UAE to UK flights will be cheapest in October, data reveals

Airfares between the UAE and London look set to remain high for the rest of the summer, with direct flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to London averaging more than Dh4,000.

But travellers who can bide their time and fly later in the year will be able to take advantage of lower average fares. October is the cheapest month for flights to the UK capital from the UAE, according to data from Skyscanner shared exclusively with The National.

“October is currently showing the best-value deals for direct economy return flights from the UAE to London with prices starting from £568 [$669],” a spokesperson from the online travel agency said.

And travellers willing to fly indirect can find even better deals, with one-stop economy return fares from the UAE in October starting at £219. In August, the cheapest direct flights from Dubai to London available are with British Airways, where prices start at Dh3,350. Fares on the same route start at Dh4,425 with Emirates. From Abu Dhabi, travellers will have to pay more than Dh6,000 to fly non-stop with Etihad Airways.

Rising airfares on the route are a culmination of passenger demand, fuel costs, pandemic-related operational issues and recently imposed passenger restrictions at Heathrow Airport, which limited capacity for airlines.

To avoid high summer flight prices, some travellers are opting to fly indirect to the UK. This strategy can save passengers up to 26 per cent, according to Skyscanner's data. Cheaper fares are available on one-stop routes to several European airports, including Dublin, Istanbul, Paris and Zurich.

Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner's destination and trends expert, said: “Current pricing is reflecting the return of travel demand and in the short term we expect to see fluctuations as we return to seasonal norms and head closer to the peak summer travel period.”

Despite the rising fares, there are still deals to be found on flights.

“Prices aren’t rising on every flight route, nor at the same rate. There are still deals to be found for travellers who can be flexible on their dates, time of travel, and airports, and who are open to exploring less popular destinations.”

To find the best-value fares, those planning a trip should “compare and contrast dates, providers, departure airports and destinations”, said Lindsay.

“Our data shows those who are flexible on both dates and locations will unlock the best-value deals available.”

Travellers hoping to book a last-minute summer getaway before the end of the month can find low-cost airfares on several routes from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Skyscanner’s "Everywhere" search function shows that the cheapest destination for travel from Abu Dhabi in August is Oman, with direct return fares from Dh214. The sultanate enjoys Khareef season until late September, making summer one of the best times to visit southern Oman. Farther afield, non-stop flights to Armenia, Greece, Albania, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Jordan are available in August for under Dh1,000.

From Dubai, holidaymakers can fly to Oman, Pakistan and Kuwait, with fares starting at less than Dh1,000. European destinations are also within reach this August, with return flights under Dh1,500 from Dubai to Romania, Turkey, Greece and Hungary.