Hey there, folks! If you’re planning to jet off from Mumbai to the northern states this Diwali, you might want to brace yourselves for a bit of sticker shock. The holiday season has cast a spell on airfares, and they’ve shot up faster than a Diwali firecracker! Travelers looking to visit destinations like Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand are finding their wallets a lot lighter these days.
The Diwali Airfare Shockwave
It’s all about supply and demand, you see. When you’re heading north to places like Ranchi and Raipur, you’re in for a not-so-pleasant surprise. The return airfare from Mumbai to these destinations hit a jaw-dropping Rs 40,000 mark in late October. And it’s not just these cities; even the likes of Prayagraj, Patna, Lucknow, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Agra are costing travelers more than Rs 30,000 for a round trip.
North vs. South: A Tale of Two Pricing Worlds
But wait, there’s a twist in the tale. Head south, and you’ll find a whole different story. If you’re looking to explore southern gems like Goa, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, and Hyderabad, you’re in luck. Return fares are still comfortably sitting under the Rs 10,000 mark, even as Diwali lights up the horizon.
So, why the huge gap in airfare? Well, it’s all about the number of flights. Airlines are sending fewer birds up north from Mumbai compared to their southern counterparts. That’s the cue for prices to shoot up when heading north. To give you some perspective, on September 1, a return ticket from Mumbai to Patna for Diwali travel was setting you back Rs 35,000. It has cooled down a bit now but still hovers at around Rs 33,000.
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Navigating Diwali Travel: Money-Saving Hacks and Preferred Routes
Alright, now that you know the price disparity, how do you make the most of your Diwali travel without breaking the bank? Well, one nifty trick is to pick flights with layovers in Delhi. Since many airlines use the national capital as a hub, connecting flights to northern destinations can save you a bundle. We’re talking 40-50 percent less expensive, especially during the peak Diwali season.
Gaurav Patwari, the VP of the air category at Cleartrip, is our guide here. He highlighted the top three metro-to-non-metro domestic flight routes during Diwali. They’re a bit of a mouthful: Delhi to Lucknow, Mumbai to Patna, and Chennai to Kolkata. And guess what? This year, Diwali bookings have surged by around 28.4 percent compared to the previous year. The demand for air travel from Mumbai during Diwali has seen a robust increase of around 16.6 percent compared to last year.
So, there you have it, folks! When it comes to Diwali airfares, it’s all about knowing the ropes, making smart choices, and keeping an eye on those fluctuating prices. Enjoy the festival of lights, and may your Diwali travels be as bright as the fireworks in the sky!
