KAYAK reveals: Indians are flocking to Asia for Christmas and New Year celebrations

• Dubai, Goa, Bangkok, Bali, Port Blair and the Maldives are India’s most searched-for destinations for flights*
• 30th of December is the most affordable date to travel during the festive season for flights*
• Domestic flight searches are up about 30% with long haul searches up about 59% for travel over Xmas and New Year despite higher prices*

Mumbai, 20th December 2022 – The season of Christmas and New Year is almost upon us and KAYAK – the world’s leading travel search engine – expects travel to be high on Indians’ to-do lists.

KAYAK’s latest search insights for travel over the Christmas and New Year period (between December 19 and January 6) reveal that the travel enthusiasm that’s boomed since borders reopened shows no signs of slowing down.

Return economy flight searches for domestic travel over the upcoming Christmas and New Year period are up around 30% compared to the same search and travel period in 2019, with long haul international flight searches also increasing by around 49% with return economy flights searched to Asia increasing by around 20%*.

Tarun Tahiliani, India Country Manager at KAYAK said, “KAYAK’s data shows significant growth in flight searches for this Christmas and New Year season as Indians look set to take advantage of restriction-free travel to reunite with family and friends. Dubai, Bangkok and Bali remain the perennial favourites offering comparatively short and quicker flights with all the excitement of overseas travel. Goa and Andaman & Nicobar islands are the local choices which also points to a preference towards beach destinations.”

“30th and 29th of December are some of the most affordable dates for domestic and international travel. For Indian travellers looking to secure the best possible fare price, we recommend setting up price alerts for your chosen destination to help secure a great price for your flights,” concluded Tahiliani.

Indian travellers don’t appear to be deterred by higher prices, with the average price for a return domestic economy flight approximately ₹15,840 – an increase of about 52% compared to 2019. A return economy flight to Asia is approximately ₹36,834, an increase of about 59%, and a return economy long haul flight is about ₹80,006 – an increase of about 59%*.

Recent consumer research conducted by KAYAK.co.in found that two-thirds of Indian travellers state they are willing to cut back on day-to-day expenses to allow them to see the world in 2023*.

Saving money here, flying there: looking forward to exploring overseas destinations on a budget

Colourful markets, beaches and great shopping could be what Indian travellers are looking forward to over the upcoming holiday season, with the most searched destination for international  return economy flights for travel being Dubai.Bangkok ranked second in the international travel ranking, followed by Bali and Maldives*. Domestically, Goa placed first as the most searched destination for return economy flights followed by New Delhi and then the  Andamans & Nicobar Islands.

The idyllic setting of Maldives ranks as India’s 6th most searched destination for return economy flights. The Vietnamese city of Ho Chi Minh City rounds out the top 10 destinations, coming in at number 10.

KAYAK.co.in search insights on the top 10 destinations for return economy flights for Indian travellers for travel over the Christmas and New Year period*:

KAYAK search insights on the top 10 most affordable dates to travel for return economy flights for Indian travellers between for Christmas and New Year period*:

KAYAK travel tips:

• Use a travel search engine: KAYAK has the tools and filters to help you find great deals, including the Explore page, which shows destinations by price. Before planning your journey, check the latest travel restrictions in your destination. KAYAK’s travel restrictions map provides real-time updates on COVID-19 restrictions and entry requirements of individual countries.
• Get flexible: If you can be, choose ‘flexible’ filters.  If your travel dates aren’t set in stone, and you have a little wiggle room available, chances are you can save some cash booking within +/- 3 days of your desired date range.