Series Fare Airlines: Which Carriers Appear and How They Differ

Series fare airlines are the carriers whose block seats, bought ahead on set flights and dates, appear on our Special Fixed Departure pages. On our site these are IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Flydubai, and each one shows up only when it has series seats on that particular route and date.

The idea behind a series fare is the same whichever airline flies you: a limited number of seats per date, one fixed price, and a confirmed airline PNR. What changes from one airline to the next is what the fare includes, how baggage works, and the rules printed on the ticket. Knowing those differences helps you pick the fare that really suits your trip, not just the lowest number on the screen.

Airlines whose series seats appear on our pages

• IndiGo, on many domestic trunk routes and several Gulf and Asian routes.
• Air India, a full-service airline on domestic and international routes.
• Air India Express, mainly on domestic routes and short international routes to the Gulf and Southeast Asia.
• Akasa Air, on a growing list of domestic routes and selected international ones.
• SpiceJet, on domestic routes and some international sectors.
• Flydubai, on routes between Indian cities and Dubai.

We name these airlines only to describe who operates the flights. None of them endorses our site, and we do not claim any exclusive arrangement with them. If an airline has no series seats on your date, it will not appear as a series fare, though its normal fares may still show in the search.

Full-service versus low-cost series fares

Airline type makes the biggest difference to what a series seat includes. A full-service airline such as Air India generally includes meals or refreshments and checked baggage in the fare. Low-cost and value carriers keep the base fare lean, so food is usually bought on board and baggage depends on the fare type; some series fares include checked baggage, while others may carry cabin baggage only. Because this varies by airline, route and even by series, baggage is shown on each fare. Read that line carefully before you pay, especially if you are flying with family or carrying gifts on a Gulf route.

What stays the same across airlines

• Series fares are usually non-refundable whichever airline operates the flight.
• Name changes are usually not allowed, so names must match the passport or government ID exactly.
• Date changes are usually not allowed or are limited.
• Seats per date are limited and the count is shown on the page.
• The fare rules appear before payment, and the ticket is issued against the confirmed PNR and emailed to you.

How to compare series fares between airlines

1. Search the route and date you need, then tap Show all fares so series and normal fares appear together.
2. Compare the total price, not only the base fare, for all passengers in your party.
3. Check the baggage line on each fare; a cheaper fare without checked baggage can cost more once you add bags.
4. Look at departure and arrival times, especially on early-morning or late-night Gulf flights.
5. Read the fare rules for cancellation and changes, and decide how firm your plans are.
6. If two fares are close in price, the one with better baggage or timing is often the better buy.

Why one airline may have series seats and another may not

Series blocks are bought on specific flights for specific periods, usually where demand is strong, such as holiday seasons, long weekends or busy Gulf months. So on one date you may see three airlines with series seats on Delhi–Mumbai, and on another date none at all. A series fare is often cheaper than the live price in peak season because the seats were bought ahead in bulk, but not always; on quiet days a normal fare from another airline can be lower. Comparing both is the safest habit.

If your airline changes the schedule

Any airline can reschedule or cancel a flight, including on series seats. If that happens we contact you and help you rebook or claim a refund in line with that airline's rules for the change. Travel agents booking through our free B2B portal see the same airlines and series inventory at net fares, and add their own markup for their customers.