India's Domestic Flight To Ayodhya Costs As Much As A Trip to China, Price Comparison Goes Viral

An X user from Odisha, identified as Manas Muduli, has gone viral after posting a surprising comparison of flight fares that showed a domestic ticket costing nearly the same as an international one.

In his post, Muduli wrote, “The Bhubaneswar to Ayodhya flight costs almost the same as flying from Bhubaneswar to China on the same airline, IndiGo, for the same date! How does a domestic sector end up costing as much as an international one?”

He also shared a screenshot of the fare details, showing that a Bhubaneswar-Ayodhya ticket was priced at Rs 14,237, while a Bhubaneswar-Guangzhou (China) flight cost Rs 14,977, a difference of barely Rs 700.

Bhubaneswar to Ayodhya flight costs almost the same as flying from Bhubaneswar to China on same airline Indigo, for the same date!

How does a domestic sector end up costing as much as an international one!! pic.twitter.com/vQY8COD0UJ

— Manas Muduli (@manas_muduli) November 11, 2025

The post quickly gained attention, garnering nearly 70,000 views and sparking a wave of reactions from users. While some expressed shock at the high domestic fare, others explained that increased demand and limited connectivity on certain domestic routes often push prices higher.

The incident has reignited discussions on social media about airfare pricing policies in India, particularly as domestic travel demand surges ahead of the holiday season.

One user remarked that higher domestic demand often leads to increased prices, with which Manas agreed but emphasised the need for a transparent cost rationale, arguing that domestic routes should not be priced like international ones without clear justification. 

Another user explained that the Guangzhou flight appeared cheaper because it involved a long journey of over ten hours with a layover, which made it less appealing to most travellers, whereas a direct international flight would be far more expensive.

A third commenter noted that it was surprising to see domestic fares matching international ones, suggesting that airline pricing now depends more on demand fluctuations and algorithmic adjustments than on actual distance or operational costs.