The rising cost of domestic flights in India has shocked many travelers, with some finding it cheaper to fly internationally than to certain domestic destinations. Stand-up comedian Ankit Grover recently shared a moment that highlights this trend.
A flight from Delhi to Jaisalmer was a staggering Rs 31,000 per person, London-based Grover revealed. In contrast, an international flight to Dubai costs him Rs. 30,000 – a low fare for a long journey. Planning a trip to Jaisalmer for his parents' 50th wedding anniversary, Grover was surprised by the steep domestic ticket prices and ended up opting for the Dubai flight instead.
The comedian shared his experience in an Instagram post that has now gone viral on X (formerly Twitter). However, he did not mention the exact dates or times when he checked the ticket prices. “I was booking tickets to Jaisalmer for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. The flight from Delhi to Jaisalmer was 15K pp and when I was about to book after a gap of 3-4 days it increased to 31K pp. I booked Dubai for 30Kpp,” he wrote in his Instagram comment. He added, “Who loses? Mera Bharat Mahan.” The post was later shared by X's Gems account, “Who's at a loss?”
Many social media users expressed their shock and expressed concern over the rising domestic flight prices. One user commented, “Yes indeed Mera Bharat Mahan, there are no regulations regarding toll charges. The government should intervene in this, otherwise domestic tourism will suffer.” Another said, “Ankit Groverni is at a loss, the government has nothing to lose.”
A third user pointed out, “People explore foreign travel because of the same price range. Leaving Goa on New Year, people prefer to go to Vietnam or Thailand instead of Goa in the same price range. This requires serious thinking by the authorities.”