DUBAI, Oct 24, (Agencies): Indian expatriates based in the UAE who are eager to celebrate Diwali in their homeland should act swiftly when it comes to booking their flight tickets. Airfares to most Indian cities have already surged by 15 to 20 percent compared to rates in October. Furthermore, as the Diwali festival, set for November 12, approaches, airfares are anticipated to escalate further, especially during the initial week of November.

Rashid Abbas, the Managing Director of Arooha Travels, observed, "Airfares to India had experienced a significant drop after the summer peak. Due to reduced demand, return airfares were available for Dh780 to Dh1,100 for most Indian destinations from September until the second week of October." However, with the advent of Dussehra festivities, airfares have been steadily on the rise. Abbas also noted that families are making week-long trips to India during the festive season.

In some instances, travelers are opting for layover flights to other Indian airports as a cost-effective alternative. For example, instead of taking a direct Dubai-Bengaluru-Dubai flight, travelers are choosing layovers in Delhi, which offer fares of at least Dh700 cheaper. Direct flights from Dubai to Bengaluru are priced at Dh1,482 for travel from November 6 to 15, while an Air India flight via Delhi costs Dh782.

The choice between layovers and direct flights often hinges on the duration of the layover. If it's a brief one to two-hour layover, passengers are inclined to select the layover option. However, if the layover extends beyond four hours, they opt for direct flights, as explained by Wasim Ansari of Travel Square Tourism.

Significantly, airfares to major transit hubs in India, such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and destinations with limited direct flight options from the UAE like Lucknow, Varanasi, Kannur, Jaipur, and Surat, have seen their fares double compared to October rates, as indicated by travel agents.

Basheer Mohammed, the general manager of Europe Travel and Tours, pointed out that transit hubs like Bengaluru and Chennai in the South Indian sector have historically commanded higher airfares, despite the availability of direct flights to these airports. He emphasized that these higher fares are subject to change and are expected to increase by 15 to 20 percent in the coming days. In contrast, return Economy fares for this sector from September to October averaged around Dh1,100.

Even destinations with limited flight frequencies exhibit notably high fares compared to locations offering direct connections to the UAE. For instance, an Emirates flight to Kolkata from November 6 to 15 commands a substantial fare of Dh3,255, while flights to Ahmedabad average Dh1,740 despite the availability of direct services by low-cost carriers like IndiGo and SpiceJet. Air India Express operates flights to Varanasi, with fares averaging Dh1,902 during this period. In contrast, return Economy flights to Jaipur are being sold for Dh1,982 by Air India Express, and Air Arabia offers tickets at Dh2,177. Typically, fares for these routes ranged from Dh982 to Dh1,100 during September-October.

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism reported a 44 percent increase in travelers welcomed in Dubai from January to August this year compared to the same period last year, with India remaining a prominent source market. India contributes approximately 18 percent of Dubai's visitors from the South Asian region.

With major events like the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and COP28 on the horizon, the travel sector is expected to see a significant uptick. Consequently, high airfares are anticipated to persist from the second week of November until the first week of January 2024, with fares expected to remain in the Dh1,800 to Dh2,800 range throughout the winter festive season.