Group flights to Andaman: CCU–IXZ vs MAA–IXZ — fares, schedules, and seat availability compared (2026)
By Vihaan Patel (Vihaan Patel covers the intersection of travel and digital payments — Indian OTAs, airline-direct booking flows, UPI vs credit-card surcharges, RBI tokenisation rules and the booking-funnel mechanics that quietly cost (or save) you money.) · Published · 11 min read
Andaman’s peak tourist season runs roughly November through March, and Port Blair (IXZ) airport’s limited capacity means group seats on both the Kolkata (CCU) and Chennai (MAA) routes fill up faster than most people expect. Both IndiGo and Air India fly both routes, but the schedules, group fare structures, and seat availability patterns are different enough to warrant a proper comparison before you lock in the group booking.
TL;DR — quick answer
For group travel to the Andaman Islands during peak season (November–March), book at least 60–90 days in advance on either the Kolkata (CCU–IXZ) or Chennai (MAA–IXZ) route — group inventory fills earlier here than on most mainland routes. IndiGo and Air India both operate both routes. Kolkata is typically the higher-frequency option with more daily departures; Chennai has fewer daily flights but can be cheaper per head for groups travelling from south India. The winning route for your group depends on where your group members are originating, not just the per-seat fare on the final segment to Port Blair.
Why the Andaman routes are different for group bookings
Most people who haven’t tried to book group travel to the Andamans before are surprised by how fast availability tightens. Port Blair’s Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ) has limited runway capacity and a strict slot allocation — there are only so many flights per day that can land and take off, which naturally caps the total available seats. During peak season (November through early March), when the sea conditions around Neil, Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Baratang are good for diving, snorkelling, and the whole ‘Andaman experience’, demand from leisure group travel (corporate offsites, school trips, diving groups, wedding parties) converges on a small number of daily departures.
The result: group inventory on peak-season Andaman flights often gets absorbed 90–120 days before departure, not 45–60 days like on most mainland trunk routes. If you’re planning a December or January group trip and you’re reading this in October, you may already be scrambling. The lesson is simple but easy to ignore: book early, and don’t treat Andaman group travel like booking a Delhi–Mumbai corporate trip.
Kolkata (CCU) to Port Blair (IXZ): what the route looks like
Kolkata is historically the ‘gateway’ to the Andamans — the sea route from Kolkata Port to Port Blair still runs, and the city has always had a connection to the islands through its Bengali diaspora community and the Islands’ own Bengali-speaking population. Flights from CCU to IXZ are the shortest of the two major mainland gateways (flying time around 2 hours), and IndiGo typically operates multiple daily departures on this sector, making it the highest-frequency route to IXZ from any single city in India.
Air India also operates CCU–IXZ, and historically this was a key route for Air India (which inherited the Vistara merger — Vistara is now fully absorbed into Air India and no longer operates as a separate airline). For group travel, Air India’s CCU–IXZ product includes their standard group desk process with deposit structure.
Group fare ranges on CCU–IXZ during peak season (when booked well in advance) tend to be in the range of around ₹5,000–9,000 per person one-way for economy group fares — but these numbers are illustrative and shift with demand, fuel surcharges, and seat availability. Get an actual group quote; don’t plan a budget from these ranges alone.
Chennai (MAA) to Port Blair (IXZ): the south India angle
Chennai is the other major gateway, particularly for groups assembling from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Telangana. The MAA–IXZ route has somewhat fewer daily departures than CCU–IXZ, which means less scheduling flexibility for groups that have a narrow travel window. Flying time from Chennai to Port Blair is around 2 hours and 15–20 minutes.
For groups whose members are distributed across south India, MAA can be the better consolidation point. Chennai airport handles international connections well if some group members are flying in from abroad before the domestic Andaman leg.
Where MAA can win on group fares: if the flight isn’t filling as fast as the Kolkata route (more common on mid-week departures in shoulder season), the group desk may have more negotiating room and group inventory to offer. During peak season, both routes tighten similarly.
Air India Express (the low-cost Air India subsidiary) has operated MAA–IXZ at various points — check the current schedule on Air India Express’s site, as low-cost subsidiary fares can sometimes be the cheapest option for groups willing to trade flexibility for price. Air India Express has a different group booking process from the main Air India group desk.
IndiGo vs Air India on both routes: which carrier to use?
| Factor | IndiGo (CCU or MAA) | Air India (CCU or MAA) |
|---|---|---|
| Daily frequency | Higher (especially CCU) | Lower but consistent |
| Group fare process | Online form + group desk | Email or agent + group desk |
| In-flight meal | Add-on (buy at booking) | Included on most economy group fares |
| Baggage (group fare) | Check the group offer letter | Usually 15–25 kg included |
| Mileage earn | Limited on group fares (check BluChip) | Limited on group fares (check Flying Returns) |
Neither carrier is universally ‘better’ — it depends on your group’s priorities. IndiGo wins on frequency and often on base group fare price. Air India wins on included services and occasionally on flexibility for name changes.
Seat availability during peak season (Jan–Mar): what to realistically expect
January through March is the busiest period for Andaman tourism — the sea is calm, visibility for diving is good, and it’s the ideal weather window. Here’s what group coordinators should realistically expect on both routes:
- If you’re booking for January or February: You should ideally be requesting group quotes in October, or November at the latest. Group inventory on peak-season flights often goes to corporate offsite planners and school tour operators who book on long forward-planning cycles. Waiting until December for a January group trip to the Andamans is a tough position to be in.
- Seat availability is not the same as flight availability: A quick search on FlightGPT or any OTA might show flights with seats available, but those are individual retail seats. Group inventory is a separate allocation and can be exhausted even on flights that still show individual seats available publicly. This is why getting the group quote early matters.
- March can be more forgiving: Late February and March see some shoulder-season softening. March is still a good month to visit (sea conditions hold through most of it), but group availability loosens compared to January.
If you’re a travel agent planning Andaman group packages, the FlightGPT Partner portal lets you compare fares across carriers and track availability. For individual fare searches and flexible date comparisons, use route pages or the main FlightGPT search.
Bottom line: which route wins for your group?
If your group is based in or near Kolkata, or if east India is the logical assembly point, CCU–IXZ is the better route — more flights, shorter journey, and historically the primary Andaman gateway. If your group is assembling from south India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana), MAA–IXZ saves multiple hours of dead travel time and is the logical choice regardless of how the per-seat group fares compare on a given day.
For mixed-origin groups (members flying in from Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, for example), the most efficient approach is often to route everyone through the gateway that has the cheapest and most convenient connecting options — which usually means Kolkata for north/east and Chennai for south. Compare the total journey cost (connecting flight + Port Blair segment) not just the IXZ fare in isolation. FlightGPT is useful for that multi-city comparison. Also worth reading: our piece on how Air India group fares work on trunk routes and what happens if one group member has to cancel.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper for group flights to Andaman: Kolkata or Chennai?
It varies by date, carrier, and how far in advance you book. Kolkata typically has more daily departures which creates more group inventory and sometimes more competitive group fares. Chennai can be cheaper on mid-week or shoulder-season departures. Get actual group quotes on both routes and compare the total cost including any connecting flights for your group’s members before deciding.
How far in advance should I book group flights to Port Blair during peak season?
For peak season (November–March), aim to request group quotes 90–120 days before departure, not the 45–60 days that works on most mainland routes. Group inventory on peak Andaman flights gets absorbed quickly by corporate offsite and tour operator bookings made on long forward-planning cycles.
Do IndiGo and Air India both operate flights from Kolkata and Chennai to Port Blair?
Yes, both IndiGo and Air India operate CCU–IXZ and MAA–IXZ routes. IndiGo generally has higher frequency, especially from Kolkata. Air India Express (the low-cost Air India subsidiary) has also operated on these routes at various points — check current schedules on their websites as route offerings change seasonally.
What is the minimum group size for Andaman group flight bookings?
Both IndiGo and Air India require a minimum of 10 passengers on the same flight and date for group booking eligibility. Groups smaller than 10 should book individual tickets, preferably all on the same PNR to maximise seat adjacency. For groups of exactly 10–12, compare the group quote against current individual fares — sometimes promotional individual fares are competitive.
Can a group fly from Mumbai or Delhi directly to Port Blair?
Port Blair does have direct connections from several mainland cities including Delhi (DEL–IXZ) and occasionally via Mumbai, though schedules change seasonally. For groups flying from the north, check whether a direct DEL–IXZ option exists on your dates before routing through Kolkata. Use <a href='/'>FlightGPT</a> to check current direct and connecting options.
Is it better to book Andaman group flights through a travel agent or directly?
For Andaman group travel — particularly during peak season — an experienced travel agent who regularly books Andaman packages can be genuinely useful. They often have established relationships with airline group desks, know the typical group inventory patterns on IXZ routes, and can bundle the flight with ferry transfers and hotel blocks on the islands. Compare the agent’s all-in package price against the group flight fare plus separately arranged accommodation before deciding.