As the festive season of Diwali and Chhath Puja approaches, airlines are ramping up operations to meet the massive travel demand from passengers heading home to Bihar. On Thursday, SpiceJet announced a series of special flights aimed at boosting connectivity to Patna and Darbhanga, two key destinations for festive travellers. The airline’s announcement follows closely on the heels of Air India’s decision to introduce 166 additional flights to and from Patna until November 2, highlighting the scale of seasonal travel across the state.

In a statement, SpiceJet said the special festive flights are part of its broader strategy to ease travel for passengers returning to their hometowns during the most significant period on Bihar’s cultural calendar. The carrier has introduced new direct flights to Patna from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad — three major metropolitan hubs that see heavy outbound movement toward Bihar during the festive season. The airline has also increased the frequency of flights linking Patna with Delhi and Mumbai, ensuring multiple options for passengers.

Additionally, Darbhanga, which has emerged as a growing aviation hub for north Bihar in recent years, will see enhanced connectivity with extra flights from Delhi and Mumbai. These additions come as a complement to SpiceJet’s existing network, which already includes routes connecting Patna with Delhi, Mumbai, and Guwahati, as well as Darbhanga with Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi.

According to the airline’s press release, these new and additional flights began operating in a phased manner from October 10. The move aims to cater to the surge in travel demand that typically peaks between Dussehra and Chhath Puja, as thousands of people living in other parts of India travel back to Bihar to celebrate with their families.

“The festive season holds immense significance for millions of our passengers, and we are delighted to make travel home for Chhath Puja and Diwali more convenient and accessible,” said Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer of SpiceJet. “With enhanced connectivity to Patna, Darbhanga, and Ayodhya, SpiceJet continues to play a key role in bringing people closer to their loved ones for celebrations that matter most.”

This year’s travel rush has been one of the strongest in recent years, according to industry insiders. Both Diwali and Chhath Puja fall within a short gap of each other in late October and early November, creating one of the busiest air travel periods of the year in eastern India. Patna airport, in particular, sees an exponential rise in passenger volume during this time. The addition of new flights by major airlines is expected to help manage congestion and stabilize ticket prices, which often skyrocket due to heavy demand.

SpiceJet’s initiative aligns with a similar expansion drive by Air India and its low-cost arm, Air India Express. Earlier this week, the Tata Group-owned carriers announced a combined total of 166 additional flights connecting Patna to several major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Of these, Air India is operating 114 extra flights, while Air India Express is adding 52 new services. The supplementary operations began on October 15 and will continue until November 2 — the duration of the festive travel window.

The additional flights by Air India complement its 42 weekly services between Patna and Delhi/Mumbai, and the 14 weekly Air India Express flights linking Patna with Bengaluru and the national capital. The two airlines said the move was driven by “a commitment to ensuring smooth and affordable air travel for passengers heading home for Diwali and Chhath Puja.”

The surge in festive flights reflects the growing importance of Bihar as a key seasonal aviation market. In recent years, demand for air travel during Diwali and Chhath has grown steadily due to rising incomes, better regional connectivity, and improved airport infrastructure. The introduction of direct flights to tier-two cities like Darbhanga has further decentralised passenger movement, reducing the load on Patna’s heavily congested airport.

For many families, these flights are more than just a convenience — they are a lifeline. Chhath Puja, one of Bihar’s most important festivals, involves elaborate rituals performed at rivers or water bodies at sunrise and sunset. It is a time when even those living abroad or in distant Indian cities make it a point to return home. With many trains running at full capacity weeks in advance, air travel becomes the only viable option for a large segment of passengers, despite higher fares.

SpiceJet’s focus on flexible scheduling and multi-city operations aims to address precisely this challenge. The airline’s additional flights to Patna from cities like Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, which previously had limited direct options, are expected to ease last-minute travel pressures. Similarly, enhanced flight frequency to Darbhanga provides relief for travellers from northern Bihar districts such as Madhubani, Samastipur, and Muzaffarpur, who often face logistical hurdles reaching Patna.

The competition among airlines has also led to improved passenger offerings. SpiceJet and Air India both said they are deploying larger aircraft and optimizing turnaround times to handle the surge efficiently. Industry analysts suggest that such competition benefits consumers through better availability and more stable pricing during peak demand periods.

Aviation experts believe that the festive flight expansions by multiple airlines reflect a positive trend for India’s regional connectivity. The increasing focus on destinations like Patna and Darbhanga underlines the shift in the aviation market toward catering to cultural and regional travel needs, beyond corporate or leisure traffic. Moreover, with Chhath Puja gaining national recognition as a symbol of Bihar’s cultural identity, airlines are keen to capitalize on the emotional and logistical significance of the event.

In the coming days, airports in Bihar are expected to witness record passenger inflow, and both state and central authorities have reportedly made arrangements to handle the surge. Officials at Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna have increased ground staff deployment, added security personnel, and expanded terminal services to ensure smoother boarding and arrivals.

Overall, the expanded festive schedules by SpiceJet, Air India, and Air India Express signal a strong post-pandemic recovery in India’s domestic aviation sector. For the people of Bihar, however, these efforts go beyond market trends — they represent a rare opportunity to reconnect with home and tradition during the most cherished time of the year.