The invitations are landing in Southall, Leicester and Birmingham. Here is how to get the whole party to India on time, together and at a fair fare.
Quick answer: when is wedding season, and when should we book?
The 2026–27 winter wedding season runs from late November 2026 to the end of January 2027. Published panchang lists give auspicious dates on 21, 24, 25 and 26 November; 1 to 4 and 11 to 13 December; and 18, 19, 23 to 28, 30 and 31 January. Fares peak from mid-December to early January. Book the group now, on one booking, with names exactly as in passports. Homepage fares today start from £219 per person to Ahmedabad.
When is the 2026–27 Indian wedding season?
Hindu weddings in north and west India are planned around the muhurat, the auspicious window set by the family pandit from the panchang. These are the dates published panchang lists give for the coming season. They are not an official calendar, so always confirm the muhurat with your family pandit before anyone books a flight. Sikh, Bengali, Christian and Muslim weddings follow their own calendars.
Month | Auspicious dates (published panchang lists) | What it means for flights from the UK |
November 2026 | 21, 24, 25 and 26 November | First wave of the season. Fly out midweek the week before and you miss the weekend rush. |
December 2026 | 1 to 4 and 11 to 13 December | The sweet spot: wedding dates before most schools break up on Friday 18 December. |
January 2027 | 18, 19, 23 to 28, 30 and 31 January | Busiest stretch. Late-December seats out and early-February seats back go first. |
Why wedding fares cluster, and what today's fares look like
Three things push UK to India fares up at once: the wedding dates above, the Christmas school holidays (most schools in England break up on Friday 18 December 2026 and go back on Monday 4 January 2027), and the fact that every guest wants to land two days before the sangeet and leave the day after the reception.
Fares on our homepage today are shown per person with no departure city attached, so treat them as a guide and run a live search for your airport and dates.
Destination | Fare on manntravel.co.uk today | Wedding regions it serves |
Ahmedabad | From £219 per person, checked 13 October 2026, prices change daily | Gujarat: Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot |
Bengaluru | From £276 per person, checked 13 October 2026, prices change daily | Karnataka, Mysuru, Mangaluru and Coorg |
Mumbai | From £286 per person, checked 13 October 2026, prices change daily | Maharashtra, Goa and southern Gujarat |
Delhi | From £303 per person, checked 13 October 2026, prices change daily | Delhi NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP and Uttarakhand |
Amritsar, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi are not on the homepage cards today, but we book them every day. Flying to a Bengali wedding? See our guide to flights from London to Kolkata.
How to book a wedding group from the UK: 7 tips
1. Put the whole party on one booking
One booking means one record, one set of seats and one phone call if a flight time changes. If your group is larger than nine, tell us early, because group fares often hold seats with a smaller deposit.
2. Names exactly as they appear in passports
Not the name on the invitation, not the nickname, not the maiden name. Every letter must match the passport, including middle names if they are printed.
3. Sit together, and plan for elderly relatives
Ask us to allocate seats across the group at booking, with grandparents on the aisle. Wheelchair assistance is free, but must be requested before you fly.
4. Baggage for outfits and gifts
Allowances differ between airlines and fare types. If you are carrying gifts, dry fruit and three outfits per person, buy extra baggage at booking rather than at the airport, where it costs the most.
5. Carry the jewellery, the sherwani and the lehenga on board
A delayed bag with the bride’s lehenga in it is a disaster. Pack the wedding outfits, jewellery and medicines in cabin bags, split across two people.
6. Guests flying from different UK cities
The bride’s family may leave from Heathrow, the cousins from Glasgow and the aunties from Manchester. We can line up arrivals at Delhi or Ahmedabad within an hour or two, so one coach collects everyone.
7. Students and education staff: use MannPass
Any verified student or education worker in the UK can use Mann Travel Offer for £25 off selected return flights to India. It is valid for 30 days, renewable, and cannot be combined with other promotions.
Documents: OCI, e-Visa and passports
British citizens need either an OCI card or an Indian visa. For most wedding guests the e-Visa is simplest, applied for on the official Indian government visa website at least four weeks out. If anyone in the party was born in India or has Indian parents, the OCI card is the long-term answer; our guide to the OCI card for British citizens explains it step by step. Check that every passport, including the children’s, has at least six months left from your arrival date.
Your wedding travel timeline
When | What to do |
12 weeks out | Confirm the muhurat with the pandit. Collect passport names and dates of birth. Book the group, or hold seats with a deposit. Apply for any OCI cards. |
8 weeks out | Apply for e-Visas. Buy extra baggage. Request seats together, special meals and wheelchair assistance. Book hotels for the wedding nights. |
4 weeks out | Check passport validity. Arrange travel insurance that covers jewellery. Confirm airport transfers at both ends. |
1 week out | Online check-in opens. Save e-Visas and tickets. Pack outfits and jewellery in cabin bags. Check the latest UK government travel advice for India. |
What to pack for a winter wedding in India
In the north, in Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Lucknow, December and January nights drop to 5 to 10°C and fog can last until mid-morning. In the south, in Kochi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, it is warm and dry with pleasant evenings.
Layers for the north. A warm shawl over every outfit, thermals under the sherwani, and a proper jacket for the drive from the airport.
Flat shoes for the baraat. You will be on your feet, dancing, for an hour.
A small first-aid kit and any prescription medicines, in original packaging, in cabin bags.
Adapters and a power bank. India uses type C and D sockets.
Gifts. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash, and check the current rules on gold jewellery at Indian customs before you fly.
Why book your wedding flights with Mann Travel?
Mann Travel has been taking families home to India since 2007, and our Southall office has looked after UK travellers since 2019. We are group and family specialists, the team speaks Hindi, Punjabi and English, and we offer phone and WhatsApp support while you are away. Students and education staff save with Mann Travel Offer, we can book hotels in India for the wedding nights, and you can contact us with the guest list and let us do the rest.
Let’s take the whole family home for the shaadi.
Search live fares at manntravel.co.uk/flights or call our Southall team on 0208 099 9900 with your dates and your guest list.
frequently asked questions
When is the Indian wedding season in 2026–27?
From late November 2026 to the end of January 2027. The table above lists the auspicious dates from published panchang lists. Always confirm the muhurat with your family pandit.
How early should we book flights to India for a wedding?
Twelve weeks out is ideal for a group. For December and January dates, book now. Fares around the Christmas school holidays rise from October.
Can a wedding party of 20 go on one booking?
Yes. Groups of ten or more are booked as a group fare, often with a deposit to hold seats and names added later.
Do British citizens need a visa for a wedding in India?
Yes, unless you hold an OCI card. Most guests use the Indian e-Visa from the official government website. Apply at least four weeks before you fly.
What should I pack for a December wedding in Delhi or Punjab?
Warm layers. Nights drop to 5 to 10°C with morning fog. Take a shawl for every outfit, a jacket for the airport run and flat shoes for the baraat.
Fares and availability change daily and depend on the airline, date and fare type. Wedding dates are from published panchang lists and are not an official calendar. Always check live prices, your pandit’s muhurat and the latest government advice before booking.
