Diwali 2026 is Sunday 8 November. Dates for all five days, puja timings and holidays
- Cheapest month found: November 2026, from $143 one way on Etihad (1 stop).
- Dearest month: December 2026, from $177. Usual fare about $165.
- Non-stop fares found on Air Arabia, IndiGo.
14% below usual: around the usual price
Best fare in the next three months: $143 in November 2026, against a usual $165.
Tracked every day since 2 November 2026: 6 fare checks saved on this route so far, across every departure month.
Cheapest fare by month
Cheapest one-way fare per person for each departure month. Yellow is the cheapest month. Tap a month to watch it.
Fares other travellers found in recent searches, checked 2 November 2026; months marked n/a had no fares yet. Prices change and are confirmed only when you book. Bags may cost extra.
Price history
Our daily price history for this route started on 2 November 2026. A chart appears here from the second day and grows every day.
Return fares
Out in one month and back the next, the usual length of a family visit. Lowest return fare per person found.
| Fly out | Come back | Return from | |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | December 2026 | $319 | Watch |
| December 2026 | January 2027 | $447 | Watch |
Return fares other travellers found recently; they change and are confirmed only when you book.
Airlines on this route
| Month | Cheapest fare | Airline | Stops |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | $143 | Etihad | 1 stop |
| December 2026 | $177 | Air India | 1 stop |
| January 2027 | $159 | Oman Air | 1 stop |
| February 2027 | $165 | IndiGo | non-stop |
| March 2027 | $153 | IndiGo | non-stop |
| May 2027 | $167 | Oman Air | 1 stop |
Nonstop or one stop?
The lowest nonstop fare against the lowest fare with one stop, month by month. A stop can save money; check the connection time before you book.
| Month | Nonstop | One stop |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | $155 Air Arabia | $143 Etihad |
| December 2026 | none found | $177 Air India |
| January 2027 | $165 IndiGo | $159 Oman Air |
| February 2027 | $165 IndiGo | none found |
| March 2027 | $153 IndiGo | none found |
| May 2027 | none found | $167 Oman Air |
Alert me on nonstop faresWatch Air Arabia onlyWatch Etihad onlyWatch Air India only
Where one-stop fares usually connect: Etihad via Abu Dhabi; Air India via Delhi or Mumbai; Oman Air via Muscat. Fares other travellers found recently; confirmed only when you book.
Flights from Dubai to Chennai land at Chennai International Airport (MAA), and airlines on the route include Air India Express, Emirates and IndiGo flying nonstop, with some low cost services leaving from nearby Sharjah. India runs 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of the UAE all year, so adjust your pickup and work calls. Book outside Pongal in mid January and the December school break for calmer fares.
Last checked: November 2026
When fares to Chennai are lowest
Fares to Chennai from Dubai tend to be lowest outside Pongal in mid January, the Diwali weeks and the UAE school breaks in December, July and August. The live fare calendar on this page shows this month's lowest fares across the next 12 months, so you can compare your dates before you commit. The Slashtel Fare Index puts the lowest fare in the next three months against the route's usual monthly fare, where 100 is usual and 85 or under is a good time to book.
Families flying home for a wedding, a house opening or a school term often book months ahead. Workers on leave dates fixed by an employer have less room, so watch the index for the weeks you can move.
- Open the live fare calendar on this page and find your travel month.
- Compare the Slashtel Fare Index for the route. A reading of 85 or under signals a good time to book.
- Check the busy weeks listed below and avoid them if your dates are flexible.
- Set a price alert so you are told when fares drop for your route and dates.
- Book when the fare falls under your target, and check baggage and stop details before you pay.
Direct flights and airlines on the route
Airlines on the route include Air India Express, Emirates and IndiGo flying nonstop from Dubai to Chennai International Airport (MAA). These are examples of airlines flying the route nonstop, not a complete list. Some low cost services leave from nearby Sharjah, so check your departure airport before you book a taxi or park a car.
A nonstop flight suits anyone travelling with children, elderly parents or heavy bags, and it removes the risk of a missed connection. Air India Express appear in our fare checks with a stop; some of these are self-transfer routes on separate tickets, which carry risk if a flight is delayed. If you take one of those, leave a long gap between flights and travel with hand baggage only where you can.
Other airlines seen with stops include Air India, Gulf Air, Oman Air and US-Bangla. A one stop ticket on a single booking protects you if the first flight is late, unlike a self-transfer. Compare the total journey time, the stopover length and the baggage allowance before you choose.
India is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of the UAE all year. A morning departure from Dubai still lands you in Chennai in daylight, which helps if you are collecting keys, meeting family or heading onward to Tamil Nadu districts.
Busy weeks on the Dubai to Chennai route
Pongal in mid January, Diwali on 8 November 2026 and about 29 October 2027, and the UAE school holidays in December plus July and August fill seats on this route. Fares climb when demand is high, so book early or shift your dates by a week where you can.
Pongal brings families home for the harvest festival, and Chennai arrivals get busy in the days before it. Diwali travel follows the same pattern, with the 2026 and 2027 dates falling at different points in the week, so check your own calendar.
The UAE winter break in December and the long summer break in July and August push up demand from families with school age children. If you work in the UAE and take leave then, set an alert early rather than waiting for the last month.
Arriving in Chennai: phone, data and entry
Chennai International Airport (MAA) is the arrival point for this route. India's mobile networks include Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea, with coverage up to 5G, so sort a data plan before you land. Check the official rules for your passport before you fly, and carry the documents they require.
A travel eSIM installed before departure means you have data the moment you clear arrivals, useful for messaging family, booking a cab or checking your onward train. A mobile top up on an Indian number also helps if you keep a local number for OTP codes and calls to relatives.
Entry rules depend on your passport and change from time to time. Check the official rules for your passport before you fly rather than relying on what worked last year.
How to get a price alert for your dates
We check fares every day and email when they fall well under the usual price for your dates or under your own target. Set your route, your travel dates and your target, and let the alert do the watching while you get on with work.
Alerts suit anyone with fixed leave who cannot refresh a calendar all day. Use the Slashtel Fare Index alongside the alert to judge whether a fare is genuinely low for the route.
When an alert arrives, check the airline, the departure airport and whether the ticket is nonstop or includes a self-transfer stop before you book.
Ready for Chennai
Live arrivals at Chennai International Airport: see when a flight lands and track it free by email.
Questions
What is the cheapest month to fly from Dubai to Chennai?
November 2026 has the lowest one-way fare we found: from £107 (fares checked 2 November 2026). The dearest month is December 2026, from £133.
Are there direct flights from Dubai to Chennai?
Yes. Non-stop fares we found were on Air Arabia, IndiGo.
Which airlines fly from Dubai to Chennai?
Fares we found were on Etihad, Air Arabia, Oman Air, SriLankan, IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Gulf Air, direct or with a stop.
Is now a good time to book Dubai to Chennai?
Our Fare Index for this route is 86 (100 is the usual fare): the best fare in the next three months is £107 in November 2026, against a usual £124, so it is 14% below usual: around the usual price. Checked 2 November 2026.
Will my phone work in India?
Your home SIM may charge roaming. A India travel eSIM gives you data from landing while your own number stays on for calls, texts and bank codes.
More flights to India
How we get these numbers: each day we save the cheapest fare travellers found for every month of this route. We never call a fare live, and we never add a fee to it.