Summer holiday deals, from Cebu Pacific's 'Dh1' fare to Etihad Airways' flight sale

Travellers can find cut-price tickets to several destinations this season, including Paris, Chicago, the Philippines and Manchester

Manila is a great jumping-off point for travellers hoping to explore the islands of the Philippines. Photo: Unsplash / Cris Tagupa

Summer is technically just around the corner and with Eid Al Adha and the UAE school holidays on the horizon, people are getting ready to travel.

Earlier this week, the Eid Al Adha 2023 holidays were announced for the public sector giving people a six-day break to mark the occasion.

And most schools in the UAE are winding down to end classes in late June, with lessons not resuming until late August.

If you've still to make plans for summer, there are a few airlines offering cut-price fares from the UAE to select destinations around the world, which might help you make up your mind.

Cebu Pacific's 'Dh1 flights' from Dubai to Manilla

To celebrate Philippine Independence Day, which fell on Monday, Cebu Pacific announced a Dh1 flight sale that runs until Thursday.

Like many things in life, the too-good-to-be-true Dh1 tagline isn't strictly accurate. Travellers can book basic airfares from Dubai to Manilla for this nominal cost, but will still have to pay taxes, fees and surcharges.

However, the offer from the Philippines’ largest national airline does mean that travellers can make the journey and still get change from Dh1,000. Low base fares mean the cost of flights, including all fees, start at Dh940 for the nine-hour trip.

The bustling capital city of Manila offers Philippine culture, history, shopping and nightlife, and is also the jumping-off point to the country’s myriad picturesque islands.

This deal is applicable for travel any time between November and May, and there are two daily flights for travellers to choose from.

Etihad Airways’ flights from Abu Dhabi to Muscat from Dh295

The national airline of the UAE is celebrating summer with a host of promotional airfares. Travellers seeking a bargain can book flights to neighbouring Muscat, where return fares start from Dh295, in economy class, or Dh995 in business class.

There are several other destinations on sale this summer including Istanbul from Dh895, Paris from Dh2,795 and Manchester from Dh2,495.

Other European cities included in the Etihad Airways summer sale are Geneva, Amsterdam, Milan and Dublin, while Morocco’s Casablanca and the windy city of Chicago are also included in the promotion.

To book these reduced fares, travellers will have to act fast – the sale ends on Thursday and the travel period is from July 3 until the end of September.

Emirates' fares to Sri Lanka, Phuket and Johannesburg

Holidaymakers flying from Dubai can look to Emirates' "featured fares" to find cut-price travel options.

While it's not strictly a sale, the Dubai airline has several destinations on offer this month, including Sri Lanka’s Colombo, for which fares start at Dh1,845, and Uganda’s Entebbe to which flights start at D1,715.

Johannesburg is another option for summer travel with Emirates as promotional fares to the historic South African city start from Dh2,485. Those dreaming of a beach getaway can head direct to Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, where airfares from Dubai start at Dh2,865 when booked before Thursday this week.

Booking period and validity differ for each destination, although many of the current deals will expire on June 22.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s flights to the Maldives from Dh720

Low-cost airline Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is known for its year-round bargain fares. The airline is not currently running any summer sales, but several destinations it flies to make for a great summer escape and fares are low to begin with.

The sunny city of Larnaca in Cyprus is reachable in less than five hours from the UAE capital, and return fares in July start from Dh360. Or head to Greece where history and culture collide in Athens, and flights start at Dh460.

Indian Ocean holiday hotspot the Maldives is just a four-and-a-half-hour flight from the UAE and offers pristine ocean views and paradisiacal islands. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will whisk travellers to the tropical archipelago with return fares starting at Dh720 this July.

To secure the best-value fares, travel light and book Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s basic option, which includes only carry-on luggage.