India-UAE Diwali, Dussehra flights: Fares from Dh945 as demand picks up

Indian travellers in the UAE planning to fly home for Dussehra and Diwali can still find relatively affordable airfares, although demand is beginning to increase ahead of the festive season.

Dussehra will be celebrated on October 20 this year, followed by Diwali on November 8. This period is traditionally one of the busiest times for India-bound travel from the UAE as Indian expatriates return home to celebrate with their families.

For travel between October 19 and November 9, fares from Dubai to several major Indian cities are currently available for less than Dh1,500.

Dubai to India Flight Fares

Current fares checked for the festive travel period include:

Dubai to Mumbai: From around Dh1,072
Dubai to New Delhi: Around Dh1,439
Dubai to Kochi: From about Dh1,042
Dubai to Bengaluru: From around Dh945
Dubai to Hyderabad: Around Dh1,017

However, travellers flying to some tier-two cities may face higher fares because of fewer flight options.

For example:

• Dubai to Varanasi: Around Dh2,303

• Dubai to Jaipur: Around Dh1,426

These fares can change depending on availability, travel dates and when tickets are booked.

Sharjah Offers Affordable Options

Travellers departing from Sharjah can also find relatively affordable fares, particularly on Air Arabia.

Some fares available for the period include:

• Sharjah to Mumbai: Around Dh1,072

• Sharjah to Bengaluru: From about Dh945

• Sharjah to Chennai: Around Dh1,205

• Sharjah to Kochi: About Dh1,042

• Sharjah to Tiruchirapalli: Around Dh1,370

Airfares are expected to fluctuate as demand increases closer to the festive period.

Air India Reports Healthy Bookings

Air India said bookings for the upcoming festive and winter travel period are looking healthy, with some last-minute booking activity already being seen.

PP Singh, regional manager for Gulf, Middle East and Africa at Air India, said the airline was hopeful about the winter season and expected stronger booking numbers during October and November.

Air India's winter schedule will run from October 26 until the end of March. During this period, Air India and Air India Express are expected to operate a combined 272 weekly flights between India and the UAE, subject to destination-level schedules.

The weekly services include:

• Air India: 54 weekly flights

• Air India Express: Remaining weekly services

Singh also said Air India had returned to operating at 100 per cent of its entitlement under the India-UAE bilateral air services agreement.

Indian Expatriate Demand Remains Strong

Travel agents said the festive season continues to be an important period for Indian expatriates travelling between the UAE and India.

However, demand patterns can differ depending on whether travellers are flying to India or travelling into the UAE.

India-to-UAE Travel Remains Healthy

The festive season does not necessarily result in a major increase in India-to-UAE travel because UAE schools and universities generally do not have a Diwali holiday.

Mehar Sawlani, director of sales at Richmond Gulf Tourism, said Indian travel to the UAE remained healthy as Dubai entered its peak tourism season.

She said the Indian market was recovering from uncertainty earlier in the year, although demand had not yet returned to pre-war levels. Sawlani expects inbound travel from India to strengthen during the winter season.

Travellers Could Face Higher Fares in October

Travel agents have advised travellers planning to return to India for Dussehra and Diwali to consider booking early.

Fares could increase from the middle of October as available seats become limited, particularly on routes with fewer daily flights.

With Indian airlines restoring capacity between the UAE and India and airlines providing additional connectivity, travellers have more options than during earlier periods of disruption. However, strong demand for specific destinations could still result in significantly higher fares.

For travellers planning festive trips, comparing airlines and booking before demand peaks could help secure the available fares.