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Direct Asia-Pacific Airfares Return to 18% Premium over Middle East Routes

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Direct Asia-Pacific Airfares Return to 18% Premium over Middle East Routes

Airfares from the Asia-Pacific region to the West remain elevated due to the persisting conflict in the Middle East, according to a report by Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East.

Direct flights from Asia-Pacific to the West have returned to an 18 per cent pricing premium over routes with a stopover in the Middle East, matching the baseline recorded across 2025, according to the ASEAN Airports Economic Impact Study released on Oct 7.

The study analysed the top 100 passenger routes connecting Asia-Pacific countries to the West. Following the outbreak of conflict on Feb 28, direct airfares were around 30 per cent more expensive in March and almost 50 per cent higher in April, before direct flights became cheaper than stopovers in May and June, said director-general Stefano Baronci.

Middle Eastern transit hubs bore the immediate brunt of route diversions and safety restrictions. Eleven major airports across the region operated just 66 per cent of their scheduled flight volumes between March and August. While operational capacity at those hubs climbed back above 80 per cent in August, scheduled seat availability remains tight as carriers reroute flights around sensitive airspace corridors.

Earlier industry projections pencilled in a normalisation of Asia-West ticket pricing from September 2026 based on assumptions that Gulf hubs would restore full capacity. Those expectations have run straight into operational caution from international airlines.

“Both direct flights bypassing the Middle East and flights via the Middle East continue to be higher than what they were in 2025, and this will continue to be the case.”


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