As the weather gets warmer and schools across the nation plan for summer vacations, most families have begun making arrangements for their holidays. Whether leaving city life behind or venturing into new worlds, domestic travel in India is plenty.
However, for most tourists, a domestic holiday in May and June 2025 might be out of budget to think about as airfares skyrocket during a lack of flights.
There are some places that are more expensive to visit than others. In fact, some of these places are costlier than some international locations, according to statistics revealed by online travel agencies (OTAs) to Moneycontrol.
Economy tickets to Kerala, one of the top domestic destinations, from metro towns such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai have increased to approximately Rs 8,000 - Rs 40,000 for April, May, and June 2025, according to data from various OTAs.
For the long Easter weekend (travel on April 17), a round trip from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram ranges between Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000.
In the same vein, economy airfares to Srinagar, Dehradun, Kochi, Port Blair, Silchar, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, and Leh from metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai have increased to approximately Rs 18,000 - Rs 70,000 for April, May and June 2025.
"Our data reflects a significant increase in airfares. Overall, in comparison to last year, we have seen an increase in airfares of approximately 15-20 percent across these routes," Indiver Rastogi - President of Global Business Travel, Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel, told Moneycontrol.
He further stated that airfares to Srinagar from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru have increased by around 21 percent, while airfares to Leh from Mumbai and Delhi have increased by 15 percent per year. Likewise, airfares to Shimla/Manali (Chandigarh) from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru have increased by 24 percent, and airfares to Bagdogra from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru have increased by 20 percent per year.
In contrast, during May and June 2025, airfare for the routes of Delhi–Istanbul, Mumbai–Athens, Chennai–Budapest, Kolkata–Warsaw, and Bengaluru–Prague is in the range of Rs 33,000, information revealed.
The Delhi–Istanbul average fare is around Rs 33,000, rising from Rs 31,000 in 2024 and Rs 29,000 in 2023. Mumbai–Athens is at Rs 34,000 compared to Rs 33,000 in 2024 and Rs 31,000 in 2023. Chennai–Budapest flight fares are going for Rs 36,000, up from Rs 34,000 in 2024 and Rs 33,000 in 2023. Fares for Kolkata–Warsaw have gone up to Rs 34,000 from Rs 32,000 in 2024 and Rs 31,000 in 2023.
Bengaluru–Prague fares are currently at Rs 36,000, higher than Rs 34,000 in 2024 and Rs 33,000 in 2023.
"These routes continue to offer competitive pricing due to strong airline competition, seasonal promotions, and growing interest in European destinations among Indian travelers," Rikant Pittie, CEO and Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip, told Moneycontrol.
In addition, air pricing to several summer favorites such as Paris, Milan, Frankfurt, Zurich, and London have also witnessed a marginal drop of 4 percent from last year, Rastogi informed Moneycontrol.
"This (decrease in airfares to Europe) is due to a notable increase in air routes and frequencies between India and Europe, with airlines like Air India and Indigo expanding their presence and adding more flights to key European cities," Rastogi said.
Shift in trends
Ernst & Young, in February 2025, noted that Tier II and Tier I city residents like to travel abroad based on visa trends. According to the report, India recorded a 15 percent growth in overall passenger movement, with a 22 percent growth in international air passenger traffic during 2023-24, compared with a year earlier.
The report mentioned that visa applications had risen 11 percent in the first eleven months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, accompanied by a 16.5 percent increase in aircraft being deployed on international routes.
"Airlines are making every effort to improve connections and guarantee smooth travel to international destinations due to the surge in demand. What is evident is that Indian travelers have more summer travel options than ever before and only continue to see this demand surge for the summer period," Rastogi said.
Australia, US experience
Phillipa Harrison, Tourism Australia's managing director, said that Australia is welcoming nearly 430,000 Indian travelers each year, and they are bringing around AU$2.3 billion to the nation's economy.
"Visitation to Australia from India in 2024 is 108 percent of what we experienced in 2019! This increase is partly being driven by improved aviation links between our two countries, with the number of flights per week increasing and taking seat capacity to 333 percent of pre-pandemic level," Harrison stated.
Fred Dixon, CEO of Brand USA, recently stated that there was a 24 percent increase in US visits during 2023.
"Whether traveling for leisure, seeking immersive experiences, iconic attractions, or unique culinary journeys, or for business, forging international connections and driving collaboration, they represent a dynamic force representing India’s growing economy," Dixon said.
International travel preference would have zoomed even further in 2025 if it had not for the depreciating rupee and increasing hotel tariffs. The depreciating rupee and increased hotel tariffs are likely to have added a 15-20 percent increase in cost for Indian travelers during April- June 2025, as against last year.
"The cost of tour packages has gone up because the dollar is expensive. Moreover, the unprecedented rush to hill stations in India is making domestic air travel and hotels expensive. So, people are looking at overseas destinations," Rajiv Mehra, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), said in an interview with Moneycontrol.
He further said that announcements by a number of countries offering free e-visas to attract Indian tourists have also generated interest among travelers.