Kolkata Flight Fares Jump 71% On October 16 Ahead Of Durga Puja 2026

Durga Puja is one of the busiest times of the year to visit Kolkata. The festival draws travellers from across India to experience the city's grand pandals, festive celebrations and cultural traditions.

With demand expected to peak around the festival, flight fares to Kolkata are now seeing a sharp increase. Tickets for October 16, when Durga Puja starts, are expected to cost 71% more as a surge in demand sees a large number of travellers heading home.

As per a TOI report, 53 domestic routes linking Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune found that airfares to Kolkata on October 16 are notably higher than those for nearby dates. The median fare across the seven routes to Kolkata on September 16 stood at Rs 9,140, while it cost Rs 8,712 for travel the following day and Rs 8,259 for a journey a week later.

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In comparison, the median fare for October 16 was considerably higher at Rs 14,117. The date is pivotal as it marks the beginning of Durga Puja celebrations this year.

The steepest increase was seen on the Chennai-Kolkata route, where fares were up 94.9%. Mumbai followed with a 78.1% rise, while Bengaluru and Hyderabad recorded increases of 76.5% and 65.3%, respectively. Fares from Pune were 26.2% higher, compared with a 22.2% rise from Delhi and 6% from Ahmedabad. The sharp increases point to strong demand for Kolkata-bound flights during the festive period.

Flight fares typically rise as more seats are booked and availability becomes limited. At present, travelling to Kolkata next week is cheaper than flying during the Durga Puja week. Travellers looking to cut costs could consider flying on October 17 or 18, shortly after the celebrations begin.

Also Read: Flying With A Baby Just Got 50% Costlier As IndiGo Raises Multiple Passenger Fees

If your travel dates are flexible by a few weeks, changing your plans could save around Rs 5,000 per person on the journey to Kolkata. The return flight, meanwhile, does not appear to be driving the higher costs. Most of the additional expense is concentrated on the outbound journey. You can also track fares and book when prices drop to a relatively lower level.