Guide

Cheapest time to fly to India from Australia

By Travel Care team · Last checked 19 October 2026

February is usually the cheapest month to fly from Australia to India, and December is the most expensive: on 19 October 2026, KAYAK's Australia–India data showed December's average return fare at nearly double February's. The dearest dates are the Australian summer school holidays (mid-December to late January), which overlap with Indian wedding season and Lohri. If you have to travel then, book as early as you can.

Busy and quiet months, from Australia

The table brings together three things: what KAYAK's price data says, when Australians search most for India flights, and the school holiday and festival calendars that fill planes. "Busy" means fewer cheap seats, not a set price.

Month	Demand	Why
December	Peak	Summer school holidays (SA: 12 Dec 2026 – 27 Jan 2027), Christmas, Indian wedding season. KAYAK's most expensive month.
January	Peak	Holidays continue. Lohri (13–14 Jan 2027) and Pongal. Return flights in late January are busy as schools go back.
February	Quietest	KAYAK's cheapest month. School is back, and wedding season is winding down.
March	Moderate	Holi on 22 March 2027. Qantas's seasonal Melbourne–Delhi non-stop ends on 27 March 2027.
April	Busy around the holidays	Vaisakhi on 14 April 2027 falls inside the SA April school holidays (about 10–25 April).
May	Moderate to quiet	India's hottest weeks before the monsoon.
June–July	Busy in the holidays	Mid-year school holidays (SA: about 3–18 July 2027). KAYAK's October 2026 snapshot listed June as the second-dearest month.
August	Moderate	Monsoon in much of India. Diwali searches start climbing in Australia.
September–October	Rising	Spring school holidays (SA: about 25 Sep – 10 Oct 2027). Searches for India routes rise from September. Diwali is on 29 October 2027.
November	Busy	Diwali in some years (8 November in 2026) and the start of wedding season.

Festival dates are from Drik Panchang (lunar dates can shift by a day between calendars), and school dates are from the SA Department for Education. Other states have similar summer breaks, but check your own state's dates.

What the price data actually says

We don't publish "from" prices, because the fare you're quoted depends on your dates, city and airline. What we can share is the pattern. On 19 October 2026, KAYAK's Australia–India page named February as the cheapest month and December as the most expensive. Its December average was roughly 1.8 times its February average, and an earlier check of the same page showed a similar gap. These are averages of fares KAYAK users found, not fares you can book, and they move from day to day.

How far ahead should you book?

For December and January: book as early as you can. Most airlines open bookings about 11 months ahead. Families travelling in the school holidays are competing for the same seats, and the cheaper fare types on the most convenient flights tend to go first.
For festivals: book Diwali trips by mid-year, and Vaisakhi or Lohri trips three to six months ahead. These dates are fixed well in advance, so everyone plans around them.
For quieter months: you have more room. KAYAK's data suggests booking about 13 weeks ahead for the lowest prices on Australia–India flights in general, and around 4 weeks ahead still beats a last-minute booking. Treat that as an average, not a rule, and don't count on it for December.

If you're flexible, shifting your trip by a few days, or flying out in early December before the school holidays start, can make a real difference. Coming home in February instead of late January can also help, if you aren't tied to the school calendar.

Which hubs to compare

There are no non-stop flights to India from Adelaide, Brisbane or Perth, so most trips connect somewhere. It's worth comparing more than one routing:

Singapore (Singapore Airlines, or Scoot from Melbourne and Sydney): many flights, and a short connection to most Indian cities.
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines, plus AirAsia and Batik Air from some cities): the most frequent one-stop link into Amritsar.
Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad): a longer trip, but good for Ahmedabad, Kochi and Hyderabad. Gulf schedules changed several times in 2026, so check frequencies when you book.
Non-stop from Melbourne or Sydney (Air India, and Qantas in season): from Adelaide or Brisbane it can be worth flying domestic to connect, ideally on the same ticket. See our guide to direct flights from Australia to India.

A low-cost combination can look cheaper on screen. Once you add checked bags for a family, it often isn't. Our baggage guide explains why.

Popular routes

See the busy and quiet months for your own route: Adelaide to Delhi, Adelaide to Amritsar, Melbourne to Delhi, Melbourne to Amritsar, Sydney to Mumbai, Sydney to Hyderabad and Brisbane to Delhi. Bringing parents out from India? See our parents' page.

Talk to a real person about your dates

Fares and schedules change every day, so we don't publish prices on this page. For live fares, call or WhatsApp the Travel Care team on 0421 882 733. We're a family-run agency at 222 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville, booking flights since 2010, and we speak English, Hindi and Punjabi. Seen a cheaper fare somewhere else? Send us the screenshot and we'll see what we can do.

Last checked: 19 October 2026 by the Travel Care team.

Questions we get asked

What is the cheapest month to fly to India from Australia?

February, according to KAYAK's Australia–India price data checked on 19 October 2026. December was the most expensive month, with an average return fare nearly double February's.

Why are flights to India so expensive in December?

December combines the Australian summer school holidays, Christmas and Indian wedding season, so the same flights are wanted by a lot of families at once. Cheaper seats on the best flights sell first.

How far in advance should I book flights to India for December?

As early as possible. Airlines open bookings about 11 months ahead, and for school-holiday dates we suggest booking by mid-year rather than waiting for a sale.

Is it cheaper to fly via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Dubai?

It changes from date to date. Compare at least two hubs, and include baggage in the comparison, because low-cost connections can cost more once checked bags are added.

Is it cheaper to book one-way or return to India?

Usually a return on one airline is better value, but one-way tickets can make sense for long stays or when parents fly back separately. We can price both ways.