Diwali Travel Shock: Airfares Jump Up to 300% on Some Routes
What Happened
Airfares across India have climbed sharply ahead of the festive season as demand for Diwali, Durga Puja and Chhath travel outpaces available airline capacity. Routes served by a single airline have seen the steepest increases, with some fares rising by more than 150% to 300% compared with normal levels.
Key Takeaways
Limited seat availability and lack of competition on monopoly routes are driving the surge. While major trunk routes such as Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Bengaluru have also become costlier, fare hikes there have been relatively modest due to greater airline competition.