After hotel rates, airfares soar ahead of India-Pakistan World Cup match

The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan, scheduled for October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the 2023 World Cup, has caused a significant spike in airfare prices.

According to Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip, the demand for flights has reached an "all-time high," resulting in airfares increasing by six times their usual rates.

In particular, the ticket prices for flights between Delhi-Ahmedabad and Mumbai-Ahmedabad on October 14, a day before the match, have skyrocketed. Currently, a one-way direct flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad or Mumbai to Ahmedabad is priced between INR 15,000 and INR 22,000. This surge in prices has taken place despite bookings being made three months in advance.

The demand for flight tickets and searches on travel websites has reached unprecedented levels, with many people eager to attend the match already booking their tickets well in advance.

Earlier, the rates for hotels in Ahmedabad had experienced a significant surge after the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that arch-rivals will take on each other in the city.

The prices for hotel accommodations have increased by nearly tenfold, even though many rooms were already sold out for that day. Some hotels are even charging close to 100,000 Indian rupees (INR), whereas their usual rates range from INR5,000 to INR8,000 for the same room on a regular day.

With the Narendra Modi Stadium having a capacity of approximately 132,000 spectators, it is expected to be completely filled as these arch-rivals go head to head once again.