Cheap Fixed Departure Flights — Pre-Bought Seats at a Fixed Price

Cheap fixed departure flights are seats bought in advance on a set flight and date, then sold at a fixed price with a confirmed airline PNR. Because the seats were purchased in bulk before the season, a cheap fixed departure is often below the live fare on busy dates. It is not always the cheapest option, which is why we show both side by side.

On JourneyDeal these seats carry the label Special Fixed Departure price and are listed first for the date you search. Each fare shows the seats left, the baggage and the rules. One tap on Show all fares lists every normal fare on the same day, so you can see whether the fixed departure really is the better deal before you pay.

Why fixed departure fares can be cheaper

Airline fares rise as a flight fills, and they rise fastest on peak dates. Seats bought in bulk months ahead are priced before that rise, and the price stays set for that departure rather than following the airline's daily changes. On school holidays, festival weeks and long weekends that difference can be large. On a quiet weekday, it may be small or the live fare may even be lower. The saving comes from timing and volume, not from a different aircraft or a lesser service: you fly on the same scheduled flight, in the same cabin, as passengers who paid the live price.

When a cheap fixed departure is not the cheapest

• Off-peak dates, when airlines have plenty of unsold seats at low fares.
• Airline sales, when a normal fare can briefly drop below the fixed departure price.
• Fares with very little baggage, where a slightly higher fare with more baggage can work out cheaper overall.
• Trips where you may need to cancel, because a flexible normal fare can be worth paying more for.

In each case Show all fares lets you compare on the same screen.

How to book a cheap fixed departure flight

1. Open a route from the list below or search your city pair and date.
2. The Special Fixed Departure price appears first; choose Show all fares to compare.
3. Check the seats left, baggage and fare rules for that date.
4. Enter traveller names exactly as on the passport or ID.
5. Pay online through the payment gateway. The ticket is issued against the confirmed PNR and emailed to you.

Popular cheap fixed departure routes

• Domestic: Delhi to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa, Srinagar, Leh, Kochi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai, plus Ahmedabad to Goa and return routes to Delhi.
• Gulf: Dubai from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi and Hyderabad, and Abu Dhabi from Delhi and Mumbai.
• Asia and beyond: Male, Bangkok, Phuket, Bali, Kuala Lumpur and Europe from Delhi or Mumbai.

Seats come from IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet or Flydubai, only where that airline has seats on that route and date.

What to know before you book

• The flight and date are fixed; the fare belongs to that departure.
• Fixed departure fares are usually non-refundable, and name or date changes are normally not allowed or are limited. The rules show before payment.
• Seats are limited and sell out on peak dates, so book early for holidays and long weekends.
• The airline can still reschedule or cancel a flight. If it does, we contact you and help you rebook or claim a refund under the airline's rules.

Tips for the cheapest seat

• Book peak dates early, while the seat count is still healthy.
• Look one day either side of your date; prices and seats differ by departure.
• Compare total cost including baggage, not just the headline fare.
• Keep names exactly as on the ID, since changes are rarely possible on these fares.

Cheap fixed departure B2B fares

Travel agents can book the same cheap fixed departure inventory at net B2B fares, add their own markup and pay from a wallet they top up. Registration is free, with a KYC check before the account is activated. Agents can quote the fixed departure price to a customer, check the seats left and book once the customer agrees, without the fare moving in between while seats remain. Our B2B fixed departure page explains how agent access works.