As Diwali approaches, domestic flight prices have hit some of the highest levels of 2025, rising by 20–35% compared to earlier this year.
Industry experts say the increase is due to a sharp jump in demand, as more people prefer flying instead of taking long train journeys during the festive rush.
“Ticket prices have gone up by around 20–25% compared to early-year rates,” said an industry official.
According to Rikant Pittie, co-founder of an online travel platform, “We’ve seen average fares rise by 30–35% across our platform because of festive demand.”
Record Hikes on Popular Routes
Flights between Hyderabad–Nagpur and Hyderabad–Kolkata, which earlier cost ₹4,500–₹6,500, are now priced between ₹11,500 and ₹16,500.
Similarly, Mumbai–Patna tickets have climbed to around ₹14,000, up from about ₹9,000 before the festive season.
For smaller destinations like Dibrugarh (Assam), limited flight options have pushed fares even higher.
Traveller Aashna Sureka shared that her one-way flight from Ahmedabad to Dibrugarh cost about ₹23,000, so she booked a round trip for ₹27,500 instead.
High Demand Despite Expensive Fares
Even with such steep prices, travel enthusiasm remains strong. “Most travellers have not changed their plans,” Pittie said.
“Many started booking in September to avoid last-minute fare hikes.” Travel portals report that only a few passengers postponed their trips, while most booked tickets well in advance.
Airfares are expected to stay high through Diwali and Chhath Puja, before dropping slightly in early November. However, another price surge is likely around the year-end holidays.
Airlines Add Extra Flights to Handle Rush
To handle the heavy demand, Air India (AI) and Air India Express (AIE) have added 166 extra flights to and from Patna, one of the busiest festive routes.
Air India: 36 additional flights each from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru (Oct 15–Nov 2)
Air India Express: 26 additional flights each from Delhi and Bengaluru (Oct 22–Nov 3)
Despite higher prices, India’s festive travel spirit remains strong — with crowded airports, packed flights, and no signs of slowdown yet.
