Holiday travel from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India has hit a costly peak, with airfares skyrocketing by up to 30%. A perfect storm of massive IndiGo flight cancellations and the start of the winter school break has led to a severe crunch in seat availability, leaving families to pay significantly more for their trips.
The most impacted routes are to Kerala and other major Indian metros. A family of four planning a round trip from Dubai to Kochi, for example, now needs an average of 10,000 UAE Dirhams (approximately ₹2.44 lakhs), or about ₹61,229 per person. These prices are for travel around the peak holiday period, returning just before schools reopen.
Key Factors Driving the Price Hike:
IndiGo Flight Cancellations: As the carrier with a dominant 60% market share on UAE-India routes, IndiGo's operational disruptions have drastically reduced the number of available seats, pushing up prices across all airlines.
Winter Holiday Rush: The concurrent closure of UAE schools has triggered a wave of travel bookings by expatriate families, further straining supply and increasing demand.
Route-Wise Fare Increase Breakdown:Fares have risen sharply across the board, with some sectors seeing steeper hikes:
To Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur): 30% increase from major UAE airports.
Dubai to Bengaluru: 28% increase.
Dubai to Hyderabad: 26% increase.
Dubai to Mumbai: 22% increase.
Uncertainty for Travelers:While those who booked early are protected, many passengers—including a large number of Malayalis—face uncertainty due to last-minute flight cancellations. Aviation authorities have advised all travelers to check their flight status and confirmed timings before heading to the airport, as delays are expected until IndiGo's schedule normalizes.
Looking Ahead:The industry hopes for a resolution to the IndiGo crisis soon, which could see fares stabilizing by late January. However, if the issues persist, travelers could face unusually high prices even in the typically off-peak month of February.
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