Demand for Chhath Puja drives airfare prices through the roof; Air tickets to Bihar, Jharkhand are more expensive than to Dubai

After Diwali, there is a surge in demand for train and plane tickets for Chhath Puja. Airfare prices to Bihar and Jharkhand from across the country have increased sharply, while prices of flights to Bihar from major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Surat have increased significantly.

Flight prices to Patna and Darbhanga are now higher than those to international destinations such as Dubai, Malaysia, Bangkok and Singapore. Ahead of Chhath Puja, there is a huge increase in airfare between Delhi and Patna.

Prices have increased several times: tickets for flights between Delhi and Patna on November 4 and 5 range from 10,000 to 23,000 rupees. The Air India flight on November 5 showed prices ranging from Rs 17,000 to Rs 23,000, while IndiGo has flights in the price range of Rs 13,000 to Rs 14,000.

During Chhath Puja, thousands of people from all over the country travel to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, resulting in overcrowding of trains. Travel agents are unable to secure tickets despite higher fees.

The jump in airfare prices is temporary as fares are expected to normalize after Chhath Puja.

Spot airfares on major domestic routes fell nearly 32 percent for Diwali travel, driven by weak demand and a strategic shift in airline pricing.

According to travel website Ixigo, the average economy fare on the Bengaluru-Pune route fell to Rs 2,879 per trip from October 31 to November 3, compared to Rs 4,232 during last year’s Diwali period from November 10 to 14, representing a decline in spot fares for 32 percent. These findings are based on bookings made one to three days before departure.

This Diwali season, in a welcome development for travelers, average airfare prices on many domestic routes have dropped by 20-25 percent compared to last year’s period.

An analysis of the travel portal ixigo showed that average prices for air tickets on domestic routes have decreased by 20-25 percent. Prices are for average one-way fare based on 30 days APD (Advance Purchase Date).