Diwali 2026 Travel: Flight Fares Skyrocket, Tickets Hit Rs 18,000 on Key Routes

Flight ticket prices for major domestic routes have shot up just before Diwali. This is mainly because of the huge festive rush and airlines like IndiGo and Air India cutting down on the number of available seats.

Delhi: If you're planning to fly home for Diwali, be prepared for a shock. Flight ticket prices on major domestic routes have gone through the roof. Airlines are charging a bomb for travel between November 6 and 8, especially from big cities.

Return ticket prices on major routes

Delhi - Hyderabad: Up to ₹18,000 (Air India)

Delhi - Kolkata: Up to ₹17,000 (Air India)

Delhi - Ahmedabad: Up to ₹17,000 (Air India)

Delhi - Bengaluru: Up to ₹16,000

Delhi - Mumbai: Up to ₹13,000 (IndiGo)

This price surge is happening because of 'dynamic pricing'. With the sudden festival demand, the cheaper seats get sold out fast, and the remaining ones cost a lot more. According to aviation data agency OAG, the total number of domestic flight seats in the country dropped by 5.6% in September. IndiGo cut its capacity by 4.5%, while Air India reduced it by a bigger 8.8%. The airlines say this is due to high running costs and not having enough planes.

IndiGo and Air India together control over 90% of India's domestic flights. So, when they reduce services, it directly impacts seat availability and ticket prices during busy periods. And the bad news is, fares could climb even higher in the coming days.