Bengaluru–Delhi Hits ₹70,000: Airfares Skyrocket Amid IndiGo Cancellation Chaos

Passengers across India are reeling under skyrocketing airfares after IndiGo’s massive wave of cancellations triggered a scramble for alternative flights. With thousands stranded and uncertainty persisting for the fourth consecutive day, ticket prices on several key routes have surged to double or even triple their usual rates.

Domestic Airfares Hit Shockingly High Levels

Data from travel platforms such as MakeMyTrip, Goibibo and EaseMyTrip shows steep price spikes on same-day bookings from Delhi to major metros and state capitals.

• Delhi → Bengaluru:
  Cheapest fare around ₹40,000;
  Bengaluru → Delhi peaked at ₹70,000.
  Prices ease drastically from December 7, dropping to ₹37,571 on Sunday, ₹11,185 on Monday, and ₹7,173 next weekend.

• Delhi → Mumbai (Dec 6):
  Minimum fare ₹36,107, climbing above ₹56,000.
  Return Mumbai → Delhi fares ranged from ₹23,000 to ₹37,000.

• Delhi → Chennai:
  Last-minute fares spiked to ₹62,000–₹82,000.

• Delhi → Guwahati:
  Lowest at ₹23,998, highest ₹35,015.

Domestic Flights Now Costlier Than International Travel

The airfare surge has pushed domestic travel beyond the reach of many passengers. In contrast, international flights appear surprisingly cheaper:

• Delhi → Dubai: ~₹15,000

• Bengaluru → Dubai: ~₹15,000

• Delhi → Bangkok: ~₹18,747

This disparity has added to the frustration of stranded passengers who are now forced to pay exorbitantly for short-haul domestic routes.

Four Days of Operational Turmoil

IndiGo’s ongoing disruptions—caused by crew shortages and roster compliance issues—have brought operations at major airports to a standstill. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad continue to witness long queues, overcrowded terminals and confused passengers alleging poor communication from the airline.

Delhi Airport has suspended all IndiGo departures until 23:59, impacting around 235 flights from the capital alone.

IndiGo Apologises, Says Worst May Be Over

The airline issued a public message acknowledging the scale of the crisis:
“Today should be the day with the highest number of cancellations, as we are doing all that is necessary to reboot operations,” IndiGo said, assuring passengers that disruptions are expected to ease from Saturday as schedules stabilise.

However, with passenger distress mounting and cancellations continuing, it may take several days for normalcy to return.