Flying home this festive season? Airfares jump up to 3X ahead of Durga Puja, Diwali

Travellers planning to return home for Durga Puja and Diwali could face significantly higher airfares this festive season, with prices on several key domestic routes already well above their usual levels. The sharpest increases are being seen on sectors with limited direct flight options.

On some routes, fares that generally fall in the ₹6,000-7,000 range are now approaching ₹15,000, putting the cost of a one-way journey at more than twice the usual level.

The increase comes weeks ahead of the expected festive travel rush, which is likely to gather pace from the third week of October for Durga Puja and continue through mid-November for Diwali and Chhath, as people travel to their hometowns to celebrate with family.

As the festive season approaches, Indian Railways has also announced that it will operate 12,000 special trains from October 1 to November 15, 2026, to manage the festive rush during Diwali and Chhath Puja, connecting high-demand routes across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi and southern states.

Kolkata-bound travellers face a steep climb

Mumbai-Kolkata is among the routes where fares have risen sharply. The lowest available fare for a direct flight on October 17 is around ₹15,000, compared with a typical fare of about ₹7,000.

The Bengaluru-Kolkata corridor is witnessing a similar trend, with the cheapest available ticket currently priced at ₹16,340.

Fares on the Delhi-Mumbai route, one of India's busiest domestic corridors, have also moved higher. A one-way ticket is currently available for less than ₹10,000, compared with a typical fare of around ₹6,500.

Travellers heading to Kolkata for Durga Puja and Dussehra are likely to face further pressure on fares. Direct flights are currently available at around ₹14,000, while fares for some options can reach ₹25,000. On the Mumbai-Kolkata route, one-way fares for October 12-18 are in the ₹12,000-14,000 range.

For Diwali travel, one-way fares on some Pune and Delhi routes are already around ₹8,000.

For Delhi-Patna flights during Chhath Puja, airfares have surged to as much as ₹12,500, compared with a normal fare of around ₹4,000-5,000.

Fuel costs and festive demand

The increase in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices is adding to the cost pressures faced by airlines. Emkay Global, in a recent report, said public sector oil marketing companies raised ATF prices by around ₹5 per litre in August 2026 to approximately ₹115 per litre in Delhi, following a sharp rise in jet-fuel cracks. ATF typically accounts for around 35%-40% of an airline's operating costs.

Airfare pricing has also come under renewed regulatory scrutiny. The Supreme Court had considered a public interest litigation seeking safeguards against sharp fluctuations in airline ticket prices and given the Centre until September 7, 2026, to finalise new aviation rules. The court also noted that airlines could face regulatory action for failing to comply with government directions on fares.

The development, however, does not amount to an immediate fare cap. The government has maintained that ticket prices are determined by market forces, with airlines using dynamic pricing based on demand and supply.

With festive travel expected to increase sharply and capacity remaining constrained on some routes, fares could remain particularly sensitive to the pace at which seats are booked.