During this year’s Diwali week, nonstop flights from Mumbai to northern regions like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand have been incredibly costly. For tourists from Mumbai, Ranchi and Raipur, in particular, have grown to be the most costly destinations. In fact, airfares from Mumbai to cities in North India cost more than ₹30,000!
Airfares From Mumbai Are Costing Passengers More Than ₹30,000
In late October, return airfare to these destinations hit an incredible ₹40,000. According to the TOI article, even trips to cities like Prayagraj, Patna, Lucknow, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Agra are exceedingly expensive for passengers. On the other hand, as Diwali draws nearer, tourists visiting well-known southern towns like Goa, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, and Hyderabad are discovering more reasonably priced options, with return tickets remaining under ₹10,000.
The fundamental cause of the notable price disparity is supply and demand. In comparison to cities in the south, airlines are flying from Mumbai to northern locations less frequently. Due to this scarcity, Diwali fares in the north were expected to be higher. For background, nonstop flights from Mumbai to Patna offered the lowest round-trip fares for Diwali travel on September 1. Since then, the price has been reduced to ₹33,000.
A more affordable option for those travelling north would be to select a flight with a layover in Delhi. With Delhi serving as a hub for most airlines, including those headquartered in Mumbai, connecting flights to northern destinations are frequently 40–50% less expensive than nonstop options, particularly during the busiest travel seasons.
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Delhi to Lucknow, Mumbai to Patna, and Chennai to Kolkata were the top three domestic flight routes from metro to non-metro cities during Diwali, according to VP of Cleartrip’s air category. He reported that domestic flight reservations for Diwali travel have increased significantly this year, up roughly 28.4% from the prior year. Furthermore, compared to the previous year, there has been a notable 16.6% increase in demand for air travel from Mumbai during Diwali.
Prices Have Increased By 282%
If the airline tickets give you any encouragement at all, staying home might not be such a horrible option after all. This holiday season, there has been a 282% spike in the cost of travel to popular places, such as major cities and vacation spots.
The return ticket for a direct flight from Ahmedabad to Kochi is an incredible ₹57,000 per person, while a ticket to Bagdogra, which connects to flights to the Northeast, costs ₹45,000 per person. When booking a week in advance, the cost of a return ticket to Chandigarh might be as much as ₹35,000, compared to ₹10,000.
Virendra Shah, chairman of TAAI, explained, the general inclination towards Diwali travel is somewhat higher this year. Since obtaining a visa for Europe continues to be difficult, many people are considering travelling to the Far East and even within their own country. There is especially strong traction for domestic travel destinations.
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Because of the increased demand, flying fares are in fact heading north.
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