Patna: Air ticket prices on routes to Patna have surged dramatically ahead of Dussehra and Diwali, with travellers facing fares several times higher than usual. While seasonal increases are common, this year’s spike has left passengers shocked, as airlines capitalise on the surge in demand.
Flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad to Patna are all recording record highs. Passengers eager to return home for the festival season are left with little choice but to pay inflated prices or brave packed trains and buses.
Delhi to Patna: triple the average fare
On ordinary days, a Delhi–Patna ticket costs about Rs 4,000. But during the festive rush, fares have soared to more than three times the average. On October 1, tickets ranged from Rs 5,638 to Rs 8,521. By Dussehra on October 2, prices remained steep at Rs 4,506 to Rs 8,364. The biggest surge comes during Diwali: on October 17 fares touched Rs 19,000, rising as high as Rs 24,000 on October 18 before settling between Rs 11,000 and Rs 20,000 on October 19.
Mumbai to Patna: worst-hit passengers
Those travelling from Mumbai are facing the steepest hikes. The route, normally priced at about Rs 7,000, is now selling for Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. On October 1, just one flight was available at Rs 20,000. On October 2, tickets ranged between Rs 14,000 and Rs 24,000. Around Diwali, the fare climbed further, reaching between Rs 18,000 and Rs 31,000.
Ahmedabad to Patna: connecting flights break records
With no direct flights between Ahmedabad and Patna, connecting routes have become prohibitively expensive. Normally costing Rs 6,500, tickets on October 18 and 19 have been priced between Rs 13,000 and Rs 33,000.
Hyderabad to Patna: fivefold rise
The usual Hyderabad–Patna fare is about Rs 6,300. During Dussehra, tickets remained relatively reasonable at Rs 6,400 to Rs 8,576. But by Diwali, fares rose sharply, starting from Rs 9,000 and reaching as high as Rs 23,000 on November 18.
Travellers squeezed, airlines blamed
The steep hikes reflect the seasonal rush of people returning to Bihar for Diwali and Chhath. With long train waiting lists and overcrowded buses, many turn to air travel despite the soaring costs. Airlines, critics argue, are exploiting demand by multiplying fares several times over, even for tickets booked well in advance.
The sudden jump has revived calls for tighter regulation. While railway fares are capped during festivals, airlines remain free to set their own prices. “Festivals are about family and community,” said one traveller at Patna airport. “But for airlines, they’ve become about profit.”
For now, passengers returning home face a difficult choice: pay exorbitant sums for flights, or endure the congestion and delays of India’s railways and buses.
