NEW DELHI: Airfares to Prayagraj have skyrocketed ahead of the Jan 29 Mauni Amavasya snan. Travel portals show Chennai-Prayagraj return tickets for Jan 28 and back two days later are costing above Rs 53,000. A return trip from Kolkata on these dates is costing over Rs 35,500; from Hyderabad/Mumbai/Delhi it’s over Rs 47,500 and from Bengaluru it’s Rs 51,000 plus.
There’s a similar rise around the three remaining important snan dates – Feb 3 (Basant Panchmi), Feb 12 (Maghi Purnima), and Feb 26 (Maha Shivratri and the concluding day of Maha Kumbh). Return fares to Prayagraj for Feb 14 and return two days later is costing upwards of Rs 33,000 from Delhi; over Rs 40,000 from Hyderabad/Chennai/Kolkata and over Rs 45,000 from Mumbai/Bengaluru.
Anil Kalsi, vice president, Travel Agents Federation of India, said: “We are seeing tremendous enthusiasm from not just India but among the diaspora and foreigners too for the Maha Kumbh. Airfares have gone up as demand is far greater than supply. Accommodation is also hard to get.”
The otherwise sleepy airport in the holy city is setting new records handling night flights for the first time in 106 years, getting an international flight for the first time in 93 years, and footfalls. “Prayagraj airport has achieved new milestones during Maha Kumbh 2025. With 17 additional flights on an average, a maximum of 46 daily flight movements, expanded connectivity to 15 destinations, and 24×7 operations, the airport ensures seamless travel. The terminal area has been upgraded to handle 1,650 passengers per hour,” the aviation ministry said on X for the Airports Authority of India-run airport on Sunday.
Maha Kumbh is attracting pilgrims from all over the world. Visa processing platform Atlys has reported a 21.4% increase in inbound spiritual travel to India, driven mainly by Maha Kumbh and other major festivals. The surge for applications is largely driven by travellers from the UK and USA, it says.