This increase is likely for last-minute bookings and limited routes — not average fares year-round or across all destinations
Airfares are expected to see an increase of up to 30 per cent during peak travel seasons to busy destinations this year compared to last year, driven by higher jet fuel prices, flight disruptions after the US-Israel-Iran war, and the Hajj season overlapping with the summer break, say travel agents.
Even during the upcoming Eid Al Adha holidays this week, airfares are much higher than last year, increasing by up to 30 per cent. This is mainly due to the surge in jet fuel prices, which have more than doubled since February 28.
“Airfares have risen across the board, including to India, Pakistan and Europe. This is not specific to any one country or region, but across the board due to flight disruptions. Depending on the country and region, airfares have seen a minimum increase of 35-40 per cent during Eid Al Adha compared to last year. Therefore, we always ask clients to book in advance and not wait until the last moment if they are sure of travelling on certain dates,” said Mir Wasim Raja, manager at International Travel Services (ITS).
Masna Haseen, head of growth marketing and partner relations at Cleartrip, said popular outbound routes are trending around 20 to 30 per cent higher year-on-year for the Eid Al Adha and early summer travel window.
“Regional and Arab destinations are seeing sharper peak fare pressure, with some fares rising up to around 45 per cent during the Eid rush because of strong holiday demand, Hajj-related travel, tighter seat availability and last-minute bookings. Direct flights, peak weekend departures, return flights immediately after Eid and short booking windows are seeing the strongest increases,” she added.
Imtiaz Hussain Nasir, CEO of Pinoy Tourism, said airfares on many popular regional and international routes are approximately 10-20 per cent higher than during Eid Al Adha last year, although increases vary depending on destination, airline and booking period. “Last-minute bookings continue to experience the strongest price increases due to strong demand.”
UAE and other Gulf airlines are still operating below their pre-war capacity, but they are rapidly expanding their route networks as demand grows strongly, especially during peak travel seasons.
Fares to remain elevated
Nasir expects demand to remain healthy, particularly during the summer and year-end holiday periods. “However, airlines continue to adjust capacity and introduce additional services where possible. We expect pricing to remain dynamic, with travellers who book early and remain flexible often able to secure attractive fares.”
Nasir does not see elevated fares as a permanent trend.
Masna Haseen said a 30 per cent or higher increase is realistic for peak travel dates this year for late bookings and constrained routes, but it should not be presented as the average across the whole year or for every destination.
“UAE airfares in 2026 are likely to remain above 2025 levels on many popular routes, with 20 to 30 per cent year-on-year increases in summer and holiday corridors, and over 30 per cent increases possible where Eid, Hajj and school holidays combine with higher fuel costs and limited flight capacity,” she added.
Haseen expects airfares to remain elevated through the main summer travel period, especially on routes where demand is strong and capacity is still constrained. “Prices may soften after Eid on routes where seat supply improves and demand becomes less concentrated. However, the wider outlook remains firm for school holidays, long weekends, National Day and the Christmas and New Year period,” she said, adding that Europe, South Asia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and other high-demand regional corridors are expected to remain sensitive to fuel prices, airspace conditions, visa availability and airline capacity.
