UAE-India travel: Airfares rival those of European destinations

UAE-India travel: Airfares rival those of European destinations

Lowest-priced ticket to New Delhi stands at approximately Dh1,808

Published: Sun 3 Jul 2022, 8:23 AM

Airfares from UAE to certain airports in India cost as much as travelling to European destinations and the city of London, Dubai-based travel agents have revealed.

Since schools in the UAE have closed for summer holidays, scores of expatriate families have left, or are about to leave the country to spend the vacation months of July and August in India. While many families booked their tickets months in advance, those who considered booking their tickets at the last minute are now reconsidering their trips back home due to sky-rocketing prices.

Kerala-sector air tickets are among the highest at the moment, travel agents and Indian expatriates have said.

No respite in prices

Air ticket and hotel booking travel aggregators, and metasearch engines such as Sky Scanner and MakeMyTrip.com show one-way direct flight tickets prices to Kerala’s Kochi on July 3, priced between Dh1,554 and Dh2,287 (all prices are for one-way tickets).

Meanwhile, a direct Dubai to Heathrow flight, which takes 7 hours and 45 minutes, is priced at Dh2,680. According to Afi Ahmed, the managing director of Smart Travels, the travel cost to Kerala is ironic as there are four international airports