices rise further. She added that while long-haul travellers are booking in advance, some passengers are still waiting for last-minute deals on short-haul routes.
Binsiya Ferbin said destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Maldives, and Turkey continue to see strong Eid demand, alongside family travel routes including India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Lebanon.
She added that airlines are expected to increase capacity on busy routes closer to Eid, particularly to South Asia and popular leisure destinations, which could lead to limited promotional fares on select sectors. “Small fare drops may appear if airlines add more seats, but overall the trend is upward as cheaper fare categories sell out quickly,” she said.
Another travel industry executive, Jaffer Manu, said booking patterns this Eid season differ from previous years, with some UAE residents becoming more cautious about spending due to regional uncertainty and business concerns. He noted that travel is increasingly seen as a non-essential expense for many families, prompting more careful budgeting.
He added that while destinations like Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey remain popular, more residents are also exploring shorter and more budget-friendly options such as Salalah.
Despite occasional fare drops on select dates, industry experts say overall airfare trends are expected to remain high over the next seven to ten days as Eid and summer travel demand continues to build.
Recent insights from Skyscanner showed a 51% surge in outbound travel searches from the UAE on May 26 compared to the previous week, with travellers increasingly flexible on dates, routes, and stopovers to balance cost and convenience during the peak holiday season.
