Festive Rush: Airfares Jump Up To 80% In August

India’s travel sector is bracing for one of the busiest long weekends as families and holidaymakers gear up for the Raksha Bandhan and Independence Day break in mid-August.

With Janmashtami also falling close, this festival cluster is driving a sharp spike in airfares — with ticket prices soaring as much as 80% on some key domestic routes and 50–65% on popular international getaways.

Domestic trunk routes like Delhi–Mumbai, Delhi–Bengaluru and Mumbai–Goa are seeing average one-way economy fares rise by 40–60% compared to normal July levels, according to OTA fare checks and platform trend data from Ixigo and Cleartrip.

For example, Delhi–Mumbai tickets that usually hover around Rs 4,000–5,500 have climbed to Rs 6,500–8,000 for departures during Aug. 7–18. Delhi–Bengaluru fares have jumped to Rs 7,500–9,000 — nearly 50% higher than base levels.

Popular leisure routes are seeing even sharper hikes. Mumbai–Goa one-way economy tickets are selling for Rs7,000–8,500, about 50–60% higher than the usual Rs 4,500–5,500 range.

Hill station getaways like Delhi–Dehradun are witnessing the biggest percentage spike — one-way fares that typically cost Rs 2,500–3,500 have shot up to Rs 4,500–6,000, marking a 60–80% surge as families flock to Uttarakhand for a quick monsoon break.

On the international front, short-haul getaways to the Gulf and Southeast Asia are pushing ticket prices to new highs. Dubai remains India’s busiest overseas corridor, with over 50–60 direct daily flights from cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi. A typical Delhi–Dubai one-way ticket that costs Rs 12,000–16,000 has jumped to Rs 18,000–24,000 — a 40–50% spike. Kochi–Dubai and Mumbai–Dubai show a similar trend, driven by huge visiting friends and relatives traffic during Rakhi and Janmashtami.

Leisure hotspots like Bangkok, Singapore and Maldives are recording the steepest percentage hikes. Mumbai–Bangkok one-way economy fares have climbed to Rs24,000–28,000, nearly double the normal Rs 14,000–17,000 range, as families and couples rush for short city breaks. Maldives packages are also seeing base economy fares of Rs 28,000–35,000 — up to 60% higher than average off-peak rates.

With trains on many busy routes sold out well in advance, travel aggregators expect last-minute airfares to climb even higher as the August holiday window approaches.