More Indians looking to fly biz class this holiday season

THE NUMBER OF Indians eyeing to fly business class has seen a sharp uptick this holiday season compared to last year. While the trend is more pronounced in international travel, travel agents and online platforms suggest that it is also emerging on many domestic routes.

- RAGHAV AGGARWAL

Data shared by MakeMyTrip on Tuesday showed business class bookings from India across domestic as well as international routes have gone up by 50% this year compared to the same period last year. This is based on the analysis of search and booking data between December 16 and 31. For international bookings, there has been an 80% rise in business class bookings, and for domestic bookings, the jump is 27%.

Cleartrip said it has seen almost a 60% jump in business class bookings this year compared to last year.

According to travel agents and industry executives, the key reason for the uptick is the rising demand for a better flight experience. "People now come and ask for seats with bigger leg space and better comfort," Pramod Singh, a Delhi-based travel agent, said, adding: "They are ready to pay more for international flights."