Archive · 16 Dec 2025
Ixigo and Cleartrip Battle for Second Place
Ixigo and Cleartrip are two big companies that help people book travel online in India.
MakeMyTrip is the biggest, but Ixigo and Cleartrip want to be the second biggest.
Ixigo is good at trains and buses, while Cleartrip is known for flights.
They both want to grow in hotels and use computers to make travel easier.
They are also trying to get more people to book international trips.
It's like a race to see who can help more travelers and make the most money.
Ixigo and Cleartrip are competing to be the second-largest online travel agency in India, behind MakeMyTrip.
Ixigo focuses on rail, travel information, and organic traffic, while Cleartrip is air-heavy and chasing scale.
Both companies are expanding into the hotel segment, with Cleartrip aiming to double its share to 30%.
They are using artificial intelligence to improve customer experience and reduce friction.
The Indian online travel market is growing, with significant potential for expansion in both domestic and international travel.
- Who
- Ixigo and Cleartrip, two major online travel agencies in India.
- What
- A competition to claim the second position in the Indian online travel market.
- When
- The battle is ongoing, with recent developments in 2025.
- Where
- India, with a focus on domestic and international travel markets.
- Why
- To capture the next wave of digital travel users and build a multi-transport platform.
Ixigo
Cleartrip
Market Position
Ixigo
Ixigo claims to be the fastest-growing OTA and number two in financial metrics like revenue and GTV.
Cleartrip
Cleartrip asserts its strong right to be number two, focusing on foundational growth.
Business Focus
Ixigo
Ixigo focuses on rail, travel information tools, and organic traffic with lower acquisition costs.
Cleartrip
Cleartrip is air-heavy, with flights accounting for over 80% of its GBV, and is unapologetically chasing scale.
Hotel Segment
Ixigo
Ixigo launched hotels in late 2023 but is still working on product-market fit.
Cleartrip
Cleartrip aims to double its hotel share to 30% to stabilize economics.
AI Integration
Ixigo
Ixigo uses AI for chat-based support and trip tracking.
Cleartrip
Cleartrip is experimenting with conversational discovery tools and itinerary builders.
- MakeMyTrip Market Share
- Over 50%
- Ixigo's GBV
- ₹14,971 crore
- Cleartrip's GBV
- ₹13,956 crore (estimated)
- Ixigo's Revenue
- ₹1,191 crore in FY25
- Cleartrip's Revenue
- ₹234 crore in FY25
- Online Penetration
- 42.7% in FY25 (estimated)
- Hotel Market Size
- $4.2 billion in FY25
- International Tourism Market
- $21.6 billion in 2024, expected to reach $61.7 billion by 2033