UAE travellers rethink Christmas travel due to soaring flight prices

A surge in flight rates in December has made it too expensive for many UAE residents to travel to their home countries to see loved ones for Christmas and New Year. Instead, they are rethinking their travel plans and opting for either staycations or destinations closer home, on low-cost airlines.

Several travel agents told The National that a clear trend was emerging, with UAE residents changing their plans after being priced out of trips home this winter. Mamoun Hmidan, chief business officer at the travel firm Wego, said they have seen a significant increase in short-distance flight bookings from the UAE. "Bookings are still happening, [online] searches are still happening, aircraft are being filled but we are noticing a lot more shorter trips being booked," he said, adding that the trend is emerging because long-haul flights are becoming too expensive.

"We are seeing a shift in the behaviour of customers who are becoming more price-conscious and booking lower-cost travel. This means shorter flights to closer destinations.

One Dubai resident who has scrapped plans to travel home this winter is pharmaceutical consultant Imran Bin Abdullah, 45, from India. "Usually we would fly home every Christmas but not this year. Previously I would have expected to pay around Dh5,000 to travel home with my wife and daughter," he said. "This year, though, it was working out a lot more expensive and it just didn't offer value for money. It was working out at least 30 per cent more."

Partha Dutta, who also lives in Dubai, usually makes a point of spending winter with his family in India, however rising flight costs forced him to change his plans this year. "This winter we had to compromise due to the rising costs of flights and accommodation," said Mr Dutta, 46, who works in the tech industry.

He made several adjustments to his winter travel plans, and scouted around for "budget-friendly options" instead of "popular or expensive places". After looking at "domestic spots or less-travelled international destinations that offer budget hotels or vacation rentals to help save on travel expenses," he decided on Baku.

Also staying in the Emirates this Christmas is Irishwoman Chloe Curran, who felt she could not justify the cost of flights. "I was going to go home for Christmas but tried to book the flights in August and they were already around Dh3,500 to Dh4,000 so now I’m staying here," said Ms Curran, 25, who works in marketing.

Rising costs

Post-Covid, there has been a marked increase in pricing as the aviation industry has tried to make up for the losses it incurred due to flights being grounded for long periods during the 2020 lockdown. Wego's winter travel report showed that trips to the top 10 most popular destinations this time of year were on the rise by an average of more than 10 per cent compared to the same time in 2023.

A number of factors have also played a part in the continued rise in costs of flights, according to Mr Hmidan. "It's not just about supply and demand or oil prices. You have to take into account geopolitics too, and a lot of airlines did not receive a number of airplanes on schedule, and this put a lot of pressure on availability," he said. "It is all of this together."

According to Emirates Airline, aviation is a "dynamic environment", meaning prices should be expected to go up occasionally. “Like any company operating in a dynamic environment, Emirates offers a variety of fares that fluctuate throughout the year depending on the market forces, fuel prices, competitor price positions, and a range of other factors," said an Emirates representative. "We offer competitive fares across all classes for our customers.”

Chloe Curran has cancelled plans to fly home to Ireland due to the high cost of flight tickets. Photo: Chloe Curran

Alternative routes

Other travellers are finding ways to get around the increasing costs of flights, with many changing their usual habits, according to another travel industry expert. "With the end-of-year winter holidays approaching, we've noticed that customers are increasingly looking for value options and ways to reduce overall holiday costs," said Emily Jenkins, head of product development with DW Travel.

"Many are shortening their trips from the usual two weeks to around four to eight nights to save on accommodation expenses. Additionally, more customers are choosing indirect flights with layovers to find cheaper airfares." She added flight prices have risen by 8-12 per cent on average compared to the same period last year.

Another expert said prices of travel and accommodation had risen by up to 30 per cent year-on-year, due to "increased demand and constraints on capacity".

"Many travellers are looking to cut expenses by choosing locations where daily living costs are lower than in their home city and avoiding long-haul flights," said Rikant Pittie, co-founder of online travel firm EaseMyTrip. "In essence, while travel expenses have undoubtedly risen, the appetite for travel remains strong, and consumers are adjusting their spending priorities to ensure they enjoy high-quality experiences."

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.

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