Mumbai-Delhi tickets sold out ahead of Diwali, October 20 most popular travel date: Report

With the Diwali weekend just around the corner, plans for the holidays is up for many. After two years' hiatus, festivals this year are being celebrated on a large scale. Fares have jumped two to three times the normal level on non-leisure destinations and up to four to five times on holiday destinations, according to data from travel companies for the weekend.

Ahead of the extended Diwali weekend, prices have increased dramatically, with the biggest route in India—Mumbai–Delhi—reporting a complete sellout of non-stop flights. According to statistics from travel agencies over the weekend, prices have increased up to four or five times on holidays and up to two to three times on non-leisure places.

Although Diwali generally sees a lot of consumer air travel, the cost rise this year is unprecedented, according to the travel industry. The prices are at least two times more this Diwali than they were last year.

October 20 has emerged as the most popular travel date to Delhi from Mumbai as IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has reported a total sellout for the date.

Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder, EaseMyTrip, said the best time to travel is over the lengthy Diwali weekend. The booking rate for this year is up by 60–70% over last year, as seen by the back-to-back lockdowns in previous years, he added.

The country's second-largest airline by market share, Vistara, has sold out all of its direct flights for the same day, while prices for other routes with one stopover run from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000. Air India, a subsidiary of the Tata Group, has sold out all nonstop service from Mumbai to Delhi for October 20.

The demand for vacation spots is getting even better. Thomas Cook reports that a trip to Andaman from Mumbai during the Diwali weekend costs Rs 51,000 this year as opposed to Rs19,000 last year. Mumbai to Kerala airfares are now Rs 30,000. This compares to Rs 12,000 in the previous year.

Ahead of Diwali, the other most costly routes were Mumbai-Patna and Delhi-Patna. It costs at least 21,000 rupees from Mumbai and 25,000 rupees from Delhi to Patna for a roundtrip (October 21–31). Flights from Mumbai to Bengaluru and Delhi to Allahabad were also in great demand.