- Booking early is advised as festive airfares on many routes are now well above normal levels
- One-way economy fares on popular routes have surged two to three times due to limited flight options
- Delhi-Patna fares rose from Rs 3,500-4,500 to over Rs 12,500 on peak travel dates this season
Planning to fly home for Diwali or Durga Puja? Booking early could make a big difference this festive season, with airfares on several routes now far above their usual levels. The sharpest increases are being seen on sectors where passengers have fewer direct flight options.
Some one-way economy fares on popular festive routes are now two to three times their normal prices as seats fill up. Routes linking major cities with smaller regional airports are seeing some of the biggest jumps.
The Delhi-Patna sector is one such example. As per Moneycontrol, a non-stop economy ticket that usually costs around Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500 is now available for more than Rs 12,500 on peak travel dates. Last-minute direct fares have crossed Rs 13,500.
The difference is even wider on some routes with limited competition. Kolkata-Deoghar fares, which are usually around Rs 2,800, have climbed to Rs 12,500 during the Durga Puja period. This marks an increase of around 340%.
Delhi-Agatti has also seen a steep rise. Tickets on the route have moved from a usual Rs 8,500 to around Rs 25,000 for peak October holiday dates, a jump of nearly 194%.
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Regional Routes See Sharper Fare Jumps
The festive rush is also pushing up fares for people travelling to smaller cities and towns. Bengaluru-Jharsuguda non-stop tickets, for instance, have risen from around Rs 4,200 to Rs 16,200 ahead of Diwali. That is an increase of about 285%.
Mumbai-Bareilly has seen a similar trend, with fares rising from a baseline of around Rs 4,500 to more than Rs 15,000.
On larger metro routes, however, the increase is more limited. Delhi-Kolkata fares have crossed Rs 12,300 from an off-peak level of around Rs 4,800. Delhi-Bengaluru fares have reached around Rs 10,000, while Delhi-Mumbai tickets are hovering near Rs 7,000.
Mumbai-Kolkata fares have also moved up during the main Puja travel period. Direct economy tickets, normally priced between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,500, are now selling for around Rs 11,500 to Rs 14,200.
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The higher fares come as airlines deal with strong demand and limited seat availability. Fleet delivery delays, engine maintenance and higher operating costs have also added pressure on capacity.
Fuel costs remain another concern. Domestic ATF prices rose 5.46%, or Rs 6.28 per litre, to Rs 121.28 per litre from Rs 115 on September 1. This was the second straight monthly increase. ATF makes up around 35-40% of an airline's operating costs.
