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A man’s comparison of flight fares showed that a domestic trip from Bhubaneswar to Ayodhya costs nearly the same as flying to China.
A Bhubaneswar-Ayodhya flight cost Rs 14,237, while one to China was Rs 14,977.(Photo Credit: Instagram)
Air travel in India can often surprise passengers; sometimes, flying within the country costs almost as much as going abroad. A recent post by a man has sparked debate after he compared two flight fares and found that a domestic ticket from Bhubaneswar to Ayodhya was nearly the same price as an international one to China.
The man shared screenshots of the ticket prices on X. He pointed out that the Bhubaneswar-Ayodhya flight on IndiGo cost Rs 14,237, while a Bhubaneswar-Guangzhou (China) flight was Rs 14,977, a difference of barely Rs 700.
The comparison left many online wondering why domestic flights were suddenly becoming as expensive as international ones.
Internet Questions High Domestic Airfares
The post quickly spread across social media, gaining over two lakh views and sparking discussions about the rising cost of air travel in India.
Bhubaneswar to Ayodhya flight costs almost the same as flying from Bhubaneswar to China on same airline Indigo, for the same date!How does a domestic sector end up costing as much as an international one!! pic.twitter.com/vQY8COD0UJ
— Manas Muduli (@manas_muduli) November 11, 2025
Some users were shocked to see short domestic routes priced so high, while others explained that limited routes and high demand could be pushing fares upward.
A user commented, “More domestic demand means higher price.” The man who posted the comparison agreed but said there should be more transparency. “Yes, I understand that. But there needs to be a clear cost rationale. Domestic routes shouldn’t be priced like international ones without proper justification,” he wrote.
Users Offer Possible Explanations
Some users offered practical insights into airfare pricing. A person pointed out that the cheaper China flight might have included a long layover or a less popular route, making it less appealing to travellers. “Demand and supply decides price. Guangzhou has no or less takers than Ayodhya!” a user wrote.
Another explained that the cost of running airlines isn’t as simple as it looks. “It is not all that shiny for an airline. Airlines operate with very thin profit margins. That is the reason many airlines collapsed, not only in India, but in many other countries as well. You may think the price is very exuberantly high, but for them it is not,” a person said.
Others noted that a big portion of ticket prices comes from taxes. “Check the fare breakdown and see how much you’re paying in taxes,” one user advised.
Some even saw it as proof of Ayodhya’s booming travel demand. “This proves how popular the destination Ayodhya is,” another person said, while a few others suggested taking the train instead of paying such high fares. “Demand-driven market, I guess,” a user summed up, echoing the general sentiment. Another said, “Train main zyada aram se jaa paoge”
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
Delhi, India, India
November 12, 2025, 18:45 IST
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