With August holidays fast approaching, travellers from the UAE still have a window to book lower-cost flights to nearby destinations such as Kuwait, Colombo, Muscat, and Mumbai, according to new data from Skyscanner.
Best time to book
Skyscanner, a global travel comparison platform, reports that booking flights between 11 and 26 days before departure may offer more affordable prices on average.
These destinations remain popular due to their short flight durations — ranging from just over an hour to under five hours—and their relative affordability once there.
“The summer is a busy period as people look to maximise their vacation time and travel to different destinations and our data shows that there’s still time to get the best prices for flights to Colombo, Mumbai, Kuwait City and Muscat for the month of August,” said Ayoub El Mamoun, Travel Expert at Skyscanner.
Popular short-haul destinations
Flight price trends for August, according to Skyscanner data, include:
Muscat: Booking 26 days in advance can cost as low as Dhs 398. Prices between 21 to 24 days out range from Dhs 403 to Dhs 437.
Colombo: Flights average Dhs 1,209 when booked 11 days before departure. Booking 17 to 19 days out can cost between Dhs 1,295 and Dhs 1,385.
Mumbai: Average airfare drops to around Dhs 825 when booked 8 to 9 days before departure.
Kuwait: Booking 25 days ahead offers the lowest average at Dhs 253. Prices climb to about Dhs 436 if booked 13 days out.
Price-conscious travel trends
El Mamoun added: “Not only are these locations short-distance flights from the UAE but our survey shows that 48% are choosing destinations where their money goes further. Also, 85% said they would be willing to change the day or week to save money on their summer vacation, making these cities popular due to the reasonable exchange rate of the UAE Dirham against local currencies and better value for their vacations.”
Skyscanner notes that airfare prices fluctuate depending on several factors, including demand for a particular route and how early tickets are booked.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
