New add-on starts at ₹229 for domestic and ₹349 for international flights, with refunds capped at ₹2,500 and ₹3,000 per passenger respectively

Booking a flight well in advance can sometimes leave travellers frustrated if the same ticket becomes cheaper a few days or weeks later. MakeMyTrip has introduced a new optional feature aimed at addressing that concern by offering a refund when an eligible flight fare drops after the ticket has been booked.

The online travel platform has launched Price Drop Protection, an add-on available for eligible domestic and international flight bookings. The feature is designed to give travellers greater flexibility when booking early by allowing them to potentially recover the fare difference if the eligible ticket price falls after booking.

The protection comes at an additional cost and is subject to specific eligibility conditions, refund limits and claim timelines.

How Price Drop Protection Works

Under the new feature, travellers can purchase Price Drop Protection while booking an eligible flight through MakeMyTrip.

If the eligible fare subsequently falls during the protection period, the traveller can claim the difference between the original fare and the lower eligible fare, subject to the applicable maximum refund.

For example, if a traveller books a domestic flight for ₹8,000 and the eligible fare later falls to ₹6,500, the fare difference would be ₹1,500.

If the booking qualifies under the protection terms, the traveller could receive a ₹1,500 refund.

The protection does not mean that every subsequent fare displayed online will automatically qualify. Travellers need to meet the conditions specified by MakeMyTrip.

Protection Available for Domestic and International Flights

Price Drop Protection is available for eligible domestic as well as international flights.

The feature can be used for both one-way and round-trip bookings, according to the company's announcement.

This gives travellers booking different types of itineraries an additional option when they are concerned that fares could decline after they complete their purchase.

The protection is particularly relevant for travellers booking significantly ahead of their departure date, when there is more time for airline fares to fluctuate.

How Much Does Price Drop Protection Cost?

The add-on starts at:

• Domestic flights: ₹229 per passenger

• International flights: ₹349 per passenger

These charges are separate from the actual flight fare.

The economic benefit therefore depends on whether the eligible fare falls enough to offset the cost of purchasing the protection.

For example, if a traveller pays ₹229 for protection on a domestic booking and subsequently receives a ₹1,500 fare-difference refund, the feature could provide a net benefit after accounting for the add-on fee.

If the fare does not fall, however, the traveller would have paid the protection fee without receiving a fare-difference refund.

Refund Limits Apply

The refund under Price Drop Protection is not unlimited.

For domestic flights, the maximum refund is capped at ₹2,500 per passenger.

For international flights, the maximum refund is ₹3,000 per passenger.

This means that a larger fall in the ticket price will not necessarily result in the entire difference being refunded.

For example, if an international flight becomes ₹4,000 cheaper after booking, the maximum refund under the protection would be ₹3,000 per passenger, assuming all eligibility conditions are satisfied.

Similarly, a ₹4,000 decline in an eligible domestic fare would be subject to the ₹2,500 per-passenger ceiling.

Protection Remains Active Until Six Hours Before Departure

The protection applies from the time the flight is booked until six hours before the scheduled departure, according to the terms described in the company's announcement.

This provides a window during which an eligible fare reduction can potentially trigger a refund.

Travellers who qualify for a refund can claim it after completing their journey and within 30 days of the departure date, according to MakeMyTrip's current terms.

The refund is credited to the traveller's original mode of payment.

Example: Domestic Flight Booking

Consider a traveller who books a domestic flight for ₹10,000 and pays ₹229 for Price Drop Protection.

If the eligible fare later falls to ₹8,500, the difference is ₹1,500.

Assuming the booking meets all conditions, the traveller could receive ₹1,500 as the fare-difference refund.

The traveller would have paid ₹229 for the protection, making the feature potentially useful when the subsequent price decline is significantly larger than the protection fee.

However, if the fare remains unchanged throughout the eligible period, there would be no fare-difference refund.

Example: International Flight Booking

Consider a Delhi-Singapore flight booked at ₹25,000.

If the eligible fare subsequently falls by ₹2,000, the traveller could receive ₹2,000, subject to the applicable terms.

If the fare instead falls by ₹3,500, the refund would be restricted to the maximum ₹3,000 per passenger.

For a family of four, the maximum international refund could potentially reach ₹12,000 if each passenger is eligible and the maximum amount applies separately.

Travellers should check the booking-specific terms before assuming that the maximum refund will automatically apply to every passenger.

Does Price Drop Protection Mean Travellers Should Always Book Early?

The new feature reduces one particular risk associated with early booking, but it does not mean that booking early will always produce the lowest overall cost.

Airfares can move in both directions depending on demand, seasonality, airline inventory, route capacity, holidays and other factors.

Price Drop Protection essentially changes the risk calculation for a traveller who wants to book now but is worried that the fare could become cheaper later.

Instead of waiting for a potentially lower price and risking an increase, the traveller can book earlier and purchase the protection, provided the expected benefit justifies the additional fee.

Price Drop Protection Is Different From Price Lock

Travellers should not confuse MakeMyTrip's Price Drop Protection with its Price Lock feature.

The two products address different stages of the booking process.

Price Lock: The traveller has not completed the booking and wants to hold a fare for a specified period while making a decision.

Price Drop Protection: The traveller has already booked the flight and wants protection if the eligible fare falls afterwards.

With Price Lock, if the fare increases during the lock period, the traveller can retain the locked price, while a subsequent price reduction may allow the traveller to book at the lower fare.

Price Drop Protection operates after the ticket has already been issued.

What Travellers Should Check Before Buying the Add-On

Travellers should review the applicable terms and conditions before paying for Price Drop Protection.

The first consideration is the eligibility of the specific flight and booking.

The second is how MakeMyTrip determines the eligible lower fare against which the original booking is compared.

The protection fee should also be considered when calculating the potential benefit.

For example, paying ₹229 to protect a relatively inexpensive domestic ticket may have a different value proposition from paying the same starting fee on a much more expensive peak-season booking.

The refund ceiling is another important consideration because the traveller will not receive more than ₹2,500 per passenger for domestic flights or ₹3,000 per passenger for international flights.

Claim Timeline Is Important

Travellers should also pay attention to the claim process.

According to the information provided by MakeMyTrip, eligible fare drops can be claimed after the journey has been completed, with the claim to be made within 30 days of the departure date.

Missing the applicable claim window could affect the ability to receive the refund.

Keeping booking details and relevant transaction information can therefore help travellers when submitting a claim.

A New Approach to Flight-Fare Uncertainty

Airfare volatility has long been one of the challenges faced by travellers. Prices can change significantly depending on demand and remaining inventory, making it difficult for consumers to know whether they are booking at an attractive time.

MakeMyTrip's new product attempts to address that uncertainty through a paid protection model.

Rather than promising that fares will not increase or guaranteeing the lowest possible price, the feature provides a defined refund mechanism if an eligible fare declines after booking.

This makes the product different from a conventional discount or promotional offer.

Who Could Find the Feature More Relevant?

Price Drop Protection may be more relevant for travellers who need to secure their flights early but are concerned about potential fare declines.

It could also appeal to passengers booking during periods when ticket prices are relatively high, such as holidays, major events or peak travel seasons.

However, the benefit will depend on the size of the potential fare movement, the protection fee and the maximum refund available.

Travellers should therefore evaluate the add-on based on their individual booking rather than assuming it will always reduce the total cost of travel.

Market Outlook

MakeMyTrip's Price Drop Protection introduces another layer of flexibility into the online flight-booking market by shifting some of the risk of post-booking fare declines from travellers to a paid protection model.

The add-on starts at ₹229 for domestic flights and ₹349 for international flights, while refunds are capped at ₹2,500 and ₹3,000 per passenger respectively. The protection remains applicable until six hours before scheduled departure, with eligible claims to be made after the journey within the specified period.

For travellers, the key consideration will be whether the potential fare saving justifies the additional protection fee. The feature does not guarantee the lowest possible airfare, but it can provide some financial protection against eligible price declines after booking.

As online travel platforms increasingly introduce paid flexibility and protection features, consumers are likely to compare not only headline ticket prices but also the additional services and conditions attached to each booking.