One of the terminals at the Rafik Hariri International Airport on Aug. 1, 2024. (Credit: Gilles Khoury)
A one-way ticket to Sharjah for $800 instead of under $300, a $650 flight to Istanbul… Over the past week, ticket prices for flights departing from Lebanon have reached levels deemed exorbitant by travelers amid high regional tensions.
This observation is confirmed by some travel agents we contacted, though others offer a different perspective.
“The price increase is dramatic and flights are fully booked,” says one agent, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Normal prices compared to typical high-season averages won’t be seen until Aug. 13 or 14,” he adds. Even after that date, some travelers are facing unpleasant surprises. For instance, one traveler reported that the price of a round-trip from Beirut to Tbilisi between late August and early September with a low-cost airline had surged from $350 on July 29 to over $1,000 on Aug. 3 on an online booking site.
A family looking to reschedule their previously purchased tickets to Paris via Amman is facing a $700 increase per ticket, with the base fare around $500. They also noted that their travel agent has so far been unable to find availability for a departure before the 11th, even for just one person. According to our research, an Emirati airline currently offers flights from Lebanon to Montreal for over $9,300 per person one-way, with only first-class tickets remaining.
“The biggest increases are seen in the last available tickets for a particular flight, usually in the higher classes. However, it is still possible to find economy class tickets, though it’s more challenging in August,” notes Raymond Wehbe, Associate Director of Sun Holiday Tours based in Beirut.
Supply and Demand
The shortage of supply compared to rising demand is the main factor driving the steep increase in some prices. “The supply has significantly decreased due to the number of airlines temporarily suspending flights to and from Beirut because of the volatile regional situation. At the same time, the number of visitors who came to Lebanon for the summer and decided to advance their return has greatly increased, creating conditions for price hikes,” explains another anonymous travel agent we contacted.
Since the deadly attack in Majdel Shams on July 27, Kuwait Airways has suspended its flights to and from Beirut until further notice. Air France and Transavia have extended their flight suspension until August 6, and Lufthansa Group airlines (Lufthansa, Eurowings, and Swiss) have extended their suspension until Aug. 8 and will not serve Tel Aviv until Aug. 12, to name a few examples. Additionally, almost all airlines have stopped serving Beirut at night for security reasons.
Raymond Wehbe adds that many travelers are vigilant, contacting their travel agents or checking online booking sites to grab the few seats available. “We’re working until 1 a.m., sometimes 2 a.m., to modify our clients' reservations. The cheapest seats sell out very quickly, leaving only the more expensive and higher-class options,” Wehbe explains. In summary, a flight with many empty seats will have cheaper prices, whereas a full flight to a highly sought-after destination will logically have very few seats left during the high season, with the last available seats being more expensive than those sold earlier.
Pressure from Insurers
Two of the anonymous travel agents we interviewed mention "pressure from insurers, which ultimately forced the decision of carriers who were willing to continue their services to the Lebanese capital despite the risk of war. These specific insurance policies cover damages incurred due to armed conflicts, social movements, political crises, regime changes, acts of piracy, or terrorism."
"Only Middle East Airlines (MEA) is maintaining the pace and continues to operate about forty flights per day to and from Beirut, including night flights. The national carrier has even added extra flights to several destinations (Athens and Jeddah) in recent days. Without this, the situation would be worse," emphasizes Raymond Wehbe. An additional flight was scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 4 p.m. from Beirut to Riyadh, according to a statement from the airline sent to travel agencies.
However, MEA, with its fleet of 24 aircraft serving around thirty destinations, struggles to accommodate all travelers wanting to leave Lebanon. For example, the airline is fully booked for several days on all flights from Beirut to Paris.
