Ahmedabad: Airfares from Ahmedabad have risen by at least 30% year on year as fewer flights, airspace restrictions and higher aviation turbine fuel prices push up travel costs. Passengers planning domestic travel about 10 days in advance are now paying Rs 10,000 or more for return tickets to most major destinations, with Mumbai among the few exceptions.The squeeze on capacity is visible in flight movements at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Domestic air traffic movements fell by about 5% during April and May 2026 compared with the corresponding period last year, while international movements declined by 24%, airport sources said.“Reduced flight movements mean fewer seats are available on several routes. With demand concentrated on the remaining flights, fares have remained elevated. Air traffic movements on a daily basis have reduced from 310 in Feb this year to 200-220 as of July,” a source said.The fares are steeper for international travellers. Return fares from Ahmedabad to the US and Canada have climbed to nearly Rs 1.5-Rs 1.8 lakh. Even short-haul leisure destinations have become expensive, with return fares to Thailand and Vietnam crossing Rs 40,000 per person.Travel operators said the sharp rise in fares is beginning to influence holiday plans. “Climbing airfares are deterring people from travelling. For the upcoming long weekends around Independence Day and after that, we expect more people to choose road trips instead of flying,” said Ankit Bajaj, a travel operator in Ahmedabad.Bajaj said the outbound summer travel season was also affected by geopolitical uncertainty and inflation. “There was an overall decline. We hope travel demand and fares stabilise ahead of the Diwali season,” he said.“The disruption has been particularly severe on international routes, where airspace closures and limited connectivity have reduced available options and forced passengers onto longer or more expensive itineraries,” said Manish Sharma, another travel expert in the city.The combination of reduced capacity and higher ATF prices has also left airlines with limited room to offer lower fares, industry sources said. With the festive travel season approaching, operators are now watching whether additional capacity is deployed on high-demand routes.
