Spring break hit: Indian students cut travel plans as airfares surge amid West Asia tensions

New Delhi: As airfares surge and routes lengthen amid tensions in West Asia, Indians studying abroad in the Northern Hemisphere are scaling back their spring break travel plans, prompting many to stay back, defer trips, or opt for shorter regional travel, experts said.

For instance, a Global Reach study-abroad platform spokesperson said a student travelling to Germany last week had to avoid flying through Dubai due to restrictions and ended up paying around ₹1.2 lakh for the ticket. "Most students are paying over Rs 50,000 more than usual," said Aditeya Lochan Singh, university relationships and marketing manager) at Global Reach.

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“What we’re seeing is not a uniform spike, but a clear reset in pricing across key student corridors,” said Saurabh Arora, founder of student housing marketplace, University Living. noting that India-US return fares have jumped from around ₹90,000 to ₹2–3 lakh, while UK routes have nearly doubled to ₹1 lakh on certain dates, he said the increase was being driven more by capacity constraints and longer routes than by demand.

Other estimates point to a slightly more moderate but still significant rise. According to Sanjay Laul, founder of global education marketplace and student recruitment platform MSM Unify, fares to the US and Canada are up 20–30% during peak travel periods, while UK and European routes have risen by 15–25%. “The current shift has reached a more detectable stage because airports started closing their airspace during the ongoing conflict,” he said.

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The cost escalation is also being compounded by currency pressures. Pavan Kavad, managing director of currency exchange and remittance service provider Prithvi Exchange, said India-US fares that were earlier ₹55,000–₹90,000 have climbed to ₹1.3 lakh–₹3 lakh, “effectively doubling or tripling the dollar outflow for students.” European routes have seen similar jumps, with ticket costs now ranging from €1,200 to €1,500 for travel alone. “The current environment is driving a noticeable increase in both the volume and value of student forex transactions, while also making cost planning more challenging and unpredictable.”

For many students, the economics of short trips no longer add up.

“Global tensions often find their way into a student’s budget, and right now, it is most visible in rising flight prices,” said Sonal Kapoor, global chief business officer of education loan provider Prodigy Finance. Students from humbler backgrounds are choosing to stay on campus, focus on coursework, or take shorter domestic trips. In the US, destinations such as New York or Miami remain popular, while in Europe, students are opting for nearby countries like Spain or Italy.

Tripti Maheshwari, co-founder of the career-readiness platform Student Circus, said airfare spikes and the uncertainty have forced many to abandon plans altogether. “Tickets that typically cost ₹40,000 are now reaching ₹90,000–₹1,00,000 or more,” she said, adding that cancellations and rerouting have made travel less predictable. As a result, “a large number chose to stay back on campus or limit their travel within the country.”

The shift is most pronounced among price-sensitive segments. Undergraduates and first-year students–those with limited financial means and some planning their very first trip home–are the hardest hit, as a 40–60% fare increase can determine whether they travel at all. Across the board, they are more cautious and calculated. Students are booking earlier—often 6–10 weeks in advance, up from the earlier 3–5-week window—to hedge against rising prices, said experts.