Definition
The period when demand for a destination is highest, so flights, hotels and tours cost the most and sell out early. For Indian travellers it's mainly the May–June school holidays, Diwali week and Christmas to New Year.
What drives peak season from India
Three windows push up fares and package prices for Indian travellers almost everywhere:
- Summer holidays, mid-May to June: Europe, Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal, Singapore and Bali fill up.
- Diwali week: short trips to Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, Goa and Rajasthan spike. Diwali falls in October or November, so check the year's date before you plan.
- Christmas to New Year: Goa, Kerala, the Maldives, Thailand and Dubai are at their most expensive.
Long weekends around Holi, Independence Day or Republic Day create shorter spikes on trips from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What it does to prices
- Goa hotels for 28 December to 1 January can cost two to three times their November rates, with minimum stays of three to five nights and compulsory gala dinners. See blackout dates.
- Return fares from Delhi to Dubai or Bangkok in Diwali week can be double those a fortnight later.
- Schengen visa appointments for May–June departures fill six to eight weeks ahead. See Schengen visa.
How to plan around it
- Book flights and hotels three to four months ahead for May–June and Christmas, and earlier for group trips.
- Shift by two or three days. Flying on Diwali itself, or on 26 December rather than 23 December, often costs less.
- Pick a place in its own off-peak. Bali, for example, is dry in May–June, before its July–August rush.
- Consider shoulder season if the school allows a few days off.
Our flights and hotel booking desks can show you how much shifting your dates saves.