KAYAK reveals this year’s Diwali travel search trends

Mumbai, 16^th October 2022: With international and domestic travel well and truly back on the agenda, travellers have given a positive indication they will be travelling for Diwali.

All prices and search data are based on searches (between 01.06.2022 and 06.10.2022) for travel from 19.10.2022  to 24.10.2022. These have been compared to searches (between 04.06.2019 and 09.10.2019) for travel from 22.10.2019 to 27.10.2019.

The world’s leading travel search engine, KAYAK, has seen a significant rise in flight searches over the Diwali  festival period (travel between October 19 to October 24) with domestic flight searches increasing about 124% and international flight searches increasing about 133%, compared to the same period in 2019*. This is despite return economy domestic flights increasing the price by about 39% and return economy international flights increasing by about 40% compared to 2019.

Multiple other types of data have been identified by KAYAK as indicating the Diwali travel trends. The same is included in this email.

According to KAYAK India Country Manager, Tarun Tahiliani: “KAYAK’s search data reveals that higher airfares aren’t deterring Indian travellers from heading to domestic and overseas destinations for the upcoming Diwali period*. Domestic search insights suggest that October 21 will be the busiest day at Indian airports over the festive Diwali period, so those hoping for smooth sailing to their destination may prefer to set off on a slightly earlier or later date. Avoiding the peak travel dates can also help travellers secure the best possible fare price, and we recommend setting up price alerts for your chosen destination to help secure a great price for your holiday.”

KAYAK.co.in domestic search insights for the Diwali travel period*

• Domestic flight searches for travel over this period have increased by around 124% when compared to the corresponding holiday dates from 2019. The average price of a return domestic flight over the holiday period is about 14,719 ₹, an increase of about 39% for the same period in 2019.
• The most searched date for return economy domestic flights from Indian airports during this period is October 21, indicating this day could be a busy period for airports in India, with the least searched day being October 19.
• The most expensive day to fly for return economy domestic flights over the holiday period is October 22 and the cheapest day to fly is October 19.
• KAYAK return economy domestic flight search data per origin airport for Diwali festival period:

• Top 10 most searched destinations for return domestic economy flight for the upcoming Diwali period:

1. New Delhi – average price 13,341 ₹
2. Goa – average price 11,650 ₹
3. Mysore – average price 2,936 ₹
4. Mumbai – average price 7,319 ₹
5. Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) – average price 31,896 ₹
6. Bengaluru – average price 10,169 ₹
7. Srinagar – average price 18,269 ₹
8. Kolkata – average price 13,873 ₹
9. Patna – average price 16,030 ₹
10. Kochi -average price 17,959₹

• Most affordable destinations for return economy domestic flights for the upcoming Diwali period are:

1. Mysore – average price 2,936 ₹
2. Mumbai – average price 7,319 ₹
3. Bengaluru – average price 10,169 ₹
4. Goa – average price 11,650 ₹
5. New Delhi – average price 13,341 ₹
6. Kolkata – average price 13,873 ₹
7. Lucknow – average price 15,347 ₹

• The average price for one night in a double room in a 3-4 star hotel room in India is about 5,840 ₹, an increase of around 10% compared to pre-pandemic with searches increasing 57%.

• Most search domestic destinations for hotels and average price for one night in a double room in a 3-4 star hotel room:

1. New Delhi – average price 5,257 ₹
2. Mumbai – average price 8,275 ₹
3. Goa – average price7,522 ₹
4. Bengaluru – average price 7,270 ₹
5. Chennai – average price 7,192 ₹
6. Kolkata –  average price 4,156 ₹
7. Jaipur – average price 7,424 ₹

KAYAK.co.in international search insights for the Diwali travel period*:

• International flight searches for the Diwali holiday period have increased around 133% compared to the same period pre-pandemic, despite around a 40% increase in the average return economy international flight price approximately 67543 ₹ in 2022.

• The average price for one night in a double room in a 3-4 star hotel room overseas for Indian travellers is about 16,434 ₹, an increase of around 24% compared to pre-pandemic with searches decreasing about 32%.

• Top 10 most searched destinations for return international economy flight over the Diwali period:

1. Dubai, UAE – average price 28,563 ₹
2. Bangkok, Thailand – average price 25,413 ₹
3. Singapore – average price 31,056 ₹
4. New York, United States – average price 93,63 ₹
5. Bali, Indonesia – average price 48,292 ₹
6. Malé, Maldives – average price 25,899 ₹
7. London, United Kingdom – average price 63,48 ₹
8. Istanbul, Turkey – average price 50,332 ₹
9. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – average price 25,159 ₹
10. Melbourne, Australia – average price 84,580 ₹

KAYAK Tips:

• Set a price alert: As one of KAYAK’s most popular features, price alerts help travellers save money by alerting them when prices change for a flight or hotel they want. If a flight you’re eyeing drops in price, KAYAK will alert you so you can lock in that new price, instantly saving you both time and money.
• Get flexible: Choose ‘flexible’ filters, if your travel dates aren’t set in stone, and you have a little wiggle room, chances are you can save some cash booking within +/- 3 days of your desired date range.
• Choose your dates wisely: Flying out and returning midweek vs the weekend can be cheaper on short-haul and long-haul. It is a similar story for shorter breaks. Travelling on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday generally may be more affordable than at other times of the week.
• Websites like KAYAK.co.in provide powerful planning tools and features that help travellers save money and make confident decisions, including things like flexible search filters, and price forecasts and alerts.

KAYAK Data Notes:

*Based on flight and hotel searches made on KAYAK.co.in and associated brands between 01.06.2022 and 06.10.2022 for travel between 19.10.2022 and 24.10.2022. They were compared to searches for the same period between 04.06.2019 and 09.10.2019 for travel between 22.10.2019 and 27.10.2019. Percentages are on average and prices are approximate and may vary with time. All flight searches are for travels with departure from any airport in India, round-trip and economy class tickets. All prices for hotels are average prices for 1 night in a double room in 3-4 star hotels.