Mahakumbh an expensive affair for Mumbaikars as air fares to Prayagraj soar
To accommodate the surge in travellers, airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet have launched daily direct flights to Prayagraj.
3 min read
Prayagraj airport has also expanded its network, connecting to 14 destinations, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, and Hyderabad. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastava)Mumbaikars who wish to attend the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, are complaining of a steep surge in airfares, with ticket prices on some routes going up by 500 per cent to 600 per cent. One-way flight ticket from Mumbai to Prayagraj, usually priced around Rs 5,000, now range between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000, with the fares exceeding Rs 32,000 on peak dates, mainly during the weekends. The event concludes on February 26.
Dr Nikhilesh Ladha from Powai, Mumbai, said, “I was shocked to see ticket prices go up to Rs 30,000 for a one-way flight. It is a significant expense, but attending the Mahakumbh is a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience, so I decided to go ahead and book my tickets anyway, as train journey is inconvenient.”
However, the price hike has compelled people to look for flights to alternative airports. Milind Bhandarkar from Mumbai, who booked a flight ticket for Lucknow instead of Prayagraj, said, “Tickets to Prayagraj have become extremely expensive and even to closer airports such as Lucknow and Kanpur have also become expensive. The pricing is dynamic and increases drastically during the final payment stage to exploit devotees visiting the Mahakumbh.”
To accommodate the surge in travellers, airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet have launched daily direct flights to Prayagraj. Prayagraj airport has also expanded its network, connecting to 14 destinations, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, and Hyderabad.
Those unable to afford the high prices are turning to train travel, but securing confirmed tickets has become a challenge due to overwhelming demand. “Flight ticket rates to Prayagraj have surged by 162% year-on-year, with nearby Varanasi and Lucknow airports witnessing growth of 127% and 42%, respectively,” said Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, Ixigo. They also reported a 2.6-time increase in bookings for both flights and trains to the region.
Held once in 12 years, the Mahakumbh is a massive spiritual gathering that attracts millions of devotees from across India and beyond. The event’s significance has placed immense pressure on Prayagraj’s transportation infrastructure, pushing airlines and railways to their limits.
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