As the festival of Diwali draws near, India’s airports are witnessing an unprecedented travel rush. With most flights packed and last-minute bookings surging, domestic airfares have skyrocketed—reaching as high as ₹40,000 on certain routes. The massive spike in demand, coupled with limited seat availability, has taken travelers by surprise across major metro and tier-2 cities.
Record-Breaking Demand Drives Airfare Surge
According to data from leading travel platforms, ticket prices have risen by 50% to 100% on several high-traffic routes. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi have emerged as the most affected cities, where airfares have nearly doubled compared to normal days.
Cleartrip’s data shows that a one-way ticket from Bengaluru to Kanpur—usually available for a fraction of the current price—has now hit ₹40,000, one of the steepest spikes recorded this festive season.
Here’s how fares have changed on popular routes:
- Mumbai–Patna: up from ₹9,584 to ₹14,540
- Bengaluru–Lucknow: up from ₹6,720 to ₹9,899
- Pune–Nagpur: now touching ₹19,000 amid holiday rush
- Hyderabad–Key destinations: normally ₹4,500–₹6,500, now up to ₹11,500–₹16,500
EaseMyTrip also reported that Hyderabad’s flights to almost all major destinations are running at record-high prices. Similarly, Thrillophilia observed that the steepest hikes are seen on flights departing the day after Diwali, indicating a clear shift in travel behavior this year.
“Worship Today, Fly Tomorrow”: A New Travel Trend
Interestingly, this Diwali has given rise to a new trend among domestic travelers. Many families are performing festive rituals at home and catching early-morning flights the next day to make the most of their long weekend. Travel platforms are calling it the “Pooja Today, Plane Tomorrow” pattern—a sign of changing holiday habits among urban Indians.
As per WanderOn, flight bookings between October 17 and 30 have jumped by 60–65% compared to the same period last year. This surge isn’t limited to domestic travelers—there’s also been a notable increase in inbound international traffic. A recent report shows that the number of foreign arrivals to India during Diwali has risen by nearly 67%, with travelers mainly coming from the UAE, the United States, and South Korea.
Why Prices Are Rising
Experts attribute the steep fare hike to a mix of factors—limited aircraft capacity, high festive demand, and the growing popularity of last-minute travel. Unlike pre-pandemic years, when bookings were made weeks in advance, today’s travelers prefer flexible schedules and spontaneous plans, leading to higher dynamic pricing on ticketing platforms.
Additionally, most airlines are operating with reduced capacity on some domestic routes to allocate more planes to high-demand sectors like Delhi–Patna, Mumbai–Lucknow, and Bengaluru–Varanasi. With fewer seats and an ever-rising number of passengers eager to fly home for Diwali, fare inflation was inevitable.
What Travelers Can Do
Experts advise passengers to book in advance and monitor fare alerts on platforms like MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip, and Skyscanner to avoid inflated last-minute rates. Opting for early-morning or red-eye flights, and being flexible with travel dates, can also help save money during the festive rush.
Travel analysts suggest that while airfares may remain high until Diwali weekend, they are expected to normalize gradually after October 30, once the return travel phase begins.
The Bottom Line
The Diwali spirit may be shining bright, but so are the airfare numbers. As travelers compete for limited seats, the festive sky is proving costlier than ever before. Whether it’s visiting family or taking a post-puja getaway, this year’s Diwali travel rush is setting new records in both enthusiasm—and expense.
