Why are flight tickets so expensive now? The truth behind rising airfares | Explained

Have you noticed that domestic flight tickets in India have become significantly more expensive? According to the Consumer Price Index, domestic airfares were nearly 30% higher in September compared to a year earlier. But what is driving this surge? In this explainer, The Hindu’s aviation reporter Jagriti Chandra breaks down the factors behind rising airfares, including higher aviation fuel prices, the impact of global oil markets, rupee depreciation, airspace restrictions, geopolitical tensions, airline capacity constraints and dynamic pricing models.Updated - November 07, 2026 10:02 am IST