India Domestic Air Traffic Drops 6.49 Percent in September
India's domestic air passenger traffic fell 6.49 percent in September 2026, driven by high airfares and capacity constraints.
Domestic air passenger traffic in India declined 6.49 percent year-on-year in September 2026. According to data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, scheduled airlines carried approximately 1.18 crore passengers, down from 1.26 crore in September 2025. This downturn contributed to a negative year-to-date trend for January through September 2026, with total passenger volumes falling 0.82 percent to 12.24 crore.
Industry insiders attribute the decline to a combination of high airfares, capacity constraints, and a traditionally weak travel period. Despite the overall dip, IndiGo maintained its market leadership with a 65.4 percent share. The Air India Group followed with a 26.8 percent share, meaning the two entities together controlled over 92 percent of the domestic market.
Other carriers showed mixed results. Akasa Air held a 5.6 percent market share and achieved the highest passenger load factor at 88.1 percent. Conversely, SpiceJet's market share slipped to 0.6 percent. Operational data revealed a 1.15 percent flight cancellation rate, primarily due to technical issues, while most delays were categorized as reactionary.
