NEW DELHI ,6 March 2026 : For many Indians currently in the Gulf, the past few days have been filled with uncertainty. With regional tensions disrupting air travel and several flights cancelled or rerouted, thousands of travellers have been scrambling to find a way back home. As a result, ticket prices on some India-Gulf routes have shot up dramatically, in certain cases touching nearly Rs 1 lakh for a one-way seat.
Now that flights are gradually resuming, travellers are facing a new challenge: finding an available seat without paying several times the usual fare.
Why Airfares Are Suddenly So High
After days of escalating tensions in the Middle East and widespread disruption to aviation operations, air travel across the region has slowly begun to restart. Indian carriers, including IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express, scheduled around 58 special flights between India and Gulf cities on March 4, 2026. Foreign airlines operating between India and the Gulf have also resumed limited services, subject to airspace and operational clearances.
However, flight availability remains far below normal levels. With fewer planes operating and thousands of passengers trying to travel at the same time, fares have surged sharply.
In simple terms, it is a classic case of supply and demand. When large numbers of travellers compete for a small number of seats, prices climb rapidly. Airlines may also raise fares automatically through dynamic pricing systems when bookings surge, and flights start filling up quickly.
Dubai-Mumbai Fares Touch Rs 1 Lakh
One of the most striking examples comes from the Dubai-Mumbai route.
According to available fares for Sunday, March 8:
SpiceJet (starting price): Rs 50,437
Flydubai: Rs 1,07,737
Under normal circumstances, one-way fares on this route typically range between Rs 5,000 and Rs 16,000. That means current prices can be up to six or seven times higher than usual.
Limited seats and last-minute bookings are also pushing travellers to choose whatever option is available, even if it involves significantly higher fares.
Abu Dhabi-Delhi Route Also Sees Surge
Travellers flying from Abu Dhabi to Delhi are also seeing steep prices:
Etihad Airways (direct, 3h 20m): Rs 65,501
Air India Express (connecting via Kochi, 22h 25m total): Rs 36,952
Picture credit social media
