Hyderabad-bound flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat and other Gulf hubs now cost two to three times the usual price after the UAE announced school holidays from 8 December to 4 January. Spot fares have jumped from ₹ 8,000-25,000 to ₹ 16,000-60,000, while peak London-Hyderabad tickets have touched an eye-watering ₹ 1.2 lakh. Return legs in early January are similarly inflated as expatriates head back.
Travel agents blame overlapping holiday calendars—UAE, Qatar and Saudi companies are granting extended leave—and limited seat growth on West Asia–India routes. Despite a DGCA warning against predatory pricing, airlines defend dynamic yields, citing fuel costs and leased-aircraft shortages.
![Airfares from Gulf cities to Hyderabad double as UAE declares month-long school break]()
For businesses the crunch affects not only visiting families but also last-minute corporate movements. Oil-field subcontractors in Muscat and Dubai have postponed crew changes, while IT firms have shifted induction training online. Mobility leads should scan fare trackers and, where feasible, pre-purchase blocks or route staff via Bahrain or Kuwait, which still show sub-₹ 30,000 inventory on certain dates.
The spike reinforces calls for India to accelerate bilateral seat entitlements under pending air-service negotiations with the UAE and Qatar, and to fast-track secondary airport capacity in Hyderabad where a new terminal is delayed.
Travel agents blame overlapping holiday calendars—UAE, Qatar and Saudi companies are granting extended leave—and limited seat growth on West Asia–India routes. Despite a DGCA warning against predatory pricing, airlines defend dynamic yields, citing fuel costs and leased-aircraft shortages.
For businesses the crunch affects not only visiting families but also last-minute corporate movements. Oil-field subcontractors in Muscat and Dubai have postponed crew changes, while IT firms have shifted induction training online. Mobility leads should scan fare trackers and, where feasible, pre-purchase blocks or route staff via Bahrain or Kuwait, which still show sub-₹ 30,000 inventory on certain dates.
The spike reinforces calls for India to accelerate bilateral seat entitlements under pending air-service negotiations with the UAE and Qatar, and to fast-track secondary airport capacity in Hyderabad where a new terminal is delayed.
