Why GCC travellers skipped the usual Eid rush this year
Dragonpass said the trend contrasts sharply with Eid Al Fitr earlier this year, when travel activity across the GCC increased by 6 per cent during the holiday week before falling 20 per cent in the following week
18 June, 2026
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Travel demand across the GCC surged in the run-up to Eid Al Adha 2026, with many travellers opting to depart before the holiday period rather than during it, according to new data from airport services provider Dragonpass.
The company reported a 69 per cent increase in travel activity across the GCC during the week leading up to Eid Al Adha. However, activity fell by 24 per cent during Eid week itself and declined by a further 18 per cent in the week immediately after, indicating a shift in travel patterns compared with previous holiday periods.
Dragonpass said the trend contrasts sharply with Eid Al Fitr earlier this year, when travel activity across the GCC increased by 6 per cent during the holiday week before falling 20 per cent in the following week.
Several GCC markets recorded significant growth ahead of Eid Al Adha. Kuwait posted the strongest increase, with travel activity rising 124.7 per cent week-on-week. Bahrain followed with growth of 108.5 per cent, while the UAE recorded a 79.2 per cent increase. Qatar and Saudi Arabia reported growth of 59.5 per cent and 58.4 per cent, respectively.
Andrew Harrison-Chinn, Chief Marketing Officer at Dragonpass, said: “The contrast between Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha is one of the most interesting travel trends we have observed this year. While Eid Al Fitr generated a more traditional holiday-week travel spike, Eid Al Adha saw travellers moving significantly earlier, with demand building before the holiday rather than during it.
“This highlights the dynamic nature of travel behaviour across the GCC and reinforces the importance of understanding how demand shifts around key travel periods. Despite periods of disruption affecting regional travel earlier this year, demand across the GCC has remained resilient, with travellers continuing to prioritise leisure and holiday travel.”
Saudi Arabia remained one of the region’s strongest-performing travel markets during both holiday periods. During Eid Al Fitr, the Kingdom recorded the largest holiday-week increase in the GCC, led by Madinah with a 58 per cent rise in travel activity, followed by Jeddah (29 per cent), Dammam (25 per cent) and Riyadh (22 per cent).
During Eid Al Adha, Madinah bucked the wider regional trend, recording a 20 per cent increase in travel activity during Eid week and a further 58 per cent rise after the holiday period, reflecting continued demand linked to religious travel.
Dragonpass expects travel demand across the GCC to remain strong throughout the summer season, with evolving travel patterns increasingly influencing passenger flows across the region.
The company said understanding how travellers adjust their behaviour around major holidays and peak travel periods will become increasingly important for airlines, airports and travel industry stakeholders as aviation connectivity continues to expand across the GCC.






















