Airline Fees in India — Complete Comparison (Updated May 2026)
Every fee category for every major Indian airline, side-by-side. Published monthly. Sources: official airline fare pages + DGCA CAR Section 3 Series M (refund timelines).
The full comparison table
Sort by tapping any column header. Long-press a row to copy. Last verified: May 2026.
| Fee category | IndiGo 6E | Air India AI | SpiceJet SG | Akasa Air QP | Air India Express IX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience fee on third-party OTAs | |||||
| OTA convenience fee | ₹249–₹499 (other OTAs); HappyFares ₹0 | ₹249–₹499 (other OTAs); HappyFares ₹0 | ₹149–₹349 (other OTAs); HappyFares ₹0 | ₹149–₹299 (other OTAs); HappyFares ₹0 | ₹149–₹299 (other OTAs); HappyFares ₹0 |
| Airline-direct booking fee | ₹0 on goindigo.in | ₹0 on airindia.com | ₹0 on spicejet.com | ₹0 on akasaair.com | ₹0 on airindiaexpress.com |
| Baggage allowance (economy) | |||||
| Checked baggage (domestic) | 15 kg (6E Saver/Flexi); 20 kg (UpFront) | 15 kg Economy Lite; 20 kg Comfort/Flex; 25 kg Business | 15 kg Promo/Flexible; 20 kg SpiceMax | 15 kg Saver; 20 kg Plus; 25 kg Comfort | 15 kg Value; 20 kg Classic; 25 kg Flex |
| Cabin baggage (domestic) | 7 kg cabin + 3 kg personal item | 8 kg cabin | 7 kg cabin | 7 kg cabin | 7 kg cabin |
| Checked baggage (international) | 30 kg (Gulf); 25 kg (Europe Saver) / 30 kg (UpFront) | 23 kg Economy; 30 kg Premium Economy; 40 kg Business | 20 kg Promo; 25 kg Flexible; 30 kg SpiceMax | 25 kg Saver (Gulf); 30 kg Plus (Gulf); 35 kg Comfort | 20 kg Value; 25 kg Classic; 30 kg Flex (Gulf bulk) |
| Excess baggage rate | ₹600/kg domestic; ₹1,500/kg international (cheaper pre-booked online) | ₹500/kg domestic; ₹1,500-2,500/kg international | ₹500/kg domestic; ₹1,200/kg international | ₹500/kg domestic; ₹1,200/kg Gulf international | ₹500/kg domestic; ₹1,000–₹1,500/kg international |
| Seat selection | |||||
| Standard seat | ₹100–₹500 regular; ₹800–₹1,500 stretch (front-row) | ₹250–₹600 standard; ₹1,000–₹2,000 preferred (exit row) | ₹100–₹400 standard; ₹800–₹1,200 extra-legroom | ₹150–₹500 standard; ₹700–₹1,200 preferred (front) | ₹100–₹350 standard; ₹500–₹900 preferred |
| Premium / extra-legroom | ₹1,500–₹3,000 IndiGo Stretch | ₹2,500–₹5,000 Premium Economy bulkhead | SpiceMax row 1 included free | No premium cabin (single-class economy) | No premium cabin |
| Meals | |||||
| Pre-purchased meal | ₹150–₹400 (light bite included free on Flexi/UpFront) | Complimentary on all flights (legacy carrier) | ₹150–₹350; included free on SpiceMax | ₹150–₹400; meal voucher included on Plus/Comfort | ₹150–₹400; included on Flex |
| Cancellation fees | |||||
| 24-hour free cancellation window | Free if booked 7+ days out (DGCA CAR) | Free if booked 7+ days out (DGCA CAR) | Free if booked 7+ days out (DGCA CAR) | Free if booked 7+ days out (DGCA CAR) | Free if booked 7+ days out (DGCA CAR) |
| Cancel 24–72h before departure | ₹3,250 domestic / ₹5,500 international | ₹3,500–₹4,500 domestic / ₹5,000–₹8,000 international | ₹3,000 domestic Promo; ₹3,500–₹4,500 international | ₹3,000 domestic Saver; ₹4,000–₹5,000 international | ₹2,500 domestic Value; ₹3,500 international |
| Cancel 72h+ before departure | ₹3,000 domestic / ₹5,000 international (depending on fare class) | Economy Lite: ₹3,500; Flex: ₹2,500; Refundable Business: ₹0 with penalty | Promo: ₹3,000; Flexible: ₹2,000; SpiceMax: ₹1,500 | Saver: ₹3,000; Plus: ₹2,000; Comfort: ₹1,500 (or full refund) | Value: ₹2,500; Classic: ₹1,800; Happy Fare Easy Refund: ₹0; Flex: ₹1,000 |
| Check-in | |||||
| Web check-in window | 48h before departure to 2h before | 48h before departure to 1h before (international 3h) | 48h before departure to 1h before | 48h before departure to 75 min before | 48h before departure to 1h before |
| Airport check-in fee | ₹250–₹400 if you skip web check-in | ₹0 (Air India is a legacy carrier) | ₹250 if you skip web check-in | ₹200 if you skip web check-in | ₹200 |
Per-airline notes & loyalty programmes
IndiGo (6E) — notes & loyalty program
IndiGo 6E Saver (entry fare) carries the highest change/cancel fees. UpFront has the lowest fees + free meal + front-row seat. Pre-book baggage online — ~30% cheaper than airport.
Air India (AI) — notes & loyalty program
Vistara (UK code) merged into Air India in April 2025. Old UK flights now show as AI 2xxx series. Vistara Club Vistara points migrate to Maharaja Club. Refundable Business fares give full refund minus a ~₹2,500 penalty.
SpiceJet (SG) — notes & loyalty program
SpiceMax fare bundles seat, meal, priority boarding, and extra baggage — often only ~₹500–₹1,000 more than Flexible and includes ~₹600 of add-ons. Best value for round trips with checked baggage.
Akasa Air (QP) — notes & loyalty program
Newest Indian carrier (launched 2022). AkasaSmiles loyalty (Silver/Gold) adds +5 kg baggage bonus on Plus/Comfort. Single-class fleet (Boeing 737 MAX 8); no business cabin. Excellent OTP (~84%).
Air India Express (IX) — notes & loyalty program
Post AirAsia India merger (Nov 2023), AIX has 4 fare classes including "Happy Fare Easy Refund" — pay marginally more for a fully refundable ticket. Strong on Gulf/Southeast Asia routes from India. Brand-name overlap with HappyFares is coincidental.
Why HappyFares charges zero convenience fee
Every major Indian OTA except HappyFares charges a convenience fee on top of the airline fare — typically ₹249–₹499 per passenger on domestic flights. This fee is a pure margin on the OTA side; it does not go to the airline. HappyFares earns revenue through airline commission instead, which means the fare shown in search results is exactly what you pay at checkout. For a family of 4 on a round trip, the savings vs MakeMyTrip range from ₹996 to ₹3,992 per booking. See our monthly transparency report for the complete itemised audit across all 5 major OTAs.
What HappyFares does NOT change (these are airline fees, not OTA fees)
Baggage charges, seat selection, meal pre-purchase, cancellation fees, web check-in cutoffs, and excess baggage rates are all set by the AIRLINE. They are identical whether you book on HappyFares, MakeMyTrip, ixigo, EaseMyTrip, or directly on the airline's website. The only fee HappyFares removes is the OTA-level convenience fee.
Strategies to minimise total trip cost
- Book on a zero-convenience-fee OTA. HappyFares is the only major Indian OTA at ₹0 — guaranteed ₹249–₹499/passenger saving.
- Pre-purchase baggage online if you'll exceed 15 kg. Saves 25–35% vs airport rates.
- Time your booking to bank-card weekend offers. HDFC 1st weekend, Axis 2nd, ICICI 3rd, SBI 4th — each saves ₹500–₹1,500 on bookings of ₹5,000+.
- Upgrade to the fare bundle if you need baggage + meal + seat. SpiceMax / IndiGo UpFront / Akasa Comfort / AIX Flex / Air India Comfort typically include all three for ₹500–₹1,500 more than the saver fare — often cheaper than buying separately.
- Do web check-in 48–24 hours before departure. Saves ₹200–₹400 per passenger per sector vs airport check-in fee.
- If you're eligible, set passenger category to Student / Senior Citizen / Defence. Airline-published discount fares auto-apply.
- Cancel within 24 hours of booking if travel is 7+ days out. DGCA-mandated free cancellation window — no airline can charge here.
Same airlines, same fares, same baggage allowances — minus the ₹249–₹499/passenger OTA fee.
Search FlightsFrequently asked questions
Which Indian flight booking site has zero convenience fee?
HappyFares is the only major Indian online travel agency at ₹0 convenience fee on all domestic flights. MakeMyTrip charges ₹249–₹499 per passenger, EaseMyTrip ₹149–₹349, Cleartrip ₹200–₹399, ixigo ₹150–₹299, and Goibibo ₹249–₹449. For a family of 4 on a round trip, this fee alone is ₹996–₹3,992 saved by using HappyFares vs competitors.
Which Indian airline has the lowest baggage fees?
All five major Indian carriers (IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa, Air India Express) allow 15 kg checked + 7 kg cabin on the lowest economy fare. The fare-bundle upgrades (IndiGo UpFront 20 kg, SpiceMax 20 kg, Akasa Comfort 25 kg, AIX Flex 25 kg, Air India Comfort 20 kg) typically add ₹500–₹1,500 over base fare while including 5–10 kg extra baggage + meal + seat — usually cheaper than buying these add-ons separately.
How can I avoid airline excess baggage fees?
Pre-purchase excess baggage online before web check-in — it is typically 25–35% cheaper than the airport rate (₹300–₹400/kg online vs ₹500–₹600/kg at the airport for domestic; ₹800–₹1,500/kg vs ₹1,500–₹2,500/kg for international). Most airlines lock out online excess baggage purchase 4–6 hours before departure, so do it during initial booking or right after web check-in opens.
What is the cancellation fee for domestic flights in India?
Per DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 3 Series M Part II, all Indian airlines must allow free cancellation within 24 hours of booking IF travel is 7+ days away. After that 24-hour window, cancellation fees range ₹2,500–₹3,500 for domestic and ₹4,000–₹8,000 for international, depending on airline and fare class. Refundable fares (e.g. AIX Happy Fare Easy Refund, Air India Refundable Business) allow full refund minus a small penalty (~₹1,500–₹2,500).
What is the seat selection fee on Indian airlines?
Standard seats cost ₹100–₹500, preferred/extra-legroom seats cost ₹500–₹1,500, and front-row "stretch" seats cost ₹800–₹2,000 across all five major Indian carriers. Air India's premium economy bulkhead is the most expensive (₹2,500–₹5,000). Some fare bundles include seat selection — IndiGo UpFront includes front-row, SpiceMax includes row 1, AIX Flex includes preferred seating.
How much do airlines charge if you do not do web check-in?
Most Indian airlines charge ₹200–₹400 per passenger if you arrive at the airport without having done web check-in (which opens 48 hours before departure on domestic flights). Air India does not charge this fee. The fee is per passenger per sector, so a family of 4 round trip can incur ₹1,600–₹3,200 just for skipping web check-in. HappyFares Web Check-in Assist (₹349/passenger/sector) handles this for you and sends the boarding pass via WhatsApp.
Are airline meal pre-purchase prices cheaper than buying onboard?
Pre-purchased meals on Indian LCCs (IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa, Air India Express) typically cost ₹150–₹400 online vs ₹400–₹700 onboard for the same item. Some fare bundles include a meal for free (IndiGo Flexi/UpFront, SpiceMax, Akasa Plus/Comfort, AIX Flex). Air India is a legacy carrier and serves complimentary meals on all flights — no purchase needed.
Why does HappyFares charge zero convenience fee when other OTAs charge ₹249-₹499?
HappyFares earns revenue through airline commission rather than charging a per-booking fee to travellers. This lets the platform offer transparent all-in pricing — the fare shown in search results is exactly what you pay at checkout (no surprise additions). The model is similar to how airline direct booking sites work, applied to a multi-airline comparison platform.
Last updated: 24 May 2026. Next monthly refresh due in 30 days.