From The Economic Times · ET Online · · 3m
Durga Puja sends Kolkata airfares soaring 71% higher
Flights to Kolkata on October 16 cost nearly double compared to other dates, driven by festival travel demand rather than capacity constraints.
In brief
Flights to Kolkata on October 16 cost nearly double compared to other dates, driven by festival travel demand rather than capacity constraints. Kolkata airfares spike sharply around Durga Puja, with incoming flights marking up far more than outgoing ones, so travellers should book strategically or consider visiting…
Kolkata flights spike 71% for Durga Puja
On October 16, median fares to Kolkata hit Rs 14,117, compared to Rs 8,259 the following week and Rs 9,140 the same day. That's a 71% jump over weekly fares.
October 16 marks Durga Puja's start
Maha Shashthi, the first day of Durga Puja, falls on October 16 this year in most Bengali calendars. Vijaya Dashami, the final day, is October 21.
Kolkata is the only October outlier
Across 53 domestic routes, Kolkata fares jumped 65.3% on October 16 versus November 15. Other destinations like Hyderabad rose just 1.9%, while most cities saw fares drop.
Chennai route shows steepest climb
Chennai to Kolkata fares jumped 94.9% on October 16, the highest among seven routes studied. Mumbai followed at 78.1% and Bengaluru at 76.5%.
Extra costs range Rs 2,200 to Rs 7,600
One-way fares cost an extra Rs 7,600 from Chennai, Rs 7,300 from Bengaluru and Rs 6,600 from Mumbai. The median additional cost across all seven routes was Rs 5,100.
Flight capacity doesn't explain the spike
Ahmedabad has four daily flights to Kolkata but recorded the smallest fare increase. Bengaluru has 11 daily flights but the third-highest increase. No clear pattern links capacity to pricing.
Incoming flights cost far more than outgoing
Mumbai to Kolkata fares rose 78%, while Kolkata to Mumbai rose just 5%. Bengaluru to Kolkata jumped 76%, but Kolkata to Bengaluru dropped 22%.
Navratri doesn't show the same pattern
Navratri runs October 11 to 20 in Gujarat, overlapping the October 16 comparison date. Yet Ahmedabad fares were 20.9% cheaper on October 16 than November 15.
Post-festival fares are one-third cheaper
Fares for November 15 are roughly one-third lower than October 16 prices. Travelling a few weeks after Durga Puja could save around Rs 5,000 per person each way.
Return tickets split differently
Most of the festival premium applies to flights into Kolkata, not out of it. Travellers should check inbound and outbound legs separately rather than assuming equal premiums on both.
Booking timing won't help October 16
The analysis found no evidence that waiting to book October 16 flights will lower fares. However, the data is based on a single fare capture and cannot predict future price movements.
Data captured September 16, 2026
Fares were recorded on Google Flights across 53 domestic routes between eight major Indian cities. Figures represent median advertised fares, not actual prices paid by passengers.
What it means
Kolkata airfares spike sharply around Durga Puja, with incoming flights marking up far more than outgoing ones, so travellers should book strategically or consider visiting after the festival.
