No last-minute summer travel deals? Cheaper flights may be gone this week, UAE residents told

UAE residents who have still not booked their summer travel should buy tickets now rather than wait for last-minute deals, travel agents have warned, as lower fare buckets are expected to disappear within days before prices rise sharply in July and August.

“Book now, not later. The classic ‘last-minute deal’ logic does not apply this summer,” Rashida Zahid, VP – Operations at musafir.com, told media. “The current market conditions mean that the waiting game would be tricky on most routes.”

She said June remains a “pre-peak” period, with fares expected to rise sharply in July and August as school holiday travel gathers pace. Airlines have released more seats in lower fare categories after the Eid Al Adha period, but this dip is temporary and should not be seen as a longer-term decline, she added.

“For anyone travelling in July or August, the window to secure lower fare buckets is closing this week, not next month,” Zahid said. “Booking two to four weeks early can save a significant amount, particularly on routes from Dubai to Europe and South Asia, which are usually the first to see price increases.”

Imtiaz Hussain Nasir, CEO of Pinoy Tourism, echoed the advice, saying residents with fixed travel dates should not delay their bookings.

“For travellers with fixed dates, the best time to book is now,” he said. “Historically, some travellers wait for last-minute deals, but this summer carries more uncertainty due to strong demand and capacity constraints on certain routes. While occasional promotions may appear, the overall trend suggests that delaying bookings for July and August travel could result in fewer choices and higher fares.”

Higher airfares

With that booking window narrowing, agents said residents are already facing significantly higher fares on several high-demand routes, particularly those used by families and residents travelling home to visit friends and relatives.

According to Zahid, fares are “meaningfully higher” than last summer across major travel corridors. Dubai-New Delhi tickets now cost around Dh2,293, compared with about Dh800 during off-peak periods earlier. Dubai-London and Dubai-Bangkok fares are currently around Dh3,560 and Dh3,360, respectively, while Dubai-New York has reached Dh4,890.

Nasir said fares to many popular destinations are currently around 20 to 30 per cent higher year-on-year, with some peak travel dates seeing even sharper increases. He attributed the rise to higher fuel costs, strong summer demand, school holidays and ongoing regional airspace adjustments.

Travel demand is particularly strong on routes to the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Vietnam and several European cities, Nasir said. Family travel routes are selling out fastest because many UAE residents are travelling during the same school holiday period.

Musafir’s Zahid said the sharpest increases are being seen across three main categories:

• Arab regional destinations: Average fares to popular Arab destinations from the UAE in July are expected to be 25 to 35 per cent higher than June levels. Cairo recorded the highest increase at around 35 per cent, followed by Beirut at 30 per cent, while Amman and Damascus saw increases of about 25 per cent. Typical economy fares for direct flights to Cairo range from Dh2,400 to Dh2,600, excluding extras such as baggage and seat selection.

• Europe, South Asia and the US: Long-haul routes from the UAE to destinations such as London, Paris and Mumbai are seeing fare increases of more than 30 per cent, driven by higher fuel costs and reduced airline capacity.

• Far East: Long-haul flights to destinations including Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and China are seeing fare increases of around 15 to 18 per cent.

With July travel demand building, agents said residents who delay further are likely to face fewer flight options, higher fare buckets and limited availability on the most popular family and homebound routes.