Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Diwali Flight Fares Make Overseas Trips Seem Cheaper Than Home
Many people want to fly home for Diwali.
Some travellers posted screenshots showing that certain flights within India cost more than flights to places abroad.
For example, one comparison showed a ticket from Pune to Nagpur costing more than one from Pune to Dubai.
Other posts compared fares to Patna with cheaper tickets to the Maldives or Bangkok.
People joked online that taking an international holiday might cost less than visiting family.
Some said they would still pay a lot to be home for an important festival.
Others said airline prices should be limited.
The prices came from social media screenshots and were not independently checked by News18.
Social media users compared Diwali-season domestic fares with cheaper tickets to international destinations.
Examples included Pune–Nagpur at Rs 23,994 versus Pune–Dubai at Rs 16,995, and Bengaluru–Patna at Rs 21,695 versus the Maldives at Rs 12,033.
Other screenshots showed Mumbai–Guwahati fares ranging from Rs 22,000 to Rs 43,000 and Pune–Patna at Rs 32,000.
Travellers joked about going abroad instead of home, while others described returning home for festivals as especially important.
Some users called for a cap on airline prices; News18 said the user-generated fare claims had not been independently verified.
- Who
- Travellers sharing flight-fare comparisons on X, and people discussing them online.
- What
- Social media posts compared high Diwali-season fares for some domestic routes with lower fares to international destinations.
- When
- The discussion was reported on October 10, 2026, ahead of Diwali.
- Where
- The comparisons included routes within India and flights to destinations such as Dubai, the Maldives, and Bangkok.
- Why
- Travellers said the fare differences made some overseas trips appear cheaper than flying home for the festival.
- Reported
- October 10, 2026
- Pune to Nagpur
- Rs 23,994 in a shared comparison
- Pune to Dubai
- Rs 16,995 in a shared comparison
- Bengaluru to Patna
- Rs 21,695 in a shared comparison
- Bengaluru to the Maldives
- Rs 12,033 in a shared comparison
- Mumbai to Guwahati
- Shared fares ranged from Rs 22,000 to Rs 43,000
- Verification
- News18 said the claims in the original social media post had not been independently verified.