India is witnessing a record surge in travel this Diwali, with families blending traditional celebrations with leisure trips, luxury getaways, and spiritual journeys. Online travel platforms report strong growth in both domestic and international bookings, highlighting the country’s festive travel boom.MakeMyTrip co-founder and Group CEO Rajesh Magow said that visiting friends and relatives (VFR) remains the main reason for travel during the festive season, with many Indians returning to their hometowns.“Therefore, of the top 10 most booked destinations, five are metros: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. This year, with the festival falling early in the week, many travellers are booking their trips as early as the preceding Friday to enjoy extended festivities.”Magow said, “We are also observing a rise in demand for pilgrimage destinations, reflecting how families are combining festive reunions with spiritual journeys.”.For international travel, short-haul destinations like the UAE, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are particularly popular this season, Magow said.Thomas Cook (India) President Rajeev Kale told PTI that multi-generational families are increasingly using festivals like Diwali for bonding, combining celebrations with trips to new or favourite destinations.“…particularly interesting is the increase in average spends, with travellers opting for longer stays, moving from traditional three-day breaks to 6-12 day holidays. Multi-generational families are maximising school vacations for Diwali, while millennial and working professionals are combining weekends with festive holidays for extended getaways,” Kale explained.Top international destinations include Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, and Portugal, while short-haul favourites are Vietnam, Oman, the Maldives, Bali, and Cambodia. Visa-friendly locations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Dubai-Abu Dhabi, Indonesia, and the Philippines continue to attract strong interest.Domestically, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, the Andamans, and spiritual circuits such as Char Dham, Kailash Mansarovar, Ayodhya, and Varanasi gain the top spot.Ixigo Group CEO Aloke Bajpai highlighted a 60-65% year-on-year rise in flight bookings, driven by a mix of traditional, spiritual, and leisure travel. Ayodhya saw more than 100% growth in flight bookings, outpacing major metros, he said.“Travellers are also returning to their hometowns like Patna (46 per cent) and Lucknow (23 per cent) to celebrate with family, while leisure destinations, such as Jaipur, Goa, and Srinagar, continue to see strong demand,” Bajpai added.SOTC Travel President SD Nandakumar noted that young professionals are extending weekends to travel home for Diwali, while cruises are gaining popularity among millennials, Gen Z, couples, and working professionals seeking short breaks.Cleartrip reported the strongest growth in 4- and 5-star hotel bookings, with 5-star reservations doubling this festive season, according to PTI. “Overall, Cleartrip platform users grew by 2.2 times, with flight bookings increasing 2 times and hotel bookings witnessing a 3.5 times rise compared to the pre-festive period,” a spokesperson said.