Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah: Which UAE airport offers cheapest flights this summer?

Choosing your departure airport in the UAE can lead to substantial savings on airfare, with a Khaleej Times analysis revealing potential reductions of hundreds of dirhams on popular routes. The comparison of return economy fares from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah for travel on the same dates to 13 destinations showed that flying from a different airport could significantly lower ticket prices.

Abu Dhabi emerged as the most cost-effective departure point for the majority of destinations examined, including several key Indian cities like Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai, Kozhikode, and Bengaluru. For instance, a return ticket to Mumbai could be found for as low as Dh1,206 from Abu Dhabi, compared to approximately Dh1,500 from Dubai. Similarly, fares to Kochi started at Dh1,376 from Abu Dhabi, while the lowest fare from Dubai was around Dh1,959.

However, Sharjah proved to be the cheapest option for specific routes. It offered the lowest fares for travel to Delhi, starting at Dh1,171, and to Lahore, Pakistan, from Dh1,450. Dubai also presented the most economical choice for certain destinations, including Karachi, Pakistan, with return fares beginning at Dh1,083, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at Dh1,001.

The analysis, based on data from Booking.com for searches conducted on July 10, highlights that fare differences can be substantial, especially for families. A saving of Dh250 per ticket could amount to Dh1,000 for a family of four. These price variations are attributed to airlines operating different routes from each airport, varying levels of competition, and the strategic deployment of low-cost carriers from specific hubs.