Nearly half of UAE travellers have yet to finalise their summer holiday plans, according to research from Skyscanner, with 47 per cent still actively planning and only 30 per cent having already booked. Just 6 per cent say they are not travelling this summer at all.
The findings point to a shift toward later, more flexible decision-making. A third of UAE respondents say their plans remain open-ended, while 27 per cent are working around school holidays or fixed commitments.
Group travel is emerging as a particular pressure point. Some 59 per cent of UAE travellers say organising a group trip is more stressful than moving house, and 33 per cent cite agreeing on a budget as the single biggest challenge when travelling with others.
Beyond logistics, traveller intent is shifting toward discovery. Some 86 per cent of UAE respondents say they want to visit places that feel genuinely new, distinct from destinations they typically see in social media feeds or hear about from friends.
Skyscanner’s Layover Filter, launched in March 2026, has seen continued global growth in usage since its introduction. Regionally, Abu Dhabi overtook Dubai as the most frequently selected layover airport from April onwards, with usage peaking in mid-May ahead of Eid Al Adha.
“Travellers today are approaching summer travel with a very different mindset. We’re seeing people spend more time comparing options, looking for greater flexibility and prioritising journeys that feel smoother and easier to navigate overall. The role of travel platforms is no longer just about helping people book flights — it’s about helping travellers plan with more clarity and confidence throughout the entire experience. Whether that’s comparing routes, managing layovers, finding the right stay or coordinating group trips, travellers increasingly want tools that simplify the process and help them make more informed decisions,” Ayoub El Mamoun, Travel Expert at Skyscanner said in a statement.
The research reflects broader pressure on travel platforms to move beyond flight search toward tools that handle the full planning process, from route comparison and layover preferences to accommodation and car hire, within a single interface.
