Airfares to major summer destinations defy sweltering heat, stay cool

Notwithstanding the sweltering heat engulfing major cities, travellers can find solace in the steady airfares to popular summer destinations like Srinagar, Bagdogra, and Kochi.

According to airline executives, capacity increases and moderate demand have kept spot airfares from scorching cities like Delhi on a par with the same period last year. However, this reprieve may be short-lived as rising temperatures are expected to fuel a surge in demand, potentially driving up airfares on these routes as the summer season progresses, they added.

Except for Delhi-Leh, spot airfares for the last weekend of May this year (May 31 and June 1) on routes like Delhi-Srinagar, Delhi-Bagdogra, Delhi-Dehradun, Mumbai-Kochi, and Mumbai-Srinagar have dropped by up to 37.1 per cent compared to the same weekend last year, according to ixigo.

Bagdogra is the nearest airport to popular summer destinations such as Darjeeling and Gangtok. Kochi is nearest to the hill station of Munnar.

Spot airfare refers to tickets booked three days before departure. The last weekend of May 2023, which has been considered for this data, fell on May 26 and 27.

Delhi’s Mungeshpur area shattered records on Wednesday, logging a scorching 52.3 degrees Celsius — the highest temperature ever recorded in the city. This blistering heatwave follows Tuesday’s already searing 49.9 degrees Celsius in the Northwest Delhi locality.

Airline executives attributed the dip in airfares to key summer destinations like Srinagar, Bagdogra, and Kochi to the additional capacity introduced over the past year, following the suspension of Go First’s operations on May 3. The moderate demand is further evidenced by IndiGo and Air India Express launching promotional sales on Wednesday.

“For bookings made until June 3, for travel until September 30, the airline is offering sale fares starting from Rs 1,177,” Air India Express said. IndiGo said the booking period for its summer sale will end on May 31 (Friday). 

On the Delhi-Srinagar route, Indian carriers are currently operating 332 flights per week, about 12 per cent more year-on-year (Y-o-Y).

“IndiGo and Air India have increased their flights on the Delhi-Srinagar route by 30 per cent Y-o-Y and 18 per cent Y-o-Y, respectively. This has kept fares at a normal level,” an airline executive mentioned.

According to ixigo, the spot airfare on the Delhi-Srinagar route is lower by 4.3 per cent Y-o-Y for travel this weekend.

On the Delhi-Bagdogra route, airlines are currently operating 126 services per week, about 28 per cent more Y-o-Y. IndiGo and AIX Connect have each increased their services on this route by 50 per cent Y-o-Y, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Overall, Indian carriers are operating 7.2 per cent more domestic flights Y-o-Y in May, with 21,562 services per week, according to Cirium.