Highlights
- IPL’s final match boosts hotels.
- Akasa Air adds flights to Ahmedabad for final.
- Nearly 20 charter flights were reported at Ahmedabad on match day.
The final was played at Narendra Modi Stadium, the world's largest cricket ground with a seating capacity of 132,000.
The travel rush was hard to miss. Akasa Air introduced two additional flights connecting Ahmedabad with Bengaluru and Navi Mumbai on May 31 and June 1. Nearly 20 charter aircraft movements were reported at Ahmedabad airport on match day. Western Railway introduced special trains between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to manage increased passenger demand for the IPL final. The services were scheduled around match timings to help fans travel for the event.
Many visitors also chose to stay on after the game, turning what started as a cricket trip into a short break, according to the Economic Times.
"We witnessed a consistent surge in room bookings and were almost sold out," said Akshay Kavra, ITC Narmada general manager." The hotel curated multiple IPL-themed pop-ups across its public areas and restaurants, perfectly reflecting the passion and enthusiasm of cricket fans during the season."
Vikas Sood, The Leela Gandhinagar general manager, said many travelers turned their visit for the IPL final into a weekend trip instead of a one-day stay.
“We observed a rise in bookings from guests looking to combine the excitement of the match with a broader leisure experience,” he added.
This was not the first time the IPL moved the travel needle. A look at IPL 2025 tells a similar story. Overall travel bookings that season grew 30 to 35 percent, well ahead of the 20 to 25 percent seen the year before, according to EaseMyTrip. Hotel rooms filled up fast, with premium stays in Ahmedabad and Chandigarh going for $63 and $86 a night and budget options between $23 to $58. Room rates climbed 7 to 10 percent and airfares followed, rising about 10 percent as match day got closer.
Separately, Hyatt signed a deal with Golden Buildcon to develop a 140-key Hyatt Place Ahmedabad Nikol
