Indian summer travel faces unprecedented cost surge as airfares spike 40-50% on major routes.

Indian summer travel faces unprecedented cost surge as airfares spike 40-50% on major routes. Jet fuel prices have surged nearly 80% since February, climbing to $179.46 per barrel, while airspace disruptions from regional tensions and reduced airline capacity compound the pressure. Delhi-Leh flights jumped 74% year-on-year, with London and Paris fares climbing 53%. IndiGo cut international capacity by 17% in May, and Air India plans to reduce around 100 daily flights across routes to Europe, North America, and Australia. Middle-class travelers are shifting away from expensive long-haul European trips toward shorter Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, which face more moderate fare increases of 5-12% compared to 20-30% hikes on transatlantic routes.