Airfares to Goa double for New Year’s Eve travel as demand remains high

Panaji: As the year-end approaches, prices of air tickets to fly to Goa for the New Year and to travel out of the state after New Year celebrations have doubled. The airfare on the Sunday before Jan 1 has especially spiked, with a Goa to Kolkata ticket costing over Rs 14,000, compared to the regular price of around Rs 8,200 on Dec 28.The return ticket fare to Kolkata between Jan 2 and 4 is already Rs 14,500 per person. Similarly, the air ticket from New Delhi to Goa on Dec 28 is nearly Rs 10,000, up from the normal fare of Rs 5,000 a ticket. The ticket back to Delhi on Jan 2 has been priced at Rs 10,400 at present and is expected to increase further as the New Year draws closer.Many individuals online may claim that Bangkok or Bali are fast replacing Goa as the “better” travel destination alternative. However, if the year-end airfares are any indication, the preference for Goa as a destination for New Year celebrations seems to be intact. It will cost a traveller Rs 7,400 a ticket from Chennai to Goa on Dec 28, but the airfare on Jan 2 is Rs 10,000 to fly back to Chennai.In the case of other metros too, the flight out of Goa in the first week of Jan will cost more than flying into Goa for New Year celebrations. For Mumbai, the flight ticket per person to Goa on Dec 28 will cost Rs 5,000, compared to the usual fare of Rs 3,000.

On Jan 2, the flight ticket back to Mumbai costs much higher, at Rs 6,000 already.The situation is similar with Hyderabad. The regular price on the Hyderabad-Goa route per flight ticket is Rs 3,000. The price of the ticket on Dec 28 is Rs 4,400, and on the Goa-Hyderabad route on Jan 2, it’s Rs 6,000 at present, with expectations of further increases closer to the date.A Goa to Bengaluru ticket for a person can be purchased on a regular day for Rs 2,600. However, between Jan 2 and 4, it already costs Rs 8,000 a ticket. The Goa to Pune air ticket will cost Rs 6,700, compared to the regular fare of Rs 2,700. The ticket to fly to Goa for the New Year is priced at Rs 4,300 at present.