Cheapest Time to Fly to India (and the Most Expensive)
Cheapest time to fly to India is usually late January–March and select fall weeks—while late December, summer peak travel, and major festival periods are often the priciest.
India flight prices can jump a lot—mostly because it’s a long-haul trip and the lowest fare inventory gets eaten up early around holiday travel, summer dates, and big festival weeks. If you can flex your departure or return by a few days, you can often avoid the worst spikes.
Quick Take
- Cheapest time to fly to India: late January–March, May (some weeks), September, and late October–November
- Most expensive time to fly to India: late December–early January, June–July, and festival-heavy weeks (often October–November)
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Cheapest Time to Fly to India
India tends to price best when you’re outside the biggest travel surges and airlines have more empty seats to fill on long routes.
Late January to March (Post-holiday deal season)
After New Year travel wraps up, fares often cool down. This is one of the most reliable stretches to find better pricing to major hubs like Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM).
Money-saving tip: Midweek departures: Tuesday–Thursday flights often price better than weekend-heavy dates.
Heads-up: Spring break overlap: some US spring break weeks can push pricing up—especially on popular departure days.
May (Deal-friendly weeks before summer ramps up)
May can be hit-or-miss, but some weeks can price well—especially if you’re avoiding holiday weekends and not traveling right as summer demand spikes.
Money-saving tip: Avoid long weekends: price-check the second and third weeks of May for better odds.
Heads-up: Heat factor: May can be extremely hot in many parts of India—great for deals, not always comfortable.
September (After summer demand cools)
Once summer travel fades, September often brings better pricing odds again. This is also a month where shifting your dates by 1–2 days can make a real difference.
Money-saving tip: Date-shift test: compare leaving a day earlier vs. later—India fares can swing quickly.
Heads-up: Monsoon timing: some regions can still be wet, which is one reason prices soften.
Late October to November (Fall shoulder window)
This can be a strong time for flight pricing—especially when your travel dates avoid the biggest festival weeks.
Money-saving tip: Target mid-November: it’s often cheaper than late December and early January.
Heads-up: Festival pricing: some late October and early November dates can spike depending on the year’s festival calendar.
Most Expensive Time to Fly to India
India gets priciest when US holiday travel overlaps with India travel demand—plus the cheapest long-haul seats sell out early.
Late December to Early January (Holiday rush)
This is often the highest price period. Late-December departures and early-January returns frequently price at a premium.
Peak within peak: The week before Christmas through the first week of January.
June to July (Summer peak travel)
Summer travel demand can keep pricing elevated—especially for family travel dates and weekend-heavy itineraries.
Peak within peak: Late June through mid-July often has fewer true deals.
October to November (Major festival weeks)
Festival periods can drive major demand. Even if you’re not traveling for a festival, flights often spike when many people are moving around at once.
Peak within peak: Weekend departures during the biggest festival weeks tend to price worst.
Want Better Weather Without Peak Flight Prices?
If you want comfortable trip timing without paying top-dollar airfare, these windows are usually your best bets:
- February to March: often the best blend of deal odds and comfortable timing
- September: post-summer price softening with better airfare chances
- Late October (non-festival weeks) to mid-November: solid window before holiday travel surges
Best Booking Window for Cheap Flights to India
India is a long-haul market where tracking earlier usually wins—especially if you want decent routings and fewer brutal layovers.
- Low/shoulder seasons: start tracking 3–6 months ahead
- Peak seasons (late December, summer, festival weeks): start tracking 6–10+ months ahead
Extra tip: Check multiple airports: Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru can all price differently depending on your route—so it’s worth price-checking more than one gateway.
Seasonal Flight Demand Chart for India
Use this chart as a quick guide to the cheapest vs. priciest months to fly.
| Month | Demand Level | Price Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | High → Medium | High → Medium | Drops after early January travel |
| Feb | Medium → Low | Medium → Low | Strong deal month in many years |
| Mar | Medium | Medium | Some spring break spikes |
| Apr | Medium | Medium | Shoulder pricing in many weeks |
| May | Medium | Medium | Some deal weeks; heat is intense |
| Jun | High | High | Summer demand builds |
| Jul | High | High | Peak summer pricing |
| Aug | Medium | Medium | Demand often eases from July |
| Sep | Low → Medium | Low → Medium | Post-summer deal window |
| Oct | Medium → High | Medium → High | Festival timing can spike |
| Nov | Medium → High | Medium → High | Festival overlap possible; otherwise decent |
| Dec | Medium → Very High | Medium → Very High | Early deals, then holiday surge |
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