Gulf-India flights resume gradually; airfares unlikely to drop soon

Airlines are progressively restoring flight services between India and the Gulf region following recent disruptions, leading travelers to anticipate a decrease in ticket prices. However, travel agents caution that those planning trips during the current summer holidays should not expect immediate fare reductions.

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Almost all the flights have now resumed, but the chances of fares dipping in the coming weeks are very few.

Despite the resumption of most operations and the expected return of more services, demand remains robust, particularly for routes connecting to South India. Many flights are already operating at or near full capacity. This situation follows a summer where airfares between the UAE and India reached record highs. For instance, analysis on June 14 for travel in August showed return tickets to Hyderabad costing up to Dh9,250 per passenger, Delhi Dh9,090, and Kochi Dh7,800 on some flights, potentially costing a family of four nearly Dh37,000 for a trip to Hyderabad.

Even with the increased flight capacity, travel experts believe immediate relief in fares is improbable. Pavan Poojary from Luxury Travels noted that while flights have largely resumed, the chances of fares dipping in the coming weeks are slim. He cited airlines' efforts to recover losses incurred from recent regional tensions that disrupted flight operations as a contributing factor. Currently, one-way fares often start around Dh1,500, with return tickets remaining at least Dh1,800, and most flights are fully booked.

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At present, one-way fares are still starting from around Dh1,500 on many routes, while return fares remain at least around Dh1,800. Most flights are flying full.

Bharat Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels, identified July and August as the peak travel months between the UAE and India due to summer holidays and school vacations. Families traveling together contribute to extremely high demand, causing flights to fill up rapidly. Aidasani suggested that travelers seeking lower fares might need to wait until after the peak summer rush, anticipating a potential slight easing in September. Routes to Mumbai and Delhi could see initial price drops, possibly followed by Hyderabad, though South India routes are expected to remain under pressure due to consistently high occupancy.

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Bookings remain strong because of the summer holidays and school vacations. Families are travelling together and August is seeing extremely high demand. Flights are filling up quickly.

Travel agents are advising residents planning to travel in August against waiting for last-minute deals. Instead, they recommend booking as early as possible if travel dates are fixed, given the sustained strong demand despite the gradual return of services. For those with flexible plans, September might present slightly better opportunities, particularly for travel to Mumbai and Delhi. However, for the present, the increase in flights has not yet translated into cheaper tickets, especially for travel to South India.

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We may see a slight easing in September. If fares begin to soften, Mumbai and Delhi routes are likely to see the drop first. Hyderabad could follow later.