Anyone planning to fly during the summer break this year found tickets far heavier on the wallet than before. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha, in reply to a written question, that average airfares on 72 select domestic routes rose by nearly 20.5 percent in June 2026 compared with the preceding months. The figures were drawn from the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The government, however, did not make public the names of the 72 routes where this spike was recorded.
Why fares keep climbing
The minister explained in Parliament that an airline's operating cost is constantly shifting, which is why ticket prices never stay fixed. Several major factors push them around at once. The single biggest is the price of aviation turbine fuel. The moment its rate rises on the international market, an airline's costs move up immediately. What makes this so significant is that fuel alone accounts for anywhere between 35 and 40 percent of an airline's total operating expenditure.
On top of that, the rupee's exchange rate against the dollar, excise duty, VAT and the lease rent on aircraft all feed directly into the cost of running a flight. A weaker rupee or higher taxes push up the overall cost of operating a service, and that burden eventually lands on the passenger.
Who actually sets the price
In a separate written reply, the minister made clear that the government does not directly control airfares. Under Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, every airline is free to fix its own fares. Carriers decide the tariff on their flights themselves, weighing their operating costs, the quality of service and a reasonable margin of profit.
What it means for flyers
Demand for air tickets rises sharply during the summer months and around festivals. Under the dynamic pricing system, as soon as seats start running low, carriers push fares higher. That is precisely why a hike of more than 20 percent stings the most for people who plan their journeys at the last minute or during peak periods. The road ahead does not look especially comforting either. If fuel prices stay elevated and other operating costs fail to ease, the possibility of tickets remaining expensive in the coming months cannot be ruled out.
