Business

Durga Puja travel alert for Kolkata flyers

By Sohail Khan 21 September 2026, 10:24 pm

Benchmarks
Nifty23,414.3067.9

FEATURED FUNDS★★★★★

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct-Growth

5Y Return
22 %

Invest Now

Enter search text:

Business News›Industry›Services›Travel›Durga Puja travel alert for Kolkata flyers: October 16 tickets show a massive airfare spike, with some routes costing nearly twice as much

Read Today's Paper

Durga Puja travel alert for Kolkata flyers: October 16 tickets show a massive airfare spike, with some routes costing nearly twice as much
Synopsis

Airfares to Kolkata are set to surge around Durga Puja, with tickets for October 16 priced 71% higher than fares for the following week, according to an analysis of 53 domestic routes. The median fare for flights into Kolkata on October 16 stood at Rs 14,117, compared with Rs 8,259 for the following week, while Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru recorded the steepest increases.

Listen to this article in summarized format

Loading…
×
×

Unlock AI Briefing and Premium Content

New Year Offer 24 Hours Left
Already a member? Sign In

What's Included

Exclusive Stories
Daily ePaper Access
Smart Market Tools
Curated Investment Ideas
Ad-lite Experience
Subscription

Kolkata flights cost much more for Durga Puja

Airfares to Kolkata are showing an unusual spike ahead of Durga Puja, with tickets for October 16 costing substantially more than fares for several other travel dates. An analysis of airfares captured on the morning of September 16 across 53 domestic routes connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune found that flights into Kolkata on October 16 were significantly more expensive than flights on several other dates.

The analysis compared fares for six departure dates on each route, the same day, one day ahead, seven days ahead, 30 days ahead, 60 days ahead and 90 days ahead.

Read more – New Zealand route won’t help third-country goods claim India FTA benefits: Here’s what changes

Kolkata flight fares rise sharply ahead of Durga Puja

As per a report, the median fare across the seven routes into Kolkata was Rs 8,712 for the next day and Rs 8,259 for the following week. The same-day fare stood at Rs 9,140.

However, the median fare for October 16 was Rs 14,117. This means flying to Kolkata on October 16 costs about 71% more than travelling the following week and 54% more than flying on the same day.

The pattern is particularly unusual because airline fares typically rise as the departure date approaches and seats become limited.

Across the 40 routes that do not involve Kolkata, the median fare for October 16 was Rs 6,271, making it the cheapest of the six readings.

Why October 16 matters for Durga Puja travel

October 16 is significant because it coincides with the beginning of Durga Puja this year. Most Bengali calendars place Maha Shashthi, the first day of Durga Puja, on October 16, although some calendars mark it on October 17. Vijaya Dashami falls on October 21.

The 60-day comparison date, November 15, comes several weeks after the festival and ahead of the December holiday rush, providing a reference point for a more typical travel period.

Kolkata is an outlier in October flight fares

The data suggests that October itself is not driving the increase in domestic airfares. When the 53 routes were grouped according to their destination city, Kolkata recorded a 65.3% increase in fares on October 16 compared with November 15.

Hyderabad was next, with fares 1.9% higher. The other six cities recorded lower fares on October 16 than on November 15.

Among the 40 routes that do not connect to Kolkata, the median fare was 5.6% lower on October 16 than on November 15.

Of the 53 routes studied, 17 had higher fares on October 16 than on November 15. Nine recorded increases of more than 20%, with six of those nine routes being flights into Kolkata.

Durga Puja and Navratri show different airfare patterns

The fare spike is not seen in the same way across other major festivals.

Navratri runs from October 11 to October 20 in Gujarat, coinciding with the period when the 30-day fare reading was taken. Yet flights into Ahmedabad for October 16 were 20.9% cheaper than the November 15 comparison fare.

Ahmedabad recorded the lowest October 16 fares among the eight cities studied.

One possible explanation is the difference in travel patterns. Navratri and Garba celebrations are largely concentrated among people living in Gujarat, whereas Durga Puja attracts people from different parts of the country back to Kolkata during the same period.

Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru see steepest fare increases

Among the seven routes into Kolkata, Chennai recorded the biggest increase, with fares 94.9% higher on October 16 than on November 15.

Mumbai followed with a 78.1% increase, while Bengaluru recorded a 76.5% rise. Hyderabad was up 65.3%.

Pune saw a 26.2% increase, Delhi 22.2% and Ahmedabad 6%.

Flying into Kolkata from	October 16	November 15	Extra
Bengaluru	Rs 16.9K	Rs 9.6K	Rs 7.3K
Chennai	Rs 15.5K	Rs 7.9K	Rs 7.6K
Mumbai	Rs 15.2K	Rs 8.6K	Rs 6.6K
Pune	Rs 14.1K	Rs 11.2K	Rs 2.9K
Hyderabad	Rs 13.0K	Rs 7.9K	Rs 5.1K
Delhi	Rs 12.3K	Rs 10.1K	Rs 2.2K
Ahmedabad	Rs 11.2K	Rs 10.6K	Rs 0.6K

In absolute terms, the additional one-way fare was around Rs 7,600 from Chennai, Rs 7,300 from Bengaluru and Rs 6,600 from Mumbai. The median additional cost across the seven routes was about Rs 5,100.

Number of flights does not fully explain Kolkata airfare surge

A possible explanation for higher fares could be limited flight capacity on some routes. However, the data does not show a consistent relationship between the number of daily flights and the fare increase.

Ahmedabad has four flights a day to Kolkata and recorded the smallest increase among the seven routes. Bengaluru has 11 flights a day but recorded the third-highest increase. Pune has three daily flights and ranked fifth for the fare increase.

Delhi, which has 21 flights a day, recorded the second-smallest increase.

The comparison therefore does not show a clear pattern in which routes with fewer flights consistently have larger fare increases.

Flights to Kolkata cost more than flights from Kolkata

The strongest difference appears when the incoming and outgoing flights are compared.

For every city pair with data in both directions, the flight into Kolkata showed a larger increase between October 16 and November 15 than the corresponding flight out of Kolkata.

Mumbai-Kolkata fares were up 78%, while Kolkata-Mumbai fares were up 5%. Similarly, Bengaluru-Kolkata fares increased 76%, while Kolkata-Bengaluru fares were 22% lower than the November comparison.

Across all six city pairs included in the two-way comparison, the median increase for flights heading into Kolkata was 46%. For flights leaving Kolkata, fares were 8% lower than the November 15 fares.

The data therefore points to a sharp increase specifically in demand for travel into Kolkata around the Durga Puja period, rather than a general premium on flights associated with Kolkata.

Flying to Kolkata for Durga Puja? What the data suggests

Travellers planning a Durga Puja trip may want to consider their dates carefully.

The data shows that fares for flying into Kolkata on November 15 are roughly one-third lower than those for October 16. Travelling a few weeks after the festival could therefore save around Rs 5,000 per person each way, based on the median comparison.

The return journey also shows a different pattern. Much of the additional cost is concentrated on flights into Kolkata, rather than flights leaving the city.

Travellers may therefore benefit from checking the two legs separately instead of assuming that both sides of a return ticket will carry the same festival-related premium.

For those who need to travel on or around October 16, the analysis also provides no evidence that waiting to book will lead to lower fares. However, the data is based on a single fare capture and does not predict how prices will move in the days ahead.

How the flight fare data was collected

The figures are based on advertised fares captured on Google Flights on the morning of September 16, 2026.

The analysis covers 53 domestic routes between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune. Fares were recorded for six fixed departure dates.

The figures represent median advertised fares rather than the prices passengers ultimately paid. Airfares can change quickly, and prices visible during a single search may not remain available.

The October 16 and November 15 comparisons also reflect different booking windows. The comparison with the 40 routes not connected to Kolkata was used to account for the normal effect of booking distance on airfares.

October 16 represents one departure date and should not be interpreted as a measure of fares throughout the entire Durga Puja week.

Fare data for Kolkata-Chennai was unavailable in the September 16 capture. Chennai-Kolkata was available and recorded the steepest increase among the routes studied.

The data also identifies airlines operating on each route but does not establish which airline offered a particular fare. It therefore cannot determine which carrier was responsible for setting the prices observed in the analysis.

Inputs from & agencies

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The .)

…moreless

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
Durga Puja flight faresKolkata flight tickets October 16Kolkata airfare surgeDurga Puja airfareKolkata flight prices 2026flights to KolkataKolkata airfare October 2026Durga Puja travel 2026India flight ticket pricesKolkata flight fare increase

(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The .)

…moreless

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year