New Delhi: Air fares are rising sharply for the upcoming festive season, with the average one-way ticket price on major domestic routes already up 10-15 per cent for Diwali. On the other hand, fares for some flights to cities in Kerala during Onam are 20-25 per cent higher.

An analysis by travel portal ixigo shows that the average one-way economy class fare for direct flights on the Delhi-Chennai route has risen 25 per cent to Rs 7,618 during October 30-November 5 as compared to November 10-16 last year. During the same period, ticket prices on the Mumbai-Hyderabad route have risen 21 per cent to Rs 5,162. Fares on the Delhi-Goa and Delhi-Ahmedabad routes have risen 19 per cent to Rs 5,999 and Rs 4,930, respectively.

Number of air passengers in India

According to an estimate, India's domestic air passenger traffic can reach 30 crores by the year 2030. This will be almost double compared to the year 2023, when 15 crore passengers flew. Airlines are also constantly expanding their capacity so that they can meet the increasing demand. Rating agency ICRA says that the number of air passengers is expected to continue to increase in the coming time. However, due to competition and rising costs, the pace of growth in profits may remain slow.