Reports indicate that for the next 75 days, the fare will remain around 150 per cent higher one way for a layover flight and around 200 per cent for a direct flight from all airports in India to Dubai and Sharjah
If you have to fly abroad — although this is not the best time to do – the route to the US, Europe or UK will mean a transit at Dubai. Airfares have not gone down even though it is more than a month since the UAE opened its borders.
Reports indicate that for the next 75 days, the fare will remain around 150 per cent higher one way for a layover flight and around 200 per cent for a direct flight from all airports in India to Dubai and Sharjah, the main ports of entry into the UAE.
Sometime ago, the fares for Dubai to Mangalore from had seen such hikes but when the NRIs returning home for holidays stopped flying out, the fares went down. Today, those fares are reasonable. But that trend is also changing with airlines booking full flights and Dubai-India fares are on the rise.
The Mangaluru-Dubai fares during the pre-pandemic lean months of November used to be below INR 10,000. Now they are double the cost: around INR 21,000 to 25,000, 250 per cent the re-pandemic levels till travel up to January 9. Dubai-Bangalore ticket costs are above INR 20,000 till January 10. Mumbai to Dubai is over INR 17,000. As for Delhi-Dubai, the tickets are between INR 10,000 and INR 12,000. These lower fares are for layover flights while the direct flights cost a few thousands more
Times of India reported that the airfares would not go down to pre-pandemic levels in the near future or for at least the coming three months. Quoting an airline source, the report said that the airlines had suffered during the pandemic and now the carriers were trying to make the best of the situation; hence the high fares.
Even so, the Mangaluru-Dubai fares during the pre-pandemic lean months of November used to be below INR 10,000. Now they are double the cost: around INR 21,000 to 25,000, 250 per cent the re-pandemic levels till travel up to January 9. Dubai-Bangalore ticket costs are above INR 20,000 till January 10. Mumbai to Dubai is over INR 17,000. As for Delhi-Dubai, the tickets are between INR 10,000 and INR 12,000. These lower fares are for layover flights while the direct flights cost a few thousands more.
However, a return trip from Dubai to India, is not that costly if booked well in advance. In not, they too are costly.