Holi 2026 Flight Fares: When to Book Delhi–Patna and Mumbai–Varanasi Before Prices Double
By Arjun Kapoor (Arjun Kapoor tracks error fares, mileage runs and award-chart sweet spots for Indian travellers. He moderates two Telegram fare-alert channels and has booked Europe round-trips at sub-₹25,000 four times in the last 24 months.) · Published · 9 min read
Holi 2026 falls in mid-March, and the Delhi–Patna and Mumbai–Varanasi fare surge is already documented. Here's exactly when to book, which dates to avoid, and alternate routes if you miss the window.
TL;DR — Book by Late January for Holi 2026 or Pay Double
Holi 2026 falls on March 14, 2026 (Holika Dahan on March 13). On high-demand festive routes like Delhi–Patna, Delhi–Lucknow, Mumbai–Varanasi, and Mumbai–Ranchi, fares typically climb 80–120% versus baseline in the 4–6 weeks before the festival. To avoid the worst of the surge, book by late January 2026 — ideally 10–12 weeks before your travel date. If you're reading this after January, all is not lost, but you're working with a thinner set of options.
How Bad Is the Holi Fare Surge on Delhi–Patna and Mumbai–Varanasi?
These two corridors are among the most price-sensitive festive routes in Indian aviation. They connect the major metros to the Bhojpuri/Bihar heartland — routes dominated by workers, students, and families returning home for what is effectively a 3–5 day national celebration.
The surge is well-documented. In the weeks immediately before Holi, fares on Delhi–Patna (DEL–PAT) shift from a typical base of roughly ₹3,000–5,000 one-way (non-festive period) to ₹7,000–12,000 or more. The exact figures depend on the year, booking timing, and seat class — treat these as illustrative ranges, not guarantees. On Mumbai–Varanasi (BOM–VNS), similar dynamics play out: the corridor handles a huge volume of festive travel and has limited daily capacity, which means fares are under more pressure per percentage of load.
The surge isn't linear. Fares stay relatively suppressed 12+ weeks out, then start accelerating as the 8-week mark approaches. In the final 2–3 weeks before Holi, even the non-refundable base fares can be startling. And by 1 week out, you're mostly looking at whatever's left — which is a mix of very high fares and cancellation/no-shows that airlines reprice upward.
Exact Weeks to Book: A Timing Guide for Holi 2026
Working back from March 14, 2026:
- By January 7–14 (9–10 weeks out): This is your ideal entry point. Lower fare buckets are still available on IndiGo and Air India. You'll get reasonable prices and good seat selection.
- January 14–31 (6–8 weeks out): Still workable. The lowest buckets are starting to fill but mid-tier fares are accessible. Don't wait past this window if you know you're travelling.
- February 1–21 (3–6 weeks out): Prices are accelerating. You'll still find flights, but expect to pay 40–70% more than the January prices. This is the window where a lot of people realise they've waited too long.
- February 22–March 13 (under 3 weeks): Peak surge territory. Available seats are limited, prices are near their highest, and you're dependent on whatever the airlines decide to release as last-minute inventory. Not advisable unless you have flexibility on dates.
The return journey (post-Holi, March 15–17) is almost as expensive as the outbound. Price both directions when you're evaluating the total cost of the trip.
Which Routes Are Worst Affected by Holi Surges?
The most severely affected routes during Holi are those connecting NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru/Hyderabad with UP, Bihar, and Jharkhand. In rough order of how bad the surge gets:
- Delhi–Patna (DEL–PAT) — consistently one of the worst
- Mumbai–Varanasi (BOM–VNS) — high baseline demand, low capacity
- Delhi–Lucknow (DEL–LKO) — very popular, but slightly more capacity
- Delhi–Gorakhpur (DEL–GOP) — limited flights, high demand from eastern UP
- Mumbai–Ranchi (BOM–IXR) — surges hard for festive travel
- Bengaluru–Patna (BLR–PAT) — long-haul festive route with fewer direct options
Routes from smaller metros (Pune–Patna, Ahmedabad–Lucknow) follow similar patterns but sometimes with more connecting options via Delhi or Mumbai that can soften the impact.
Alternate Routing Options If You've Missed the Window
If it's February and you're looking at ₹10,000+ one-way to Patna, here are some alternatives worth checking:
- Fly to Varanasi and take a train to Patna: The Varanasi–Patna corridor by train (roughly 4–5 hours) sometimes has fares available when Patna-direct is sold out or very expensive. Varanasi fares from Delhi or Mumbai, while also elevated, can be slightly lower than Patna-direct. Worth checking on FlightGPT.
- Fly to Prayagraj (IXD) and take surface transport: Prayagraj is about 4 hours from Patna by bus or taxi. Fares to Prayagraj during Holi are elevated but often not as extreme as Patna.
- Fly a day earlier (March 12) or later (March 16–17): If your schedule allows, travelling 1–2 days before the peak dates can save significantly. March 12 departures typically see less pressure than March 13. Post-Holi travel from March 17 onward normalises faster on some routes.
- Overnight train from Delhi: For those from the NCR, the Rajdhani and Jan Shatabdi services to Patna and Lucknow fill quickly but Tatkal quota opens 1 day before departure. Not ideal, but it's an option when flight prices are eye-watering.
If you're a travel agent managing client bookings for Holi, the FlightGPT Partner portal lets you compare across carriers for group and individual bookings on these festive routes.
Does Booking Directly With the Airline Help?
For Holi surge periods, the price difference between airline direct booking and OTAs like Ixigo or MakeMyTrip is usually marginal. What direct booking does give you: faster cancellation and refund processing (no OTA middleman), better visibility on available upgrade options, and occasionally a base fare that's a few rupees lower before OTA convenience fees.
IndiGo's own website has historically run 'sale fares' in the October–November period for flights covering the following March (Holi range). These are worth watching if you're planning 5+ months ahead. Set a Google alert for 'IndiGo Holi sale' around Diwali — airlines often launch festive-adjacent sales in the October window.
Air India runs similar promotional windows and, post-Vistara merger, now has a wider inventory on some of these routes, which can mean slightly more availability at non-peak prices for people who missed the IndiGo window. Check both carriers separately rather than relying on a single OTA to surface all options.
What If Holi Dates Don't Work — Can You Travel Around the Festival?
Yes, and this is genuinely worth considering. Holi in 2026 is on a Saturday. If you can travel the Wednesday or Thursday before (March 11–12) and return the following Tuesday or Wednesday (March 17–18), you avoid the peak travel days and the peak fares. The festival itself is on Saturday, so culturally you're not missing it — you're just not taking a peak-traffic flight.
For the return journey, March 15 (Sunday) and March 16 (Monday) are the peak return days. March 17–18 fares drop meaningfully as the post-Holi wave thins out.
Track your specific route using FlightGPT's route pages — they show historical fare snapshots that can confirm whether this date-shifting strategy has worked on your corridor in past years. And once you've found your window, set an Ixigo alert to catch any further drops before you commit to booking. For more on price alert strategy, see our Ixigo vs MMT alerts guide.
Frequently asked questions
When should I book a Delhi–Patna flight for Holi 2026?
Book by the first two weeks of January 2026, ideally around 10–12 weeks before March 14. This gives you access to lower fare buckets on IndiGo and Air India before Holi demand starts compressing availability. Waiting until February means paying significantly more — often 50–100% above January prices on this route.
Are there any cheap alternatives to Delhi–Patna for Holi travel?
Yes. Flying into Varanasi (VNS) or Prayagraj (IXD) and taking surface transport to Patna can be cheaper when DEL–PAT fares are at peak. Varanasi fares also surge, but slightly less severely. The 4–5 hour surface journey from Varanasi is manageable if you can book a reliable cab in advance. Also worth checking: flying the day before the festival (March 12) when fares are noticeably lower than March 13.
Which airline is cheapest for Holi routes — IndiGo or Air India?
IndiGo dominates volume on most North India festive routes and is typically the first port of call. However, Air India (which absorbed Vistara's network) now has increased frequency on some routes and can occasionally offer competitive fares when IndiGo's lower buckets are sold out. Check both directly — OTAs don't always surface Air India's best available fares, especially on routes Air India considers secondary.
Can I find cheap Holi flights at the last minute?
Unlikely for popular routes. Unlike international routes where last-minute deals sometimes appear, Indian festive routes like Delhi–Patna see prices stay high right up to departure. The only realistic last-minute option is a Tatkal train ticket or being flexible on the exact date — flying March 12 instead of March 13, or March 16 instead of March 15.
Does Holi affect flights from Bengaluru and Hyderabad to UP/Bihar as well?
Yes, though the surge on South India to North India festive routes is sometimes slightly less extreme than NCR-to-Bihar routes because there's more carrier competition and slightly higher base capacity. BLR–PAT and HYD–LKO still see meaningful fare spikes — expect 40–80% above typical baseline in the 4 weeks before Holi. The same 10–12 week booking window applies.
Is there a specific day of the week that's cheapest to fly for Holi 2026?
March 13 (Friday, Holika Dahan evening) and March 14 (Saturday, Holi) are the most expensive departure days. March 12 (Thursday) is typically 20–35% cheaper. For the return, March 15 (Sunday) is peak; March 17 (Tuesday) or March 18 (Wednesday) are meaningfully cheaper and often see fares closer to non-festive baseline. Fly a day or two off the core festival dates if your plans allow it.