UAE airfares to remain high until August 2025

UAE residents hoping to travel during Eid Al Fitr, Spring Break, or summer are urged to book their flights soon. Airfares to popular destinations like India, the UK, the US, and Europe have already increased by 30-50% this year. Prices are expected to remain high until August due to overlapping travel demands and limited airline capacity. The overlap of Eid and school holidays is a major factor in rising airfares. Rikant Pitti, CEO of EaseMyTrip, explained that this combination drives significant travel demand. Many travelers are returning home, while others are looking to visit European destinations. Business travel has slowed during Ramadan but is expected to pick up soon. Some travelers plan to combine work trips with family vacations, adding to the demand for flights to destinations like Switzerland, Italy, and Thailand. Pitti believes these trends will keep airfares elevated. Airlines are responding by adding capacity, such as new routes and extra flights, which may help lower prices gradually. For example, current economy fares to New York could drop significantly by September. Despite these adjustments, global aircraft delivery delays continue to affect airline expansion. There is currently a record backlog of 17,000 new aircraft. This means it will take almost 14 years to clear the backlog at current delivery rates. Looking ahead, airfares are expected to keep rising in 2025. Musafir, a travel agency, predicts a 2-14% increase in global airfares due to rising fuel costs and inflation. Even as some costs decrease, ongoing supply shortages will likely prevent significant fare reductions.