Indian Travelers Upgrade to Premium Despite Fewer Trips

Travel disruptions due to unforeseen events may have led to fewer bookings among Indians, but they are making up for it by spending more for the premium experience of travel.

The demand for premium travel to and from India is increasing, according to data shared by travel brand Trevolution Group. The company noted that despite lower volumes on outbound booking from India in the first half of 2025, its gross total bookings reached $68.36 million, up 6% from last year.

This increase, it said, was driven primarily by higher spending and a greater share of premium-class purchases. “The demand for business class bookings increased by 27.12%, while economy class demand saw a modest 0.78% rise, reinforcing the trend toward value-added, premium travel options,” the company said in a statement.

For outbound travel from India, business class travel surged by 17.6%, “pointing to a higher concentration of corporate and high-net-worth travelers.”

“We are now seeing more deliberate, higher-value travel to and from India, especially in business class,” said Alex Weinstein, the founder of Dyninno Group of Companies. “The demand for trip protection and comfort is growing, as well as the demand for secondary hubs. This shows the evolving mindset of the Indian traveler.”

The Inbound Travel Story: The overall surge in gross total bookings, however, was driven by inbound travel – which increased from $50.29 million to $56.10 million. According to Trevolution, this showed “rising consumer spending and sustained interest in long-haul and purpose-driven travel to India.”

It's worth noting here that expat Indians visiting friends and relatives form 20% of the numbers for inbound.

The group issued over 39,000 airline tickets to India in the first half of 2025. This was a 4.21% increase over th