Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 5: Airfares on several key routes connecting North America and India have surged sharply following the closure of major airspace corridors in the Middle East, forcing airlines to reroute long-haul flights and reduce capacity.
The disruption comes amid escalating conflict across parts of the Middle East, a region that typically serves as one of the world’s busiest aviation transit corridors. Several airlines have suspended operations, grounded aircraft, and cancelled routes, creating ripple effects across global aviation networks.
The Middle East plays a critical role in connecting continents such as the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, acting as a major hub for passenger and cargo traffic. However, flight tracking services like Flightradar24 show that air traffic over large parts of the region has dropped significantly, with previously crowded air routes now appearing largely empty.
As airlines divert flights to avoid restricted airspace, ticket prices on popular routes linking cities in North America with India have risen steeply. Data from Google Flights indicates substantial increases in fares for travel between cities such as New York City, Chicago and New York and Indian destinations like Mumbai and New Delhi.
One of the sharpest increases has been recorded on the New York–New Delhi route. Spot fares from New York’s JFK airport to New Delhi are currently ranging between Rs 1.34 lac and Rs 2.25 lac. Under normal conditions, last-minute tickets typically cost between Rs 45,000 and Rs 1 lac, marking a surge of more than 100 per cent.
Flights between Newark and Mumbai have also seen major increases. According to Google Flights, spot fares now range from Rs 1.08 lac to Rs 2.9 lac, compared with the usual last-minute price range of Rs 40,000 to Rs 70,000.
Some of the steepest hikes have been reported on routes from Chicago. Tickets for flights between Chicago and Mumbai have climbed by over 150 per cent, with current fares ranging between Rs 1.9 lac and Rs 2.8 lac. Normally, these tickets cost between Rs 45,000 and Rs 75,000.
Similarly, fares for Chicago–New Delhi flights have increased to between Rs 1.37 lac and Rs 1.83 lac, compared with the usual Rs 45,000 to Rs 70,000 range, reflecting another rise of more than 100 per cent.