MidEast plane ticket prices fall to three-year low

The price of plane tickets to the Middle East has fallen to a three-year low this year, travel agents said in a report last week by Dubai-based Emarat Alyoum newspaper.

This is reportedly a result of increased competition between carriers and low fuel prices.

“The average price of a plane ticket to a Middle Eastern destination has reached around US$217.80 (AED800) for the economy class and $299.50 (AED1,100) for the business one,” the newspaper said, an average drop of around 20% compared to January last year.

According to the director of UAE-based Skyline travel agency, Samer Asha, oversupply and the huge availability of seats have helped drive the prices down.

“The airline companies are competing over prices, especially during the past months (that include Christmas and New Year holidays),” Asha told Emarat Alyoum.

“The decline in oil prices have also reflected on the costs of aircrafts’ operations, giving it a wider margin for competition,” he added.

The drop in ticket prices comes as Dubai International Airport reported that it saw a 7% year-on-year rise in the number of passengers passing through the airport in the first eleven months of 2016.