Airfares for key domestic routes increased by 10-15 per cent during the festival season while flights to Kerala cities saw a 20-25 per cent rise. The analysis identified significant fare hikes on non-stop flights like Delhi-Chennai and Mumbai Calicut. Some routes, however, experienced fare reductions by up to 27 per cent, driven by soaring demand for Diwali and Onam travel.

Airfares are heading northwards for the festival season, with the average one-way ticket price on key domestic routes being 10-15 per cent more for Diwali and 20-25 per cent higher for certain flights to Kerala cities for Onam, according to an analysis.
An analysis done by travel portal ixigo for media showed that average one-way economy class fare for non-stop flight on Delhi-Chennai route during October 30-November 5 period is 25 per cent higher at Rs 7,618. This is in comparison to the fare during November 10-16 period last year.

For the given comparison period, the ticket price is 21 per cent more at Rs 5,162 on Mumbai-Hyderabad route and 19 per cent higher at Rs 5,999 and at Rs 4,930 on Delhi-Goa and Delhi-Ahmedabad routes, respectively. On certain other routes, fares are higher in the range of 1-16 per cent, as per the analysis.

Ixigo’s Group Co-CEO Rajnish Kumar said travel demand for Diwali is on the rise with airfares higher than last year.

“Popular routes like Delhi-Chennai, Mumbai-Bengaluru, and Delhi-Hyderabad are seeing average one-way fares ranging between Rs 4,000-5,000, marking a 10-15 per cent Y-o-Y increase as the festival approaches,” he said.
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While the ticket price for Mumbai-Ahmedabad flight has declined 27 per cent to Rs 2,508, the fall is 25 per cent at Rs 4,890 for Mumbai-Udaipur flight.

Source: PTI