If you have opened a flight booking app recently and noticed the total creeping higher than expected, you are not imagining things. Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa Air have all introduced what is called a fuel surcharge on domestic and international tickets — and the reason traces directly back to the military conflict between Iran and the United States, backed by Israel, that has been burning through West Asia for nearly two weeks.

Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told Reuters that airfares globally could rise by as much as 9% as a result of the crisis. For millions of Indians who have come to rely on affordable air travel, that number is not just a statistic — it is money out of pocket, every time they fly.

What Exactly Is a Fuel Surcharge?

Before getting to the numbers, it helps to understand what this fee actually is — because airlines are not always transparent about it.

A fuel surcharge is a separate, additional charge added on top of your base airfare specifically to cover rising aviation turbine fuel (ATF) costs. It is not included in the headline ticket price you see when you first search. It appears later in the booking process, often listed quietly alongside taxes and fees, before the final total. By the time many passengers notice it, they have already mentally committed to the ticket.

Airlines typically introduce or raise this charge when jet fuel prices spike, because fuel is one of their single largest operating expenses — accounting for roughly one-quarter of an airline’s total costs under normal conditions. Some airlines use a practice called fuel hedging, which allows them to lock in fuel prices months or even years in advance, giving them some protection against sudden spikes. But hedging covers only part of fuel requirements, and if prices stay high for an extended period, even hedged airlines eventually have to pass costs on.

Right now, prices are not just high — they have roughly doubled since late February 2026.

Why Is ATF So Expensive Right Now?

The answer runs through a narrow stretch of water called the Strait of Hormuz. This chokepoint, where the Persian Gulf meets the Gulf of Oman, handles approximately one-fifth of the entire world’s oil supply. Iran has carried out sustained attacks on commercial ships across the Gulf and struck oil facilities in several Gulf Arab nations following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. The result: movement through the Strait of Hormuz has been largely halted, major producers including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq have cut output as shipments face mounting difficulty, and crude oil prices have swung sharply — pulling jet fuel prices up with them.

There is a second layer to the problem that is less visible but equally costly: airspace avoidance. Multiple airlines are now refusing to fly over West Asian airspace due to the active conflict. That means flights that would normally pass through the region — connecting India to Europe, the Gulf, or beyond — are being rerouted along longer, more expensive paths. Longer routes burn more fuel. More fuel burned means more cost. And that cost, ultimately, is yours.

How Much Extra Are You Actually Paying?

Here is the breakdown of what each airline is now charging, so you know exactly what to expect before you book:

Air India and AI Express began their phased surcharge rollout from March 12. On domestic routes and SAARC flights, the surcharge is ₹399 per sector. For West Asia routes, it is an additional $10. Africa services attract a $30 increase, bringing that charge to $90. Southeast Asia flights see a $20 rise to $60. From March 18, a second phase kicks in: European routes rise to $125, while North America and Australia surcharges jump to $200.

IndiGo, India’s largest carrier by market share, began levying its surcharges from March 14. Domestic flights and Indian subcontinent routes carry a ₹425 charge. West Asia flights attract ₹900. Southeast Asia, China, and Africa routes are charged ₹1,800. And for passengers flying to Europe — already the most expensive long-haul destination for most Indian travellers — the surcharge hits ₹2,300.

Akasa Air, which holds roughly 5% of the Indian aviation market, introduced its charges from March 15, ranging from ₹199 to ₹1,300 per sector depending on flight duration. The airline confirmed the charge applies to all new bookings and will be reviewed periodically.

This Is a Global Problem, Not Just an Indian One

Indian carriers are not acting alone. Cathay Pacific, the Hong Kong flagship carrier, announced it will double its passenger fuel surcharge on long-haul flights to HK$1,164 from March 18. Airlines across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East have been making similar adjustments. The IATA‘s warning of up to a 9% fare increase applies industry-wide, not just to budget carriers or regional routes.

SpiceJet founder Ajay Singh has called on the Indian government to reduce excise duties and VAT on jet fuel, arguing that even at $90 per barrel, prices are becoming operationally unsustainable. His appeal points to a structural problem that predates this war: India taxes aviation fuel at rates significantly higher than many competing markets, meaning Indian carriers absorb a disproportionate share of global price shocks.

What Passengers Should Do Right Now

The practical implications for anyone planning to fly in the coming weeks are straightforward. Prices on tickets booked from this point forward will be higher — sometimes meaningfully so on international routes. If you have upcoming travel already booked before March 12–15, you are protected from these new charges on those specific tickets. But any new booking, for any destination, will now carry the surcharge.

The airlines have each stated they will review the charges “periodically” — which in practice means the surcharges could rise further if fuel costs continue climbing, or ease if the conflict de-escalates and oil markets stabilise. Neither outcome is guaranteed right now.

What is guaranteed is that the war in West Asia has changed the price of flying — not just for people in the region, but for everyone in India planning to go anywhere. A conflict thousands of kilometres away has found its way into your booking summary, quietly listed between the base fare and the total. It has a name. It is called a fuel surcharge. And for now, there is no sign of it going away.