Some Indians are reportedly flying to Dubai to buy iPhones—specifically the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max—because the retail price in Dubai can be lower than in India. The reports focus on the possibility that the savings from the cheaper phone prices may offset the cost of travel and related expenses.
The outlets frame the issue as a practical comparison problem: whether the gap between prices is large enough, after considering flight costs and any additional spending, to make the trip worthwhile for individual buyers. The coverage does not indicate a single official source driving the trend; instead, it presents it as a consumer decision influenced by differences in pricing across markets. The core angle across the reporting is the “does the math work out” question—how much a traveller would need to save in Dubai for the overall cost to be lower than purchasing in India.
