Diwali Travel Trends: India
Booking Dates: June 1 – Sep 30, 2025
Travel Dates: Oct 18 – Oct 26, 2025
New flight booking data from Adara, a RateGain company shows that Indian travelers are heading out, not just home. From Doha to Dubai, Bangkok to Bali, bookings to international destinations have surged, with cities like Doha up 350%, Bangkok 210%, and Dubai 149% over last year.
And it’s not just closer nations; long-haul favorites are lighting up too. London bookings have risen 94%, and Auckland 51%. It’s a clear signal that the festive calendar is becoming a launchpad for international experiences, celebrations are still happening, just in different time zones.
Behind this shift is a perfectly placed long weekend, and suddenly, the idea of an international Diwali becomes more viable and appealing. The line between celebration and vacation is blurring, with travelers increasingly seeing the festive season as an opportunity to reset, explore, and reconnect, not at home, but out in the world.
Airlines, OTAs, and travel platforms are fueling the momentum with limited-time sales, festive fare deals, cashback offers, and curated packages designed specifically for Indian travelers.
| Top International Destinations – Diwali 2025 | |
| Flight Booking YoY Growth (Adara, a RateGain company) | |
| Destination | YoY Booking Growth |
| Doha | 350% |
| Bangkok | 210% |
| Bali | 203% |
| Dubai | 149% |
| London | 94% |
| Auckland | 51% |
Source: Adara, a RateGain Company
With price barriers lowered and planning made simpler, more people are finding it easier to swap traditional stay-ins for stamped passports and Diwali getaways that start at the gate.
Meanwhile, domestic travel shows mixed signs. While cities like Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Varanasi are seeing moderate upticks, bookings to major hubs like Delhi (-26%), Mumbai (-25%), and Chennai (-17%) have dipped. The trend is clear: fewer staycations, more stamps.
From airfares that align with long weekends to global destinations now just one hop away, the festive break has become a launchpad for borderless celebration.
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About Adara
Adara, a RateGain company, is one of the world’s largest data exchanges, providing access to ethically-sourced consumer data. With more than 270 global partners who supply aggregated, comprehensive traveler data, Adara delivers actionable insights and predictive intelligence to drive higher marketing ROI. For more information, visit https://adara.com/