In a major intervention, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has issued a nationwide directive capping domestic airfares — after several days of chaos triggered by widespread cancellations of IndiGo flights.
✈️ What’s the new fare cap rule
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Routes up to 500 km: max ₹7,500
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500–1,000 km: max ₹12,000
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1,000–1,500 km: max ₹15,000
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Above 1,500 km: max ₹18,000
These caps exclude taxes, User Development Fee (UDF), Passenger Service Fee (PSF) and are not applicable for business-class or RCS-UDAN flights.
🧷 Why this step
With hundreds of IndiGo flights cancelled nationwide, demand for alternate flights skyrocketed — and so did ticket prices. MoCA stepped in after reports of “unusually high airfares” and invoked its regulatory powers to prevent what it called “opportunistic pricing.”
Officials say the fare caps will remain valid “until the situation stabilises,” and all airlines — whether tickets are booked via their own portals or third-party agents — must comply without exception.
.@MoCA_GoI Action on IndiGo Operational Crisis – Air Fare Regulation
💠 The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken serious note of concerns regarding unusually high airfares being charged by certain airlines during the ongoing disruption. In order to protect passengers from any… pic.twitter.com/7KWRvPOECm
— PIB India (@PIB_India) December 6, 2025
If you book a domestic ticket now, even at short notice during the crisis, fares should stay within the ₹7,500–₹18,000 window (depending on route distance) — at least for economy-class seats. Airlines are under tight orders to maintain seat availability and comply with pricing norms, so last-minute price surges should be tamed.
MoCA has also warned that any airline found violating the new fare caps will face immediate corrective action.
