Airfares to US Soar as Indians Rush Back

 Hyderabad: US President Donald Trump’s decision to raise the H-1B visa fee to $100,000, with a short implementation deadline of September 21, has triggered a sharp spike in airfares from India to the United States, as affected tech workers scrambled to return before the new fee came into force.

The average fare from Delhi to the US, which typically ranged between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000, jumped to as high as Rs 90,000, and in some cases even Rs 1.09 lakh. Several Indians stranded at airports across states said they were unable to book tickets despite being willing to pay more than Rs 1 lakh.

On booking websites, tickets initially displayed at around Rs 50,000 eventually showed final charges of nearly Rs 1,09,200 at checkout. A travel agent told Deccan Chronicle that airlines operating direct flights to the US had hiked fares by 40 to 50 per cent, citing the demand for faster connections.

A source in a Gulf-based airline said most carriers had raised fares only marginally—about 5 to 10 per cent—but their services involved stopovers at Gulf hubs, making the journey longer. Even so, some passengers opted for these flights as immigration checks could be completed at hubs such as Oman, easing entry into the US.

In contrast, travel from the US to India appeared cheaper. Booking websites showed a return fare of about Rs 36,000 for September 21. Visa holders of all categories, however, have been cautioned against travelling back to India in view of the new rules.

Karthik, an Indian resident in the US, said, “We are ten individuals—some students, others working. Many of us had planned to visit India for Dussehra. But over the last two days, after hearing about the H-1B visa decision, we cancelled our plans.”