Flight prices have shot up sharply as IndiGo’s operational problems entered their third day on Friday. With hundreds of flights cancelled and thousands of passengers rushing to find alternatives, last-minute ticket prices on major booking platforms have more than doubled.
The sudden demand has pushed fares on some of India’s busiest routes to unusually high levels. Many travellers trying to book urgent tickets found prices increasing within minutes. Data from MakeMyTrip showed that the cheapest Delhi–Bengaluru ticket for December 6 was over Rs 40,000, with some options even crossing Rs 80,000, according to a report by news agency ANI.
Flights between Delhi and Mumbai are seeing similar spikes – tickets for December 6 now start at about Rs 36,000 and can go beyond Rs 56,000. Return tickets to Delhi are also expensive, ranging from around Rs 23,000 to over Rs 37,000.
Other routes are facing similar jumps. Delhi – Chennai tickets are now showing in the Rs 62,000 – 82,000 range. A Delhi – Guwahati ticket is priced between Rs 23,998 and Rs 35,015, the report mentioned.
International flights now cheaper than domestic
Interestingly, some international routes are now cheaper than domestic ones. A Delhi-Dubai ticket for December 6 costs around Rs 25,855 and a Bengaluru-Dubai ticket is available for roughly Rs 15,000. A Delhi–Bangkok flight is priced close to Rs 18,747.
These steep fluctuations come after IndiGo faced major operational setbacks, leading to more than 500 delays and cancellations across the country. The chaos resulted in crowded airports and stranded flyers and all IndiGo departures from Delhi were cancelled until midnight. Other airlines, however, continued operating as usual.
Prices expected to stabilise soon
Travel platforms say prices are likely to settle soon and more normal fares are already appearing for December 9 to 12 on several Delhi routes.
To help reduce disruption and support IndiGo’s recovery efforts, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given the airline a temporary relaxation from two regulations related to duty hours and night operations. This exemption will remain in place until February 10, 2026.
Meanwhile, many passengers have expressed frustration with long waiting hours, lack of updates and confusion-issues reportedly caused by staff shortages and new crew rules.