Flight ticket prices across India have surged to extraordinary levels as IndiGo continues to struggle with widespread disruptions, delays, and cancellations. The ripple effect of the airline’s operational chaos has driven spot fares sharply upward, even on carriers that are not directly affected. A same-day Delhi–Mumbai ticket, one of the busiest routes in the country, is currently priced at an astonishing ₹48,750 on Air India, with some fares nearing the ₹50,000 mark.

The sudden spike is not limited to the Mumbai sector. With thousands of passengers scrambling to find alternative flights, demand has surged across routes nationwide. Airlines such as Air India and Akasa Air, which remain operationally stable, are witnessing inflated prices simply due to the unprecedented load on available seats. As a result, air travel that typically costs under ₹10,000 on regular days has soared to premium international-fare levels.

For travellers willing to delay their plans slightly, the situation improves marginally but remains far from normal. A Delhi–Mumbai ticket for the following day is currently averaging around ₹23,000—still more than double the usual cost. The industry-wide surge highlights how heavily India’s aviation ecosystem relies on IndiGo, a carrier that handles nearly 60% of the country’s domestic traffic.

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To avoid these sky-high fares, some passengers are now turning to alternative travel combinations. For example, taking a flight from Delhi to Nagpur—currently priced around ₹14,000—followed by an overnight train to Mumbai can significantly reduce travel expenses. While inconvenient, these multi-leg alternatives are becoming increasingly attractive to budget-conscious travellers.

The chaos extends beyond the Delhi–Mumbai corridor. Sachin Taparia, founder of LocalCircles, shared a screenshot showing a Delhi–Bengaluru fare priced at an eye-watering ₹43,145 on Air India. The steep climb in fares underscores the immense pressure on airlines struggling to fill the vacuum created by IndiGo’s operational challenges.

Industry observers expect fare volatility to continue until IndiGo stabilizes its schedules and restores capacity. Until then, passengers are advised to plan ahead, explore multi-city routes, or postpone non-essential travel to avoid shockingly inflated spot ticket prices.

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