New Delhi: The Centre’s UDAN scheme has made air travel more accessible for passengers in smaller cities, but a common belief that every flight ticket under the scheme costs only ₹2,500 is not correct. The fare benefit is available only under specific conditions and for a limited number of seats on selected routes.
UDAN, which stands for Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik, is the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme. It was introduced to connect cities and airports where regular air services were either unavailable or very limited. The larger aim is to reduce dependence on only trains and buses for long distance travel and bring smaller towns into India’s aviation network.
According to the report, the ₹2,500 fare does not apply to every ticket on every UDAN flight. Airlines offer only a limited number of seats at subsidised rates under the RCS category. The remaining seats are sold at regular market driven fares.
The lower fare generally applies to flights of around one hour or routes covering nearly 500 kilometres. If the distance is longer, the fare increases accordingly. This means passengers may not always find a ₹2,500 ticket even on routes covered by the scheme.
The benefit is also linked to regional routes, particularly smaller cities such as Darbhanga, Jharsuguda, Kishangarh and Hubballi. Most flights operating between major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai do not come under the scheme’s fare structure.
Passengers also need to remember that the final ticket price may vary. While the base fare may be capped for eligible seats, airport charges, GST and other fees can be added to the final amount paid during booking.
The scheme is supported through viability gap funding, under which the government provides financial assistance to airlines operating on less profitable regional routes. This support helps carriers continue services even where passenger demand may be lower.
For travellers, the key takeaway is that UDAN has expanded affordable air connectivity, but booking early and checking route eligibility remain important. The ₹2,500 fare is a targeted subsidy, not a universal ticket price across all flights.