MakeMyTrip has launched Price Drop Protection, an optional add-on that refunds eligible travellers the difference if their booked flight fare falls after booking. According to reports from Mint, the feature is designed to alleviate the anxiety of fluctuating airfares and encourage early travel planning. The tool guarantees a refund of the fare difference if a flight ticket becomes cheaper after a traveller confirms their booking, allowing users to book early without the fear of missing out on subsequent price drops. The protection applies from the time of booking until six hours before the scheduled departure, with refunds credited to the original payment method after completing the journey and within 30 days of the departure date.
The add-on costs ₹229 per passenger for domestic flights and ₹349 per passenger for international flights, as reported by Mint. For domestic flights, the maximum refund is ₹2,500 per passenger, while international flights offer ₹3,000 per passenger. The feature operates seamlessly once a traveller opts in during the checkout process, with continuous fare tracking until 6 hours before departure. If the fare falls below the originally booked price during this window, the platform notifies the traveller and automatically processes the refund. For example, if a traveller books an international flight for ₹1,00,000 and the fare subsequently drops by 15% to ₹85,000, the actual price difference of ₹15,000 would result in a refund of ₹3,000 per person, as the payout is strictly subject to the maximum refund limit.
The feature extends to international flights with significant refund potential. According to Mint, a Delhi-Singapore ticket booked for ₹25,000 could see a ₹2,000 fare drop, potentially resulting in a ₹2,000 refund. For a family of four, the maximum international refund could reach ₹12,000 if each passenger qualifies for the maximum refund amount. The protection applies to all eligible international bookings, providing similar protection mechanisms for overseas travelers. According to the company, the feature gained steady traction during its initial testing phase, with a significant portion of early adopters successfully receiving price-drop refunds on both domestic and international routes.
As reported by Mint, MakeMyTrip's COO Raj Rishi Singh emphasized that the feature allows travellers to book when convenient without worrying about fare drops. "Travellers should not have to choose between booking early and worrying that fares may fall later," Singh said. "Price Drop Protection lets them book when it works for them, with the reassurance that if the fare drops, they are protected." However, the protection comes with limitations - if a fare falls by more than the maximum refund amount, travellers receive only the cap amount. The feature expands MakeMyTrip's existing suite of flight assurance products, which already includes Zero Cancellation and Free Date Change options, specifically covering post-booking price volatility.
According to Mint, the feature addresses a common traveler concern where Indian travellers often delay finalising their itineraries, repeatedly searching for the same flights and booking close to the travel date in hopes of securing the best possible rate. The protection is designed to reduce booking-timing risk rather than guaranteeing early booking is always cheaper. Travellers must weigh the protection cost against potential fare reductions, with the feature particularly valuable for expensive peak-season flights where fare movements are larger than for low-cost tickets. The feature complements MakeMyTrip's existing Price Lock feature, which provides different protection for pre-booking decisions versus post-booking fare changes.
