Student Flight Discounts in India 2026: IndiGo and Air India Explained
By Ishaani Reddy (Ishaani Reddy writes about the consumer-protection side of travel — DGCA passenger rights, OTA refund policies, hidden fees, dynamic-currency-conversion traps and the seven kinds of booking mistakes that quietly drain Indian travel budgets.) · Published · 9 min read
Yes, student discounts on flights still exist in India in 2026 — but the eligibility rules, booking path, and baggage perks differ sharply between IndiGo and Air India. Here's the honest breakdown so you don't book the wrong way and miss the benefit.
TL;DR — Student Discounts at a Glance
Student flight discounts in India in 2026 are real but narrow. IndiGo offers around 10% off base fare on domestic routes plus an extra 10 kg checked baggage — book directly on IndiGo.com and select the Student concession type. Air India offers deeper discounts on international routes under its Student fares, but you must book via Air India's own website or a travel agent who specifically passes the concession through. Many third-party OTAs quietly skip the discount altogether. Keep your college ID and enrollment certificate ready — you will be asked at the airport.
What Does IndiGo's Student Discount Actually Cover?
IndiGo's student concession is domestic-only — Mumbai to Bengaluru, Delhi to Kolkata, that kind of route. The discount works out to roughly 10% off the base fare component (not fuel surcharge, not airport fees, not GST), so the real-world saving depends entirely on the base fare on that day. On a cheap saver fare where the base is small, the absolute saving might be ₹150–₹300. On a costlier flexi fare it can be meaningfully more.
The genuinely useful part is the extra 10 kg checked baggage on top of IndiGo's standard allowance. If you're lugging a semester's worth of books, a pressure cooker, and winter clothes from home, that 10 kg can save you ₹800–₹2,000 in add-on baggage fees. That's often worth more than the fare discount itself.
Eligibility: you need to be enrolled full-time at a recognised institution in India (school, college, university), and typically be between 12 and 26 years old. IndiGo reserves the right to verify at check-in — carry a valid student ID card and an official enrollment or bonafide certificate from your institution. Don't just show a fee receipt; they've turned people back for that.
Air India's Student Fare — Better for International Routes
Air India's student benefit is less compelling on domestic sectors but significantly better if you're flying internationally — think semester abroad, study visit, or a trip for an exam. Air India's international student fare typically shaves around 10% off the applicable fare, and on certain long-haul routes (UK, USA, Europe, Australia) the baggage allowance is more generous than the standard economy class allowance — in the range of an additional piece or extra kg depending on the route. Always verify this on airindia.com because allowances do change seasonally.
Air India also has what it calls a 'youth fare' for travellers up to roughly 30 years old on some routes — these are separate from the student concession. The two aren't stackable; you pick one. The student fare requires proof of enrollment; the youth fare typically just needs an age-matched ID.
The OTA Pitfall Nobody Warns You About
This is the bit that burns students every single time. When you book on MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Cleartrip, or Ixigo, the search results will sometimes show a student fare option — but not always, and the implementation is inconsistent. Some OTAs pass the concession through correctly. Others show you regular fares and don't surface the student option at all. A few show a 'student' label but the actual fare loaded is a standard one.
My strong recommendation: always check the airline's direct website first. On IndiGo.com, after selecting your flight, look for the passenger type dropdown and choose 'Student'. On Air India's site, the student fare should appear as a fare class in the results — if you don't see it, try calling their reservations line, because occasionally the fare type needs to be manually applied by a ticketing agent.
If you must use an OTA (for a credit-card offer or EMI, say), confirm after checkout that the booking confirmation explicitly mentions the student concession and the extra baggage. If it doesn't, the discount likely wasn't applied.
What Proof Do You Carry to the Airport?
Both airlines require proof at check-in — not just at booking time. The safest combination is:
- Valid student ID card issued by your institution (with photo, valid date visible)
- Bonafide/enrollment certificate — a letter on the institution's letterhead confirming you're currently enrolled
- Your boarding pass clearly showing the student/concession fare (screenshot it before you get to the airport)
IndiGo staff at domestic counters are usually fine with just the ID card plus enrollment certificate. Air India on international routes may ask for more: institution letter, passport copy, sometimes even a copy of your admission letter if it's a new joining. Prepare all of this in a single physical printout or an offline phone folder — airport Wi-Fi queues at 5 AM are not the place to hunt for email attachments.
One thing that trips people up: the student ID must be currently valid. An expired ID from last semester won't work, even if you're technically still enrolled. Get a fresh bonafide certificate close to your travel date.
Is the Student Discount Worth Booking Around?
Honestly, it depends. On domestic routes, the 10 kg extra baggage from IndiGo is the real value — if you're only checking one bag, a student concession on a ₹1,500 fare saves you maybe ₹150 on the base, which is not life-changing. But if you'd otherwise buy extra baggage, you're saving real money.
On international routes, Air India's student fare can translate to a few thousand rupees off on a London or Toronto ticket, which is worth the five minutes it takes to book directly. Just don't expect the same kind of savings as, say, a last-minute sale fare — student discounts are applied to a specific fare basis, and a flash sale fare might still be cheaper than the discounted student rate on a good day.
Use FlightGPT's AI search to compare the discounted student fare against open sale prices before committing. Type something like 'Delhi to London cheapest fare student' and see what comes up across sources. Then book direct on the airline site for the concession.
Quick Comparison: IndiGo vs Air India Student Benefits
| Feature | IndiGo | Air India |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable routes | Domestic only | Domestic + International |
| Approximate discount | ~10% off base fare | ~10% on international student fares |
| Extra baggage | +10 kg checked | Varies by route — verify on airindia.com |
| Best booking path | IndiGo.com direct | AirIndia.com direct or agent |
| OTA reliability | Inconsistent | Often missing |
| Age limit (typical) | Up to ~26 years | Up to ~30 years (check current T&Cs) |
Always verify current terms on the official airline website before booking — concession rules do change.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book IndiGo's student discount on MakeMyTrip?
Technically some OTAs support it, but it's unreliable. MakeMyTrip sometimes shows the student fare type and sometimes doesn't. The safest approach is to book directly on IndiGo.com and select 'Student' as the passenger type — that's the only way to guarantee both the fare discount and the extra 10 kg baggage are correctly applied to your booking.
What happens if I don't carry proof at the airport?
Both IndiGo and Air India can deny boarding or ask you to pay the fare difference on the spot if you can't produce valid proof. IndiGo is somewhat stricter about this on domestic routes than people expect. Always carry a physical student ID plus an enrollment certificate — don't rely on a digital scan alone, as some check-in staff won't accept it.
Does the student concession apply to Akasa Air or SpiceJet?
As of mid-2026, neither Akasa Air nor SpiceJet has a structured student concession scheme comparable to IndiGo's or Air India's. Akasa is a newer airline focused on competitive base fares rather than specific concession categories. SpiceJet has had inconsistent offerings in recent years. Check their official sites closer to your travel date — policies do shift.
Can two students travelling together both claim the concession on the same booking?
Yes, if you book them as separate passengers with 'Student' selected for each. Both would need to carry their own proof at check-in. Make sure the booking confirmation lists the student concession for each passenger individually.
Is the extra 10 kg baggage from IndiGo's student fare in addition to what I buy separately?
Yes — IndiGo's student concession gives you +10 kg on top of whatever checked baggage allowance came with your ticket. So if your base fare includes 15 kg, you'd have 25 kg total. You can still pre-purchase additional baggage on top of that if needed, though it gets expensive quickly. Add baggage online via Manage Booking at least 4 hours before departure for the cheaper rate.
Do I need to be an Indian student, or does this apply to foreign students studying in India?
IndiGo's student concession is available to students enrolled at Indian institutions — the focus is on enrollment at a recognised school or college in India, not nationality. A foreign student with a valid enrollment certificate from an Indian university should in principle be eligible. Air India's rules may differ slightly on international routes. Confirm directly with the airline if you're in this situation.