As Raksha Bandhan approaches, airlines are offering a special gift to women traveling to tie rakhi with their brothers. Five airlines have extended their fare discounts, originally implemented a month ago, for another month. This means women can benefit from reduced airfares during the Raksha Bandhan festival.
IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara, Air India Express, and Alliance Air have announced a fare reduction of approximately 15%. With these discounts, women can enjoy air travel at rates lower than those of AC train compartments. This means that during Raksha Bandhan, the cost of flying will be less than the fare of train AC coaches.
Booking for these discounted flights has already started. Airlines suggest that booking now will offer significant savings, as fares during Raksha Bandhan will be lower than those of Vande Bharat Express trains. In late June, airlines introduced this low fare scheme, which reduced ticket prices by 15-20%, making them cheaper than train fares.
For those considering train travel, this discount provides an opportunity to travel by air for less than the cost of a train AC coach. With long waiting lists for train reservations, flying might be a preferable option. Women can also book return tickets for up to three days after Raksha Bandhan at these discounted rates.
Here’s a glimpse of the fares:
- On August 17, IndiGo flights from Mumbai to Jaipur will cost between ₹3590 and ₹3922. Air India Express fares will be ₹3921, and Vistara’s will be ₹4476—cheaper than train AC coaches from Mumbai to Jaipur.
- IndiGo flights from Pune to Jaipur will be priced at ₹4635 on August 17, while Air India Express fares will be ₹4835.
- SpiceJet will charge ₹4206 for flights from Ahmedabad to Jaipur, and Alliance Air will offer tickets from Delhi to Jaipur for ₹1964. Air India Express will charge ₹2199, and IndiGo will charge ₹2251.
Fare details from August 11 to 18:
- Delhi to Bhopal: ₹2749
- Bhopal to Delhi: ₹3529
- Raipur to Bhopal: ₹4581
- Bhopal to Raipur: ₹4801
- Ahmedabad to Bhopal: ₹3262
- Bhopal to Ahmedabad: ₹3462
- Bhopal to Bengaluru: ₹5465
