As Diwali nears, domestic airfares have reached some of the highest levels of 2025, with prices shooting up by 20–35% compared to earlier this year. Industry insiders attribute the surge to a sharp spike in demand, as more travellers choose the convenience of air travel over lengthy train journeys during the festive rush.
“Ticket prices have risen by about 20–25% over early-year averages,” said an industry representative. According to Rikant Pittie, co-founder of an online travel platform, “We’ve seen an average hike of 30–35% across our platform due to festive demand.”
Popular Routes See Record Price Hikes
Flights from Hyderabad to Nagpur or Kolkata, which earlier cost ₹4,500–₹6,500, are now priced between ₹11,500 and ₹16,500. Similarly, Mumbai–Patna flights have jumped to around ₹14,000, up from ₹9,000 before the festive season.
For smaller cities like Dibrugarh (Assam), limited connectivity has made fares even steeper. Traveller Aashna Sureka shared that her one-way ticket from Ahmedabad to Dibrugarh was around ₹23,000, forcing her to book a round trip for ₹27,500 instead.
Strong Travel Sentiment Despite Costs
Even with steep fares, travel enthusiasm remains high. “Most travellers haven’t altered their plans,” Pittie noted. “Bookings began early in September to avoid last-minute spikes.” Travel portals report that only a small fraction of passengers have postponed trips, while most secured tickets months in advance.
Fares are likely to remain high through Diwali and Chhath Puja, before easing in early November. However, another spike is expected around the year-end holidays.
Airlines Add Extra Flights To Meet Demand
To manage the festive rush, Air India (AI) and Air India Express (AIE) have announced 166 additional flights to and from Patna, one of the busiest festive destinations.
- AI: 36 extra flights each from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru (Oct 15–Nov 2)
- AIE: 26 additional flights each from Delhi and Bengaluru (Oct 22–Nov 3)
Despite the price surge, India’s festive travel spirit remains undeterred — with packed airports, full flights, and no signs of slowdown just yet.
