Airfares are rising sharply for the festival season. Prices for flights during Diwali are up by 10-15%, while fares to Kerala cities for Onam are seeing increases of 20-25%, according to travel analysis.
For example, a one-way economy ticket from Delhi to Chennai is 25% more expensive, costing around ₹7,618 from October 30 to November 5, compared to the same period last year. The Mumbai-Hyderabad route has seen a 21% increase, with fares at ₹5,162, while Delhi-Goa and Delhi-Ahmedabad routes are up by 19% to ₹5,999 and ₹4,930, respectively.
Despite the overall increase, some routes have seen fare decreases. For instance, flights from Mumbai to Ahmedabad are down by 27% to ₹2,508, and flights from Mumbai to Udaipur are 25% cheaper at ₹4,890. Similarly, Bengaluru-Hyderabad fares have dropped by 23% to ₹3,383.
In Kerala, the price hikes are significant. Fares for Hyderabad-Thiruvananthapuram and Mumbai-Calicut flights have increased by 30% to ₹4,102 and ₹4,448, respectively. However, some routes have also seen price drops, ranging from 6% to 35%.
The surge in travel demand for Diwali and Onam is driving these changes. Rajnish Kumar from ixigo noted that travel searches for Kerala during Onam have doubled compared to last year, leading to higher airfares by 20-25% for major cities.
Concerns about high airfares during peak seasons are ongoing. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu mentioned plans to introduce an online system to handle complaints about fare hikes. Currently, airfares are not regulated by the government, as regulations were repealed in 1994. The ministry has advised airlines to self-regulate and be moderate with pricing.
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