Ixigo vs EaseMyTrip vs Cleartrip: Who Charges the Least in 2026?
By Diya Verma (Diya Verma flies from Tier-2 Indian cities and chases every possible fare hack — reposition flights, hidden-city ticketing, mileage runs and OTA bundle tricks. She has booked 200+ international trips out of Lucknow, Indore and Jaipur.) · Published · 10 min read
EaseMyTrip has built its brand on a 'zero convenience fee' promise, Ixigo competes on price alerts and train-flight combos, and Cleartrip leans on its Flipkart/Axis bank partnerships. Here's the honest breakdown of who actually charges what — and when none of them beat just booking directly with the airline.
TL;DR — The Short Version
EaseMyTrip has historically positioned itself as a zero-convenience-fee platform (though the definition of 'zero fee' has some nuance — more on that below). Ixigo often competes on low fees and has strong price-alert tools, particularly popular in Tier-2 cities. Cleartrip's best deals typically come through its Flipkart Super Coins and Axis Bank card partnerships. For most domestic bookings with a standard debit card and no active promotion, EaseMyTrip or Ixigo tend to show the lowest final checkout price. But booking direct with the airline's website or app is often the cleanest option when no OTA deal is live. Use FlightGPT to see fare comparisons across sources before picking where to actually book.
What Exactly Is a Convenience Fee?
A convenience fee is the OTA's service charge for being the intermediary — it's layered on top of the airline's published base fare, taxes, and any ancillary charges you add. Airlines publish their fares at a fixed price; OTAs can't legitimately undercut that base, but they can add on top of it. Which is why the same IndiGo or Air India ticket shows a different total on Ixigo versus Cleartrip versus booking directly on IndiGo's app.
The fee structures in India are surprisingly inconsistent. Some platforms charge a flat fee per booking, some charge per passenger, and some have different tiers based on payment method. Credit cards almost always attract a higher fee than debit cards or UPI, and UPI often has the lowest (or zero) fee. This is worth checking every single time — always look at the fee breakdown before you confirm.
EaseMyTrip: The Zero-Fee Claim, Examined
EaseMyTrip's marketing has long leaned on 'no convenience fee', and for UPI and net banking payments on domestic bookings, this is often genuinely true. The company went public partly on this differentiation. But — and this is the part that gets glossed over — if you pay by credit card on EaseMyTrip, a payment processing fee applies that can be ₹150–300 depending on the booking. So 'zero fee' is accurate for UPI/debit payments; it's not accurate for credit card bookings.
EaseMyTrip also runs regular coupon-code deals through its app that can genuinely reduce prices. Their 'EMT' partner deals with specific banks (check their promotions page for current offers) occasionally run deeper than what Cleartrip and Ixigo offer in the same window. The app's notification system for price drops is decent too.
Overall: if you pay by UPI, EaseMyTrip is hard to beat on fees for domestic flights. Verify the current fee structure on EaseMyTrip's website — they update their fee page periodically.
Ixigo: Strong in Tier-2, Good Price Alerts
Ixigo has a devoted following in smaller Indian cities, partly because its train + flight combo search is genuinely useful and partly because it's been more aggressive about UPI-zero-fee positioning. Ixigo's convenience fees are typically low (often ₹0–₹150 for domestic UPI bookings), and their price prediction and alert system is one of the better-built ones among Indian OTAs.
One thing Ixigo does well that doesn't get enough attention: its 'seat availability prediction' and 'price trend' charts for a given route. These aren't perfect, but they're built on real historical data and are more reliable than guessing. If you're looking for fare calendar functionality specifically, also check our guide on how fare calendars work.
Where Ixigo falls behind: international flight options are less comprehensive, and OTA bundle deals aren't as deep as MakeMyTrip or Cleartrip. For domestic routes, especially if you're on UPI, Ixigo is a solid pick.
Cleartrip: Best When You Have the Right Card or Flipkart Status
Cleartrip is now part of the Flipkart group, which means its best deals are tied to the Flipkart ecosystem. If you have Flipkart Super Coins accumulated from shopping, they convert to Cleartrip discounts at a rate that can meaningfully cut flight costs. Axis Bank card holders also get periodic direct discounts on Cleartrip that aren't matched elsewhere.
Outside those specific scenarios, Cleartrip's base convenience fees are broadly similar to MakeMyTrip — ₹249–₹399 range on standard bookings. Without an active promotion, it's not the cheapest option for a debit-card or UPI user who doesn't shop on Flipkart heavily.
| Platform | UPI Fee (typical) | Debit Card Fee | Credit Card Fee | Best-deal trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EaseMyTrip | ₹0 | ₹0–₹150 | ₹150–₹300 | UPI payment / EMT coupons |
| Ixigo | ₹0–₹100 | ₹50–₹200 | ₹150–₹350 | UPI / price alert bookings |
| Cleartrip | ₹100–₹249 | ₹249–₹399 | ₹299–₹499 | Flipkart coins / Axis card |
| MakeMyTrip | ₹149–₹299 | ₹249–₹499 | ₹299–₹599 | HDFC/ICICI/SBI bank deals |
These ranges are approximate for 2026 domestic bookings. Fees vary by route, passenger count, fare type, and promotional period. Always check the breakdown at checkout on the specific platform. Fees can also change without notice — verify on each platform's official site.
When Booking Direct With the Airline Beats Every OTA
This doesn't get said enough: for IndiGo in particular, the IndiGo app has often had zero or near-zero convenience fees for UPI payments in recent years. Same for Air India's direct booking. When no OTA deal is live and you're paying by UPI anyway, the airline's own app or website is usually cheaper than any OTA — or at worst, identical.
Booking direct also gives you: faster customer service for changes, easier access to seat selection at booking, and no OTA intermediary in your cancellation/refund process. The downside is you have to search multiple airline sites to compare prices — which is exactly what a flight metasearch like FlightGPT solves. Search here, then click through and book direct with the airline if no OTA deal makes the math work.
Bottom Line
If you always pay by UPI and don't have bank card deals: EaseMyTrip or Ixigo are your cheapest OTAs, with EaseMyTrip's zero-fee UPI claim generally holding up. If you hold an Axis Bank or Flipkart-connected card, Cleartrip has windows where it wins. If you have an HDFC, ICICI or SBI offer live, MakeMyTrip can be the cheapest of all despite its higher base fee. And when nothing special is running, book direct on the airline's app. Read our deeper piece on Google Flights price tracking to add another tool to your comparison arsenal.
Frequently asked questions
Does EaseMyTrip really charge zero convenience fee?
For UPI and net banking payments on domestic Indian flights, EaseMyTrip often charges zero or near-zero convenience fees as of 2026. For credit card payments, a processing fee typically applies in the ₹150–300 range. Always check the breakdown at checkout before confirming — their fee page is updated periodically.
Which OTA is cheapest for booking flights in India with a UPI payment?
EaseMyTrip and Ixigo tend to have the lowest fees for UPI-based domestic flight bookings. In some cases booking direct on IndiGo's or Air India's app via UPI is equally cheap or cheaper. Compare total checkout prices across platforms for your specific route.
Does Ixigo charge a convenience fee?
Ixigo's convenience fees for domestic flights are typically low — often ₹0–₹150 for UPI payments and ₹50–₹200 for debit cards as of 2026. Credit card payments attract higher fees. Check Ixigo's checkout screen for the exact fee on your specific booking.
Are Cleartrip's Flipkart Super Coins worth using for flight discounts?
Yes, if you accumulate Super Coins through Flipkart shopping, they convert to Cleartrip credits that can take ₹100–500+ off domestic flights depending on your coin balance. It's an effective discount mechanism for regular Flipkart users. Check Cleartrip's current conversion rates on their promotions page.
Is it better to book flights on an OTA or directly with the airline?
For UPI payments with no active OTA promotion, booking directly on IndiGo's or Air India's app is often equally cheap or cheaper than any OTA. Direct booking also simplifies cancellations and customer service. Use an OTA when a genuine bank-card or promotional deal makes the total cheaper.
Do convenience fees apply on international flight bookings too?
Yes, and they're often higher on international bookings — some OTAs charge ₹400–₹700 per passenger for international routes compared to ₹150–₹399 for domestic. Always check the per-passenger vs per-booking structure at checkout, since international fees can compound significantly on a family trip.