In a bid to boost travel, IndiGo is offering passengers the chance to get 10% off on tickets if they are vaccinated. The airline will offer the discount to anyone who has received one or two jabs, with the discount applicable on the base fare only. Let's find out more about this discount and whether it will boost sales.

First

Today, IndiGo has become the first airline to offer passengers a discount on flight tickets if they have got their COVID-19 vaccines (one or both doses). The offer will give travelers a 10% discount on the base fare of any flight, a significant saving for travelers. Only limited inventory is available, so some routes or dates may not have the "Vaxi Fare" available.

While booking, passengers have to enter their Beneficiary ID (printed on the vaccine certificate) to verify their status. At the airport, travelers must show their vaccine certificate or proof through India's contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu.

A quick search on the IndiGo website (which now has a vaccinated tab on the booking page) shows savings on some key routes. Flying roundtrip from Delhi to Mumbai from July 9th to 11th costs ₹10,638 for unvaccinated travelers and just ₹9,672 for those who have taken either dose of the vaccine.

In a statement on the offer, IndiGo Chief Strategy & Revenue Officer Sanjay Kumar said,

"Being the largest airline in the country, we feel it is our responsibility to contribute to the national vaccination drive, by encouraging more people towards this common goal. This offer will not only strengthen their resolve towards vaccination, but also ensure that they can travel safely at affordable fares with IndiGo. We are committed to offer an on-time, hassle-free travel experience to our customers, on-board our lean, clean flying machine”.

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Boosting passengers

It is notable that IndiGo's offers differ from the ones seen in the US. While the US has seen its daily vaccination rates falling due to a high percentage of adults taking the shot, India has seen far fewer shots. Currently, only 18.1% of the population has received one dose, and 4% are fully vaccinated.

However, rates are going up quickly. Monday saw 8.5 million doses given, a record high, and 5.8 million on Tuesday. While the IndiGo discount will push some to go get their shots, demand isn't an issue in India for now. However, the offer could push those vaccinated to begin flying domestically again, especially as cases fall rapidly.

The last week has seen passenger numbers rise to 120,000-130,000 per day, a big upswing from May, when traffic fell to 50,000. To keep this recovery going and encouraging more passengers to fly, more airlines will likely begin offering similar discounts. For now, go out and get your vaccine so everyone can travel safely once again.

What do you think about IndiGo's new discount? Let us know in the comments!