Airfares Rise Significantly Ahead Of Festive Season In October & November; Delhi-Dehradun Reports 80% Average Hike

One of the grandest festive seasons is just around the corner. The last quarter of the year celebrates magnificent festivals such as Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali, and so much more. This is the ultimate time for globetrotters to pack their bags and fly to their preferred holiday destinations. Though many have already started booking air tickets, the jump in airfares during the festive season is becoming a huge concern.

Airfares Escalate Ahead Of Festive Season

Many of us believe that early ticket bookings can cost us less in comparison to booking a few days ahead of the journey. The current condition contradicts such perspectives as tickets are getting sold at much higher prices even around 1.5 months ahead of the peak season. The prices are so high that even special discounts by airlines might not be sufficient to purchase tickets at a lower or expected price.

EaseMyTrip co-founder Rikant Pittie revealed that travellers are looking for offers on flight tickets, according to a report by Moneycontrol. Dussehra will be celebrated on October 12. Diwali festivities will begin on October 31. Though just a few weeks are left for the grandest celebrations of the year, there is no such “widespread offer spree across all airlines.”

Rikant further added that airfare for one-way tickets skyrocketed on domestic routes such as Bengaluru-Varanasi, Mumbai-Patna, Mumbai-Lucknow, Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Guwahati, and more.

Also read: Feeling Sick After Air Travel? Jaipur Doctor Explains How Cabin Conditions Could Cause Diarrhoea & Vomiting

These Routes Witnessed A Significant Uptick In Airfares

Airfares are soaring extremely high with the approach of the festivities. Many travel companies and platforms are seeing how flight ticket fares are rising. Ixigo group co-CEO Rajnish Kumar stated that ticket prices for famous leisure destinations in India such as Goa and Jaipur have jumped by 15 to 20 per cent during this upcoming peak season.

This travel platform reported a year-on-year increase of 30 to 35 per cent in earlier bookings of flights during Dussehra and Diwali. According to Ixigo, Delhi-Dehradun reported an average increase of 80 per cent during Dussehra. Airfares from Bengaluru to Lucknow jumped higher by 35.3 per cent. The in-demand Mumbai-Goa route saw an average rise of 27 per cent.

Also read: Indian Domestic Air Travel Sees 6.3% Increase In Passenger Traffic In 2024; Records 10.4% Increase From Pre-Pandemic Levels

The government has stepped in to control the situation to an extent on some air routes. The authorities have asked airlines to operate more flights domestically. These routes are primarily the ones that are charging exorbitant prices and have noticed an increase of over 20 per cent in comparison to 2023.

Do you have plans for a vacation this festive season?

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva