Flight fares surged sharply on Friday as IndiGo’s operational crisis continued into its third day, with hundreds of cancellations leaving thousands of passengers scrambling for alternatives. Last-minute tickets on major booking platforms more than doubled, especially on India’s busiest domestic routes.
According to MakeMyTrip data cited by ANI, the lowest Delhi–Bengaluru fare for 6 December exceeded Rs 40,000, with some tickets surpassing Rs 80,000. Delhi–Mumbai tickets ranged from Rs 36,000 to over Rs 56,000, while return fares were between Rs 23,000 and Rs 37,000. Delhi–Chennai flights were listed between Rs 62,000 and Rs 82,000, and Delhi–Guwahati fares reached Rs 23,998–35,015. Interestingly, some international routes were cheaper than domestic travel, such as Delhi–Dubai at around Rs 25,855, Bengaluru–Dubai at Rs 15,000, and Delhi–Bangkok at Rs 18,747.
The surge followed over 500 IndiGo flight disruptions nationwide, leaving airports crowded and departures from Delhi cancelled until midnight. Travel platforms suggest fares may stabilise soon, with normal prices appearing for 9–12 December. To aid recovery, the DGCA granted temporary relaxations to IndiGo’s duty-hour and night-operation regulations until 10 February 2026. Passengers continue to face long waits, limited updates, and confusion due to staff shortages and new crew rules.
