A joint initiative with The Times of India
The TOI-DPA Airline Price Index
Built by Decimal Point Analytics. Economy fares captured every day across 56 domestic routes, turned into one clear signal: when to book, and when to fly.
- +17%All-India fares since 28 AprilOverall index at 117.1 on 21 September, after peaking at 128.9 on 10 September.
- ~19%Lower when booked 30 days outFare Timing Index: 80.8 at 30 days against 100 at 1 day.
- SatCheapest day to fly, overallSaturday 89.9 against Monday 100. Friday highest at 102.7.
- HalfThe Kolkata-Chennai fare, booked 90 days outRoute Fare Timing Index: 48.3 at 90 days against 100 at 1 day.
Source: The Times of India, Mumbai edition, 22 Sep 2026, p.10. TOI-DPA Airline Price Index calculated by Decimal Point Analytics.
Finding 01
When should you book a domestic flight in India?
Around 30 days before departure, on the overall index. Fares booked 30 days out indexed at 80.8 against 100 for tickets booked one day out, about 19% lower. Booking earlier did not help overall: 60 and 90 days came in at 82.7 and 86.0. Routes differ sharply. Kolkata-Chennai kept falling to 48.3 at 90 days, while Mumbai-Delhi rose to 106.2.
View the data
| Route | 1 day | 7 days | 30 days | 60 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai-Delhi | 100 | 98 | 94 | 95 | 106.2 |
| Ahmedabad-Mumbai | 100 | 84 | 83 | 95 | 105.5 |
| Kolkata-Hyderabad | 100 | 65 | 55 | 53 | 51.4 |
| Kolkata-Chennai | 100 | 61 | 51 | 51 | 48.3 |
Finding 02
What time of day is cheapest to fly?
Late-night and early-morning departures cost least, overall. Against a morning-peak base of 100 (8 to 10 am), flights leaving between midnight and 2 am indexed at 83 and those leaving between 10 pm and midnight at 87. The 6 to 8 pm slot was the most expensive at 104. The size of the gap varies by route, so check the route you fly.
View the data
| 0-2 | 2-4 | 4-6 | 6-8 | 8-10 | 10-12 | 12-14 | 14-16 | 16-18 | 18-20 | 20-22 | 22-24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | 83 | 85 | 88 | 98 | 100 | 98 | 96 | 95 | 97 | 104 | 97 | 87 |
Finding 03
Which day of the week is cheapest to fly?
Saturday, overall, at 89.9 against Monday at 100. Friday was the most expensive day at 102.7, followed by Sunday at 100.9. Do not assume it holds for every trip: individual routes follow their own weekly patterns, so the cheapest day on one route can be the dearest on another.
View the data
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | 100 | 90.7 | 93.9 | 95.6 | 102.7 | 89.9 | 100.9 |
Finding 04
How much have airfares risen, and does the route matter?
All-India fares were up 17% between 28 April and 21 September, with the index at 117.1 after a peak of 128.9 on 10 September. The average hides wide differences by route. Over the same period Pune-Delhi fares ended 6% lower and Bengaluru-Chennai 5% lower, while Bengaluru-Ahmedabad fares ended about 38% higher.
View the data
| Series | Index on 21 Sep |
|---|---|
| Pune-Delhi | 94 |
| Bengaluru-Chennai | 95 |
| All India | 117.1 |
| Bengaluru-Ahmedabad | 138.5 |
Methodology
How is the TOI-DPA Airline Price Index built?
The index is built from economy-class fares captured daily from publicly available listings on 56 domestic routes connecting eight metros, across five booking windows. Multiple airlines on each route limit the effect of outlier fares, routes are weighted by seat capacity, and every series is set against a common base so movements are comparable. DPA calculates it using a proprietary methodology.
- 01
Capture
Economy fares from publicly available listings, every day, for 56 routes and five booking windows.
- 02
Clean
Several airlines per route, so one outlier fare cannot move the route.
- 03
Weight
Routes weighted by seat capacity. Busier routes carry proportionately more influence.
- 04
Index
Each series set against a common base, so a route and the whole market read on one scale.
- 05
Publish
Shaped for a reader, not an analyst: one number, one direction, one decision.
Scope
- Routes
- 56 domestic
- Metros
- Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune
- Cabin
- Economy
- Capture
- Daily
- Booking windows
- 1, 7, 30, 60, 90 days before departure
- Base
- 28 April 2026 = 100 (trend index)
- Weighting
- Seat capacity
- Source
- Publicly available airfare listings
Definitions
Tracks daily changes in domestic airfares across selected Indian routes, weighted by seat capacity. It shows airfare inflation, demand patterns and pricing behaviour over time.
Compares fares booked 1, 7, 30, 60 and 90 days before departure. It shows the premium for booking late and the booking window that is cheapest for each route.
The team
Who built the index?
The TOI-DPA Airline Price Index was designed and is calculated by the quantitative team at Decimal Point Analytics, headed by Ashutosh Mali, SVP Quants. The Times of India publishes it.
Ashutosh Mali
SVP Quants, Decimal Point Analytics
Beyond airfares
Could your industry have an index like this?
Yes, where a recurring decision depends on a price, rate or signal that moves. The airfare index is one application of a general method: capture the data consistently, control its quality, weight it honestly and publish one number people can act on. The examples below are concepts, not existing products. Feasibility depends on the data and its terms of use.
Illustrative concepts. Scoped case by case.
- Lending
Rate tracker across comparable lenders
Informs: Pricing and product positioning
- Insurance
Retail premium and product-feature tracker
Informs: Pricing and product design
- Market data
Indicators built from public filings and disclosures
Informs: New data products for your clients
- Healthcare
Benchmark of published hospital prices
Informs: Payer negotiation and pricing strategy
- CPG and retail
Online shelf-price and discount index
Informs: Promotion and price moves
- Manufacturing
Input and commodity cost index
Informs: When procurement should buy
Free. No commitment.
What is an Index Discovery Session?
A free, 45-minute working session with a DPA analytics lead. We take one recurring decision in your business and, within two weeks, send you a one-page design for an index around it: what it measures, candidate data sources and their usage terms, weighting logic, refresh cadence and a feasibility view. No cost, no commitment.
- One decisionBring a price, rate or signal your team tracks by hand today.
- 45 minutesA working session with our analytics lead. Not a sales demo.
- Two weeksA one-page index design, yours to keep whether or not we work together.
Questions about the index
What is the TOI-DPA Airline Price Index?
A joint initiative of The Times of India and Decimal Point Analytics that tracks economy airfares across 56 domestic routes connecting India's eight major metros. It has two parts: an Airline Price Inflation Index that tracks how fares move over time, and a Fare Timing Index that shows how the booking window changes the price.
Who calculates the index?
Decimal Point Analytics designs and calculates the index. The work is led by DPA's quantitative team, headed by Ashutosh Mali, SVP Quants. The Times of India publishes it.
Where does the data come from?
Economy-class fares captured daily from publicly available airfare listings, across 56 routes and five booking windows: 1, 7, 30, 60 and 90 days before departure.
Does the index predict future fares?
No. It is descriptive. It shows how fares have moved and which factors, such as booking window, day and departure time, changed the price. It is a guide for planning, not a price guarantee.
Can DPA build a similar index for my business?
Where a recurring decision depends on a price, rate or signal and suitable data exists, yes. The starting point is a free Index Discovery Session, which ends with a one-page design for your index.
What does an Index Discovery Session cost?
Nothing. It is a free 45-minute working session followed by a written index design within two weeks. There is no commitment to work with us afterwards.
Source: flight fare data from public online sources. TOI-DPA Airline Price Index calculated by Decimal Point Analytics (DPA).
Figures as published in The Times of India, Mumbai edition, Tuesday 22 September 2026, page 10. Read the feature on The Times of India.
Published . Last updated . Index figures describe past fares and are not a guarantee of future prices.
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