UAE visit visa extension: No spike in airfares even as flight booking demand jumps 300%, say agents

UAE visit visa extension: No spike in airfares even as flight booking demand jumps 300%, say agents

Many visit visa holders are opting to take an hour-long flight to exit the country instead of going to Oman by bus, according to industry experts

Published: Sat 17 Dec 2022, 3:09 PM Last updated: Sat 17 Dec 2022, 3:36 PM

Flight bookings to the UAE's neighbouring countries have increased by up to 300 per cent — with all visa change flights running at 90 to 100 per cent capacity, Khaleej Times has learnt.

“There has been a sharp increase in the number of bookings for flights to countries around the UAE since the rules came into effect,” said Praveen Choudhary, managing director at Al Saffron Travel and Tourism LLC.

“Bookings have increased by more than 300 per cent and most of them are running at 90 per cent occupancy, if not fully booked. However, prices have not increased and may have even dropped slightly because several new special visa change flights have been introduced," Praveen told KT on Saturday.

The revised rules — which discontinued the option for visitors to extend their visas within the country — reportedly came into effect on Tuesday. Visit visa holders are now looking at different options to extend their stay in the UAE, including exiting the country by