Dubai: UAE residents planning a short holiday trip close to UAE National Day break next month face a steep rise in travel costs, even by 30-40%.
That means fares to in-demand visa-free or visa-on-arrival short-haul destinations like Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Nepal, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan are going to see such spikes. For longer haul destinations, ticket rates could increase by as much as 80-90% in some cases.
“While many UAE expatriates are waiting for the official holiday dates, most anticipate the break will fall from November 29 to December 2,” said Rashid Abbas, Chairman of Arooha Travels. “Many have already booked their trips from November 29 through December 3.
“Some families and groups of friends are planning to leave a day or two earlier or later to make the most of the holiday period.”
Anyone with such getaway plans should confirm their tickets at the earliest.
Visa-free destinations
“Many families who already booked are choosing holiday packages averaging Dh3,500 to Dh4,500 per person to these destinations,” said Abbas.
A study from Musafir.com revealed that 45% of UAE travellers seek 3-4-night short breaks to nearby destinations, including Kyrgyzstan, Maldives and Azerbaijan, for the upcoming break. “70% of UAE travellers prefer traditional tourist activities and 30% seek unique experiences,” said Raheesh Babu, COO of Musafir.com. “There is also growing interest in destinations like Tunisia and Morocco.” (The online travel agency has seen a 35% increase in travel bookings for the UAE National Day break from last year.)
What are fares looking like?
After Summer 2024’s skyrocketing fares, these dropped to more affordable levels throughout September and continue until mid-November, said Sapna Aidasani, Head of Marketing at Pluto Travels.
Direct Economy fares from UAE to Tbilisi, Georgia, for travel from November 28 until December 3 is at Dh2,005 (Air Arabia), 58% higher than current levels (Dh1,268). Fares to Bahrain (Dh889) and Riyadh (Dh468) – also popular short-trip destinations during National Day break - are also affordable during the long weekend.
Flights to Yerevan, Armenia, average Dh1,567 during the break, 21% higher than mid-November levels.
During the next holidays, fares to Istanbul are Dh1,294, and Tashkent fares average between Dh1,375 and Dh1,694. Almaty, another popular short-haul destination, have tickets at Dh2,640 for the break.
Lower costs to London
Direct fares to London are at an affordable Dh2,409 (Virgin Atlantic) during the break, only 20% higher than mid-November fares of Dh2,010. But even here, spikes are on the way.
“London and European fares are expected to skyrocket ahead of the Christmas and New Year break,” said Sapna. For the long break, airfares to many European destinations are averaging between Dh2,070 (Rome) to Dh3,800 (Stockholm).
“Many UAE residents began booking tickets - and hotel rooms - for the late November break weeks in advance in anticipation for the fares to rise,” she added.
Abbas says many travellers who wait until the last minute to book tickets have raised enquiries with travel agencies. “This category of travellers will wait until the holiday dates are announced to book their tickets,” he added.
Group trips
Group-based departures are also gaining popularity among UAE travellers. This is because it often offers better cost savings, which UAE travellers are particularly interested in, especially the younger ones. “Notably, younger travellers are gravitating towards budget-friendly destinations with packages ranging from Dh2,500 to Dh3,500 per person,” Abbas added.
