Fixed Departure Airlines: Whose Series Seats You Can Book

Fixed departure airlines are the carriers whose seats are bought in advance as a series or block on set flights and dates, and then sold at a fixed price. On JourneyDeal, these Special Fixed Departure price seats carry a confirmed airline PNR, and the number of seats left for each date is shown on the page. A date closes once its seats are sold.

Which airline you get depends on the route and the date. A series seat appears only when that airline has seats for that route and day, so the mix changes through the year. JourneyDeal is an independent agency and does not claim any partnership with these airlines; we list their series seats next to normal fares so you can compare and choose.

Airlines whose series seats appear on our pages

• IndiGo, on many domestic routes and on Gulf routes from Indian cities
• Air India, on domestic trunk routes and international sectors
• Air India Express, mainly on Gulf and short international routes from South and West India
• Akasa Air, on domestic routes and some Gulf sectors
• SpiceJet, on domestic and selected international routes
• Flydubai, on routes between India and Dubai

Full-service vs low-cost series seats

The airline type tells you a lot about what comes with the seat. A full-service airline such as Air India generally includes a meal on most sectors and usually includes checked baggage in its economy fares. Low-cost airlines such as IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Flydubai keep the base fare simple, so meals, preferred seats and sometimes checked baggage are paid extras rather than included. None of this changes the series rules themselves, which are similar across airlines, but it does change what you get for the price. Always go by the baggage and inclusions shown on the fare you are booking, not by general habits, because a particular series block can differ from the airline's usual product.

How series fare rules compare across airlines

1. It is usually non-refundable.
2. Name changes and date changes are usually not allowed or are limited.
3. The detailed rules for your booking are shown before payment.
4. Baggage is stated on each fare and can vary by airline, route and date.
5. If the airline reschedules or cancels, we help you rebook or claim a refund under that airline's rules.

Whatever the airline, a fixed departure or series fare tends to share these core terms. So when you compare two airlines on the same route, the real differences are usually the price, the timings, the baggage and the inclusions on board.

How to choose between airlines on the same route

• Compare the total price for all travellers, not only the per-seat figure
• Read the baggage line on each fare; a cheaper fare with less baggage can cost more once you add weight
• Check departure and arrival times, especially for early-morning Gulf arrivals or late-night returns
• Think about meals on longer sectors; on a low-cost carrier you may want to pre-book one
• If your dates or names are not final, look at the normal fares too, since a flexible fare may suit you better
• Check which terminal is printed on your ticket, as airlines can use different terminals in the same city

When series seats are most useful

Series seats help most in busy weeks, when live fares climb as the plane fills: summer school holidays, Diwali, Eid, Christmas and New Year, and peak months for routes such as Leh, Srinagar, Goa, Dubai and Bangkok. Because the blocks were bought earlier, their fixed price is often below the live fare at that point. It is not always lower, so JourneyDeal also shows normal fares and you can open all fares on the same page to compare before you pay.

For travel agents and groups

Travel agents can register free and, after a KYC check, see net fares on the same multi-airline fixed departure inventory, add their own markup, book for their customers and pay from a wallet they top up. If you are travelling as a party of 10 or more on one flight, a separate negotiated group fare is usually the better route, and holidaymakers who want flights, hotels and sightseeing together can look at our fixed departure holiday packages on set dates.