Indian Couples Embrace Destination Weddings, Survey Finds

Indian Couples Embrace Destination Weddings, Survey Finds

By Nishang Narayan

Published on September 2, 2024

A recent survey by Skyscanner highlights a growing trend among Indian couples opting for destination weddings. According to the "Destination ‘I Do’" survey, an impressive 85% of Indian respondents have either had or are planning a destination wedding, with Gen Z leading the trend.

The shift towards destination weddings is notably strong among younger couples. Nearly half (49%) of Gen Z respondents wish to marry in a dream location, compared to 33% of Millennials. The influence of high-profile weddings, such as the Ambani wedding, has inspired many to plan grand celebrations, with 66% intending to host lavish pre-wedding events.

Mohit Joshi, Skyscanner’s Travel Trends and Destination Expert, commented, “Destination weddings are capturing the imagination of Indian couples, who are keen on creating unique experiences. Couples are investing in celebrations that reflect their dreams while balancing grandeur with practical planning.”

Top Destination Picks for Indian Weddings

Asia tops the list for Indian couples, with 48% eyeing destinations like Thailand, Japan, and the Maldives. These locations offer beautiful backdrops and are relatively close, making them convenient and cost-effective. Europe remains a favourite as well, with 31% of couples considering romantic spots like the UK, Spain, France, and Italy.

Goa leads as the top choice for a beach wedding, followed by Dubai for its glamorous allure. Bali and Bangkok are also popular for their tropical vibes and cultural experiences.

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Diverse Wedding Themes

Indian couples are exploring a variety of wedding themes. A romantic beach celebration is preferred by 26% of respondents, while 20% opt for the regal charm of royal palace weddings in Jaipur or Udaipur. Scenic mountain locations such as Mussoorie, Munnar, and Switzerland attract 19%, with others considering glamorous city events in places like Dubai and New York.

Despite their willingness to spend, many couples are mindful of their budgets. Nearly half (45%) are prepared to increase their wedding budgets by up to 50% for a memorable destination wedding but are also exploring lesser-known destinations to avoid high prices. About 83% are open to off-the-beaten-path locations like Gokarna and Kalimpong.

Travel Trends and Wedding Planning

UAE national carriers are expanding their reach, now flying to 606 destinations globally. Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi are leading this growth. Etihad aims to reach 125 destinations by 2030 and has seen a rise in passengers and fleet size this year.

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Planning is crucial for destination weddings, with 62% of couples starting their preparations up to a year in advance. While 40% rely on professional wedding planners, 36% seek recommendations from friends and family, emphasizing the value of personal input.

Technology Assisting Wedding Planning

To aid in planning, Skyscanner offers tools like the Savvy Search feature, which helps users find ideal wedding destinations based on preferences. Joshi noted, “Savvy Search simplifies finding your dream wedding spot, acting like a personal planner.”

Anam Zubair, Director of Consumer Marketing at WeddingWire India, shared that there’s been a 13% increase in couples choosing destination weddings year-over-year. WeddingWire India’s platform provides over 73,000 venues and vendors along with free planning tools, ensuring a smooth experience for couples.

As destination weddings gain popularity, Indian couples are balancing dream celebrations with smart planning and budget-conscious decisions, proving that a dream wedding abroad is achievable with the right tools and flexibility.


SpiceJet Expands Festive Connectivity to Bihar with New Flights to Patna and Darbhanga

SpiceJet Expands Festive Connectivity to Bihar with New Flights to Patna and Darbhanga

By Hariharan U

Published on October 22, 2025

SpiceJet has announced a major expansion of its domestic network ahead of Chhath Puja and Diwali, strengthening connectivity to Bihar with new and additional flights to Patna and Darbhanga.

The airline has introduced new flights to Patna from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, along with increased frequencies from Delhi and Mumbai. In addition, Darbhanga has gained extra services from Delhi and Mumbai, further improving accessibility for travellers heading home during the festive season.

These routes build upon SpiceJet’s existing operations to Patna from Delhi, Mumbai, and Guwahati, and to Darbhanga from Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi. The new flights commenced in a phased rollout from October 10, 2025, ensuring greater travel flexibility and convenience for passengers amid the festive rush.

Earlier this month, SpiceJet also introduced special daily non-stop Diwali flights to Ayodhya from Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad, enabling devotees and tourists easier access to the Shri Ram Temple during the celebrations.

Commenting on the development, Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer, SpiceJet, said, “The festive season holds immense significance for millions of our passengers, and we are delighted to make travel home for Chhath Puja and Diwali more convenient and accessible. With enhanced connectivity to Patna, Darbhanga, and Ayodhya, SpiceJet continues to play a key role in bringing people closer to their loved ones for celebrations that matter most.”

The expansion underscores SpiceJet’s commitment to meeting evolving travel demand, particularly during high-traffic festive periods, by offering affordable, direct, and seamless connectivity across India’s key regional hubs.


IndiGo Integrates with Digi Yatra for a Seamless Digital Boarding Experience

IndiGo Integrates with Digi Yatra for a Seamless Digital Boarding Experience

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 20, 2025

IndiGo and Digi Yatra have announced a new app-to-app integration that allows IndiGo flyers to share boarding passes directly with the Digi Yatra app. The collaboration enhances contactless, biometric-enabled travel while ensuring user consent, data privacy, and faster passenger processing at airports.

IndiGo, India’s leading airline, has partnered with Digi Yatra, the Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)-based ecosystem that uses facial biometric technology for contactless passenger processing, to enable this direct integration between their mobile applications. The initiative eliminates the need for passengers to manually scan or upload boarding passes on the Digi Yatra app.

After completing web check-in, IndiGo flyers can now simply click “Share with Digi Yatra” within the IndiGo app to securely transfer their boarding pass. This process ensures that passenger consent is obtained at every step and that only essential data is shared with authorised Digi Yatra verifiers at airports.

Designed with privacy by design principles, the transaction occurs entirely offline through deep linking between the two apps, without involving any cloud or server processing. This ensures data integrity, authenticity, and enhanced security while improving convenience for travellers.

Commenting on the development, Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO of Digi Yatra Foundation, said,

“Our mission is to transform air travel into a seamless, secure, and paperless experience for every passenger. This collaboration with IndiGo marks a significant milestone in that journey. By integrating our technology directly with IndiGo’s app, we are enabling travellers to enjoy faster check-ins, smoother boarding, and enhanced convenience. As more airlines and airports embrace our ecosystem, we will continue to innovate and support India’s vision for digital transformation in travel.”

Neetan Chopra, Chief Information and Digital Officer, IndiGo, added,

“Every year, we fly millions of customers who trust us for our promise of safe, on-time, and hassle-free travel. This partnership with Digi Yatra takes our commitment to customer convenience a step further by enabling a smooth, contactless boarding journey. We are thrilled to be among the first airlines to adopt this technology and remain focused on leveraging innovation to make air travel simpler, faster, and more enjoyable.”

This collaboration underscores the aviation industry’s shared commitment to digital innovation and highlights growing confidence in Digi Yatra’s secure, paperless travel ecosystem as India moves closer to a fully digital airport experience.


Etihad Leverages Premium Service and Partnerships to Grow in India

Etihad Leverages Premium Service and Partnerships to Grow in India

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 14, 2025

Etihad Airways is focusing on premium travel and customer segmentation to boost its business in India, one of its top three global markets, while operating at full capacity under a bilateral seat agreement with the country.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline has been upgrading its services with new aircraft and enhanced cabin experiences to attract high-value travellers. Since relaunching flights to Kolkata in March 2023, Etihad increased its weekly frequency from four to eight flights by 2025. Across India, the airline now operates 185 flights a week to 11 cities.

“We fly all the seats that the bilateral agreement allows us,” said Javier Alija, Etihad Airways Vice President for Global Sales and Distribution. The agreement caps 50,000 weekly seats for Abu Dhabi-based carriers, shared between Etihad and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi. Until the agreement changes, the airline cannot add more frequencies or destinations.

To overcome these capacity constraints, Etihad is building partnerships, including a tie-up with Akasa Air, connecting four Indian cities to Abu Dhabi. The airline is also enhancing the passenger experience for long-haul travellers, especially to the US, with Abu Dhabi’s new terminal and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pre-clearance. This allows passengers to arrive in the US as domestic travellers, saving time at immigration.

Kolkata is the first Indian city to receive Etihad’s new A321 LR aircraft, featuring a redesigned cabin with just 160 seats, two first-class suites, 14 business, and 144 economy seats, offering a widebody-like experience in a narrow-body aircraft. “This reflects Kolkata’s strong premium travel potential,” Alija said.

Etihad’s focus on yield optimisation and operational efficiency has helped the airline achieve record financial results. For the current year, it expects 21–22% growth in seat capacity, 22–23% increase in revenue, and a 30% rise in absolute profit, supported by expansions in other markets. The airline plans to launch 13 new international routes by year-end, aiming to serve nearly 90 destinations worldwide.

Alija added, “Even if our frequencies and destinations remain static, these customer-focused and operational efforts ensure Etihad continues to be the preferred airline for Indian travellers. We are very conscious that our rapid growth should not compromise the financial gains we have achieved.”

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