Start a Travel Agency from Home in India: 2026 Cost Guide
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
You can realistically start a home-based travel agency in India for somewhere between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹5 lakh all-in, depending on whether you want full GDS access or just sub-agent credentials on a B2B portal. Here's the honest breakdown.
TL;DR — Can You Really Start for Under ₹5 Lakh?
Yes, and many people start for even less. A home-based travel agency in India can be operational in 30–60 days if you already have a computer, broadband, and a GST registration underway. The ₹1.5–5 lakh range covers business registration, GST, your first B2B portal deposit or GDS sub-agent fee, a basic website, and a few months of running costs before your first commissions land. What it doesn't cover is the time — and MoT recognition, if you want that badge, adds another 6–12 months to the credibility timeline.
The quick route: register as a sole proprietor, get GST, tie up with a B2B portal like FlightGPT Partner, TBO, or Tripjack, and start booking domestic tickets for friends and family while you build volume. Scale up to international and group fares once you know how airline wallet systems work.
Step 1: Business Registration — Sole Prop, Partnership, or Pvt Ltd?
For a first-year home-based operation, sole proprietorship is almost always the right call. It costs essentially nothing to set up (you're operating in your own name, no MCA filing), your current bank account can be converted to a current account, and you can be booking flights within a week of deciding to start. The downside: unlimited personal liability, and some corporate clients will ask for a Pvt Ltd entity before signing. That's a 6–18 month problem, not a Day 1 problem.
Partnership firms are a decent middle ground if you're starting with a co-founder or spouse — relatively cheap to register, and you can split income for tax purposes. Pvt Ltd is worth it once you're doing consistent volume (rough marker: monthly ticketing turnover north of ₹15–20 lakh) or if you want to onboard sub-agents under your IATA or MoT code. Company incorporation runs roughly ₹8,000–15,000 via a CA, plus MCA fees.
Practical tip: Whatever structure you pick, open a dedicated current account from Day 1. The B2B portals all require a current account for wallet top-ups, and mixing personal and business money will make your GST returns a nightmare.
Step 2: GST Registration — Do You Need It Right Away?
Technically, you only need GST registration once your annual turnover crosses ₹20 lakh (₹10 lakh in some special category states). But in practice, register before you start booking. Here's why: your B2B portal invoices will have GST on the service fee/margin. Without a GSTIN, you can't claim Input Tax Credit (ITC), which means you're quietly paying 18% extra on your platform costs. That adds up fast.
GST registration for a travel agent is filed under SAC code 998551 (air passenger transport services sold through agents). The process takes 7–14 working days on average if your documents are clean — Aadhaar, PAN, address proof, current account number, and a passport photo. Fees: zero (government registration is free; a CA charges ₹500–2,000 for filing assistance, which is worth it to avoid rejection).
Monthly GST return filing under Composition Scheme isn't available for service providers earning commission, so you'll be on the regular scheme (GSTR-1 + GSTR-3B monthly). Budget ₹1,000–2,500/month for a CA to handle this until you're comfortable with the portal.
Step 3: Getting Inventory Access — Sub-Agent Route vs Direct IATA
IATA accreditation is the gold standard — it lets you issue tickets directly on all IATA member airlines — but it's also expensive (₹1 lakh+ in bank guarantees, financial criteria, physical office requirements) and completely overkill when you're starting out. The realistic path for a home-based agency is the sub-agent or B2B portal route.
B2B portals like TBO, Tripjack, eTrav, and FlightGPT Partner give you access to GDS inventory (Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo) and direct airline APIs under their own accreditation. You load a wallet, book at net fares, and mark up your own service fee. Wallet deposits typically start at ₹25,000–1 lakh depending on the portal. Some portals charge an onboarding or annual fee on top; others are free to join but take a small cut on bookings.
The GDS access you get via a B2B portal is real — it's the same Amadeus or Sabre content that a full-fledged IATA agency gets — you're just routing it through an aggregator's credentials. You won't be able to issue e-tickets with your own IATA code until you get accreditation, but for domestic and straightforward international routes that almost never matters to customers.
Direct airline sub-agent agreements (especially IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air) are an additional option for domestic-heavy agents. These usually come with a separate credit or advance-payment arrangement and give you access to the airline's own net fare tiers.
Step 4: Technology Setup — What Do You Actually Need?
Don't over-engineer the tech in Year 1. Your B2B portal is your booking engine. For client-facing work, a WhatsApp Business account, a simple WordPress or Wix site (₹3,000–8,000/year for hosting + domain), and a clean email address handle 90% of communication needs.
If you want your own booking widget or client portal, white-label solutions from the same B2B portals often cost ₹10,000–30,000/year to set up. That's worth considering once you have repeat customers who want to self-serve. For now, manual booking on behalf of clients is faster and lets you catch fare errors before they become refund headaches.
Other Day 1 costs: a printer (or a ₹2,000 multi-function device) for visa support documents, and a basic accounting tool like Zoho Books or a CA-maintained Excel sheet. Don't buy CRM software until you have enough clients to actually need it — usually around 50–100 active files.
Step 5: MoT Recognition — What It Is and Whether You Need It
Ministry of Tourism (MoT) recognition is a government approval that lets you call yourself an 'MoT Recognised Travel Agent' on your letterhead and website. Visa consulates — especially Schengen, UK, and Canada — sometimes give slightly more credibility to visa invitation letters from MoT-recognised agencies. Some corporate clients also ask for it in vendor empanelment forms.
The catch: you typically need at least 2–3 years of operational history, documented turnover, a physical office (even a small one), qualified staff, and then a site inspection. As of 2026, the process can take 6–18 months from application to approval. So it's a Year 2 or Year 3 goal, not a launch requirement.
In the meantime, partner with an MoT-recognised agency as a referral or sub-agent for visa-heavy clients. This is a common arrangement — you do the customer-facing work; they lend their letterhead; you split the service fee. Completely above-board, and it keeps visa clients happy while you build your own credentials.
Realistic Cost Breakdown: ₹1.5 Lakh to ₹5 Lakh
| Item | Low-End (₹) | High-End (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Business registration (sole prop) | 0–2,000 | 5,000–15,000 (Pvt Ltd) |
| GST registration (CA fees) | 500–2,000 | 2,000–5,000 |
| B2B portal wallet deposit | 25,000–50,000 | 1,00,000–2,00,000 |
| Website + domain + hosting | 3,000–8,000 | 25,000–50,000 |
| Computer + printer (if needed) | 0 (existing) | 30,000–60,000 |
| 6-month operating costs (CA, misc) | 15,000–25,000 | 50,000–1,00,000 |
| Total | ~₹45,000–90,000 | ~₹2,00,000–4,30,000 |
The big variable is your wallet deposit — treat it as working capital, not a sunk cost. Most portals refund or carry your balance if you stop using them.
Bottom Line: The Fastest Path to First Booking
Register as a sole proprietor (Day 1), apply for GST simultaneously (Day 1–3), sign up on a B2B portal like FlightGPT Partner or TBO (Day 3–7), and load a starter wallet (Day 7–10). You can be booking domestic tickets within two weeks of deciding to start, before a single government approval lands. Use FlightGPT's AI search to spot cheap fares for clients even before your B2B access is live. MoT recognition, IATA, white-label portals — those come later, once you actually have a business worth formalising.
See also: TBO vs Tripjack vs eTrav: Best B2B Portal for Indian Agents and How Much Can a Travel Agent Mark Up Flights in India?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an IATA number to start a travel agency in India?
No. Most home-based and small agencies operate as sub-agents under a B2B portal's IATA credentials. You only need your own IATA number if you want to issue tickets independently. IATA accreditation requires a physical office, bank guarantees, and a financial track record — typically a Year 2 or Year 3 milestone.
How long does GST registration take for a travel agent?
Around 7–14 working days if your documents (Aadhaar, PAN, address proof, current account) are in order. The government portal (GST.gov.in) processes applications in this window; rejections due to document mismatch can add another week. A CA handling the filing for you typically charges ₹500–2,000.
Can I run a travel agency from home without a physical office?
Yes, for a sole proprietorship you can use your home address as your registered business address. B2B portals don't require a commercial office. However, MoT recognition and IATA accreditation both require a dedicated office space, so this becomes relevant only when you scale up.
Which B2B portal is best for a new home-based travel agent?
It depends on your focus. TBO has extensive international content; Tripjack is strong on domestic LCCs; FlightGPT Partner (agent.flightgpt.in) suits agents who want integrated AI search plus booking in one place. Most experienced agents hold accounts on two portals to compare net fares before booking.
What is MoT recognition and how long does it take?
Ministry of Tourism (MoT) recognition is a government-issued approval for travel agents — it signals credibility to visa consulates and corporate clients. The process involves documentation, site inspection, and usually 6–18 months of timeline. Most agencies apply after 2–3 years of operations.
How much money do I need to keep in a B2B portal wallet?
Minimum wallet deposits vary by portal — typically ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh to start. In practice, keep enough to cover your expected weekly ticketing volume; a busy week on domestic routes can chew through ₹50,000–₹2 lakh depending on your client base. Most portals offer instant top-up via NEFT/IMPS.