UAE drivers catch a break as fuel prices drop

For UAE drivers, November begins with a small but welcome change at the pump. Filling a tank now costs less than it did in October, a relief that arrives just as the region’s tensions keep families, commuters and travellers on edge.

The UAE Fuel Price Committee has lowered petrol and diesel rates for November 2026, effective November 1. Super 98 now costs Dh4.16 a litre, down from Dh4.40. Special 95 falls to Dh4.04 from Dh4.28, and E-Plus 91 drops to Dh3.97 from Dh4.21. Petrol is 24 fils cheaper a litre across all three grades, while diesel is down 5 fils to Dh4.75 from Dh4.80. For households watching monthly budgets, the savings are modest but real.

Travellers face a more complicated picture. Airlines are preparing to restore more international services to Dubai ahead of the winter travel surge, a season when many residents fly home or welcome visiting relatives. British Airways is scheduled to resume flights on November 3, and UAE airports are reporting higher seat capacity as carriers brace for increased passenger demand.

Yet not everyone’s plans are moving forward. Some airlines have postponed their planned returns, and Singapore Airlines has extended the suspension of its SQ494 and SQ495 Dubai services until February 28, 2027. Flight cancellations and delays have been reported at Dubai International Airport, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah International Airport, including services to Saudi Arabia and other regional destinations. Passengers are advised to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight status, rebooking options and refund arrangements before heading to the airport, rather than discovering a cancellation at the terminal.

Behind the travel disruption lies a wider regional unease that residents are following closely. US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Tehran were “going fine”, though he was “not in that much of a hurry” to reach a deal. He claimed US forces had largely destroyed Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities, with one or two targets remaining, including the suspected underground site at Pickaxe Mountain.

Meanwhile, according to The Wall Street Journal, Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the US weighed possible renewed military action. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no decision had been made on fresh strikes, but Washington remained open to diplomacy.

Iran, for its part, is sounding a warning. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered military commanders to prepare an “immediate, effective response without geographical limitations” to any US or Israeli attack, and IRGC officials said Iranian forces were ready for different military scenarios. Security official Mohsen Rezaei said diplomacy would remain possible if Iran’s seven conditions were met, while cautioning that any attack would trigger a forceful response using what he described as new weaponry.

One flashpoint with direct consequences for the UAE and the wider region is the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions with Qatari mediators were continuing over a proposal to reopen the waterway within two days, provided the US cooperates. Disruption to the strait remains a concern for global oil supplies and maritime trade, the lifelines on which Gulf communities depend.

Tensions have also spilled into other arenas. Tehran has designated the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations and Britain’s MI6 intelligence service as a hostile group, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, with the measures taking effect on November 1. An Associated Press analysis of satellite imagery found that more than 115 drone or missile strikes claimed by Iran or Iranian-backed groups had damaged or destroyed structures at 26 US military bases and other sites through August.

At the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al Khereiji called for diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts, warning that instability threatened maritime security, energy supplies and the global economy. He also condemned continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

The dangers at sea touch people directly. All six Indian seafarers aboard the LNG carrier M/T Al Mayeda were safe after a projectile attack in the Arabian Gulf, India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. The vessel carried 25 crew members, all reported safe.

For residents, the practical advice is simple: check the latest petrol and diesel rates before refuelling, confirm flight timings with airlines before leaving for the airport, monitor airline announcements for cancellations and rebooking arrangements, and follow official UAE advisories for updates on regional developments and travel disruption. Whether the cheaper fuel and the returning flights hold steady may depend on what happens next in the talks over the Strait of Hormuz.