UAE travellers embrace family reunions and winter sun escapes: Wego

Wego data shows that homecoming trips continue to dominate this winter, with Manila (+32.21%), Cairo (+67.29%), and Kozhikode (+30.61%) emerging as the top three most-searched destinations. These trends point to UAE-based expat communities prioritizing family reunions and festive gatherings during the Christmas and New Year period. Alongside family travel, UAE residents are increasingly seeking destinations with pleasant climates and outdoor experiences during the winter break. Flight searches for Doha (+32.12%), Cape Town (+28.16%), Mauritius (+34.48%), and Zanzibar (+53.68%) all recorded strong growth. These destinations combine sunny skies with cultural and nature-driven activities, making them attractive holiday choices in December and January. Wego revealed key insights into UAE travellers’ booking behavior and preferences for the winter season, highlighting strong year-on-year (YoY) growth in searches and evolving trip patterns. Overall flight searches surged by 30% compared to last winter, with bookings rising by 23%, reflecting continued demand for international travel despite a 6% increase in average ticket prices. Booking behavior from last year shows that one in four travelers (25%) booked flights just 2–7 days before departure, underscoring the region’s last-minute planning culture. Another 15% booked only a day or less in advance. While solo travel remains the most common traveler type (84.59%) making winter flight searches, Wego observed an increase in shared travel experiences this year. Family trips rose from 5.34% to 7.84% YoY, while couple and group trips also gained momentum, reflecting a growing desire among UAE travelers to spend winter breaks together.