{
  "id": 8597822,
  "title": "Indians fly to Dubai for iPhone 18 Pro: Cheaper even with flight, visa",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/indians-fly-to-dubai-for-iphone-18-pro-cheaper-even-with-flight-visa",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-20T02:11:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/some-iphone-18-pro-buyers-from-india-are-flying-to-dubai-and-the-reason-comes-down-to-one-thing-even-with-flight-ticket-and-visa-it-is-still-cheaper/articleshow/134362786.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indian iPhone enthusiasts flocked to Dubai to grab the latest iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, despite the added expense of traveling to the UAE. The iPhones were significantly cheaper in Dubai than in India, where taxes made them significantly pricier. Indian buyers like Mumbai resident Aman Solanki and Kerala resident Mohammed Sayed calculated the cost difference between the two markets and decided the savings justified the trip. For Solanki, the difference was ₹50,000 to ₹60,000, while Sayed saved around ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 for his purchase. The new iPhone launch was clearly a chance to upgrade not just the device, but also the destination on the boarding pass.",
  "summary": "A new iPhone launch usually means one thing: people checking their bank balances and then convincing themselves they need an upgrade. But this time, some Indian buyers have taken the calculation a step further- by boarding a flight to Dubai.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}