India-UAE Air Agreement: Travel Agents Urge More Flights as Peak-Season Fares Hit Record Highs

The India-UAE air agreement is under renewed scrutiny as UAE travel agents warn of unprecedented fare hikes ahead of the UAE National Day holidays and the year-end travel surge. With demand at its highest level in years and flight capacity frozen under bilateral limits, travellers are paying inflated prices despite booking months in advance.

Travel agents say flights to major Indian cities are operating at full capacity, with airfares on UAE–India routes rising to their steepest levels on record. This comes at a time when Dubai is witnessing a significant uplift in passenger movement due to the long weekend, festive travel, and a strong return of expatriate traffic — a pattern seen every winter across the UAE.

🇦🇪 Why This Matters to UAE Residents

• India is the UAE’s busiest international travel corridor, carrying millions of passengers annually.

• Demand spikes sharply during UAE National Day, New Year, and school holidays.

• The current situation is affecting expatriate families, tourists, and UAE-based companies whose staff frequently travel between the two countries.

Local travel portals and UAE trending search terms like “Dubai to Kerala flights,” “cheap UAE-India tickets,” and “National Day travel offers” show a massive spike in search volume.

Flights Maxed Out as Fares Surge

Under the current bilateral rules:

• Dubai and Indian carriers are capped at 65,000 weekly seats each

• Abu Dhabi is limited to 55,000 weekly seats

• These limits have not increased for years, despite annual double-digit growth in demand

Travel agents say this has created a structural imbalance:

“Travellers book two or three months ahead, but fares remain extremely high because capacity has not grown with demand,” said Sudheesh of Deira Travels.

✈ Price checkpoints this season:

• Dubai → Mumbai: Dh1,500+ (up from Dh800–1,000 off-season)

• Dubai → South India: Dh1,945 to Dh2,107 (almost double off-season levels)

Rashid Abbas, Managing Director of Arooha Travels, explained:

“Flights to Kerala are packed from November 28 onwards… some fares are now beyond what an average family can afford.”

Call for Temporary Flight Increases

Travel agents are urging UAE and Indian aviation authorities to allow seasonal, temporary flight additions during peak holidays.

“Even if the bilateral limits stay the same, airlines should be allowed to operate extra flights for a limited period,” said Sudheesh.

Experts say this could:

• Lower fares during peak travel

• Prevent seat shortages

• Support tourism and trade

• Ease pressure on expatriate families

Airlines Face Supply Bottlenecks

While carriers such as Air India Express, IndiGo and Etihad Airways have expanded networks, the sector is battling:

• Aircraft shortages

• Crew limitations

• Delays in government approvals

• Frozen seat entitlements

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates, has repeatedly said India’s refusal to expand flight rights is restricting economic growth for both countries.

“If an airline is not allowed new seats for 12 years, who will lose? More seats will benefit both economies,” he said during the Dubai Airshow.

Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves added that India–UAE traffic growth could “support tourism, trade and people-to-people ties.”

Early Bookings Still Not Enough

Group tours and holiday packages were booked six months in advance, but travellers still faced premium fares.

Abbas warned:

“This pattern repeats every year. It’s time policymakers explore seasonal adjustments to ease the burden on families.”

Travel agents expect similar pressure for December 2025 and beyond if no policy action is taken.