Darbhanga: With over four months still remaining for the festive season of Diwali and Chhath, passengers planning to fly home are already grappling with unexpectedly high airfares on key routes to Darbhanga. Despite an increase in airline operators at the Darbhanga Airport, the anticipated competition-led fare reduction is nowhere in sight.
This year, Diwali falls on October 21, but booking data shows that fares for mid to late October—when festive travel peaks—have already surged. The trend is most visible on the Mumbai-Darbhanga route, which sees a heavy influx of migrants returning home for the celebrations.
Multiple Airlines, No Fare Relief
Currently, three airlines—SpiceJet, Aakash Airlines, and Indigo—operate flights from Darbhanga, a marked improvement from last year when only SpiceJet served the route. However, despite this expanded service, ticket prices remain steep.
For travel between October 18 and 21, airfares from Mumbai to Darbhanga are as follows:
- SpiceJet: ₹11,000 to ₹13,000
- Indigo: ₹13,778
- Aakash Airlines: ₹17,232
On the reverse route, Darbhanga to Mumbai, fares range between ₹8,000 and ₹15,000.
Passengers from Delhi to Darbhanga are shelling out ₹9,000 to ₹10,000, while flights in the opposite direction cost ₹6,000 to ₹9,000. Similarly, tickets on the Bengaluru-Darbhanga route are priced at ₹13,191, while return fares hover around ₹12,703.
Flights from Kolkata to Darbhanga appear to be relatively affordable at ₹5,249, with return tickets priced at ₹4,370. However, fares on the Hyderabad-Darbhanga route are also steep, with tickets costing ₹10,000 and return fares at ₹7,205.
Festive Rush, Financial Strain
The steep pricing comes as a disappointment to many working professionals, students, and businesspeople who had hoped for lower fares due to increased competition.
Last year, a one-way ticket from Mumbai to Darbhanga in October was priced between ₹14,000 and ₹15,000. This year’s prices, though slightly lower in some instances, remain high enough to cause concern among early planners.
With ticket bookings already in full swing since June, passengers are bracing for even higher rates as Diwali and Chhath draw closer.
Travel experts advise early booking but warn that without regulatory checks or strategic flight planning, airfares could remain unaffordable for many during the festive rush.
