Convenience fees on Indian travel sites, explained
A convenience fee is the charge a booking site adds for processing your ticket. It is separate from the airline fare and taxes, and it is one of the main reasons the same flight costs different amounts on different websites.
How it is usually calculated
Indian online travel agencies commonly charge the fee per passenger and per flight segment. A round trip counts as two segments, so a family of three on a round trip may pay the fee six times. Infants are often charged differently. The amount can also vary by route, fare and payment method, and sites change their fees without notice.
Where you see it
Search results usually show the fare before this fee. It typically appears on the review or payment page. That makes side-by-side comparison on search results misleading — which is the problem Aeroport's net-price estimate is designed to solve.
Metasearch sites are different
Skyscanner and KAYAK are metasearch engines: they do not sell tickets themselves and do not charge you a fee. When you click through, you book with an airline or agency, and that seller's own fees apply.
How to pay less in fees
- Compare the final payment-page total across two or three sites before paying.
- Look for codes that waive the convenience fee. Some sites offer one, but it usually cannot be combined with other coupons — so compare it with your best discount code.
- Check the airline's own website. Airlines generally do not add an agency convenience fee, though payment charges can still apply.
- Book all travellers in one booking; split bookings can add extra charges.
How Aeroport estimates fees
We maintain a dated table of typical fees per site, reviewed regularly, and apply it per passenger and per segment. It is an estimate: the booking site always has the final say. If you notice a fee that looks out of date, let us know.
