MakeMyTrip vs Cleartrip vs Google Flights 2026 — Which Is Cheapest for India?

India has three major flight booking platforms — MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip and Google Flights. Each has different fees, credit card partnerships and inventory. The difference in total cost on the same route can be ₹500 to ₹2,000. This guide tells you exactly which platform to use and when.

Platform Comparison — Quick Summary

MakeMyTrip — India's Most Popular Platform

MakeMyTrip is India's largest online travel platform with the widest inventory and deepest credit card partnerships. It is the best platform for Indian travellers who have HDFC, ICICI or SBI credit cards.

Advantages

• HDFC Regalia 5X rewards — exclusive to MakeMyTrip, no other platform offers this
• Regular ICICI and SBI cashback promotions of 5-15%
• Best inventory for domestic routes with most airlines
• Strongest Gulf route pricing for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha
• myRewards loyalty programme adds additional value

Disadvantages

• Convenience fee of ₹250-450 per booking always applies
• UI can be cluttered with upsell prompts
• Sometimes higher base fares on European routes vs Cleartrip

Cleartrip — Best for International Routes

Cleartrip consistently offers more competitive pricing on international routes to Europe and the USA. It also has a cleaner interface and loads faster than MakeMyTrip.

Advantages

• Better pricing on Europe and USA routes frequently
• Clean fast interface without upsell clutter
• Strong Axis Bank card promotions periodically
• Good inventory for international carriers

Disadvantages

• Fewer credit card partnership deals than MakeMyTrip
• Loyalty programme less developed
• Convenience fee similar to MakeMyTrip

EaseMyTrip — Best for Zero Fees

EaseMyTrip runs frequent zero convenience fee promotions — sometimes for weeks continuously. When active, this alone can save ₹300-450 on domestic bookings compared to MakeMyTrip and Cleartrip.

When EaseMyTrip wins

• Zero convenience fee promotion is active — check their homepage
• You do not have an HDFC Regalia card to use on MakeMyTrip
• Simple domestic bookings where base fares are identical across platforms

When EaseMyTrip loses

• You have HDFC Regalia — MakeMyTrip 5X rewards beat the zero fee saving
• Complex international itineraries where Cleartrip or MakeMyTrip have better inventory

Google Flights — Research Tool, Not a Booking Platform

Google Flights is not a booking platform — it is a price research tool that redirects you to airline websites or OTAs. Use it to find the cheapest dates and routes, then book on MakeMyTrip, Cleartrip or EaseMyTrip to earn credit card rewards.

Google Flights is excellent for using the calendar view to find the cheapest travel dates and the price graph to understand if current fares are high or low historically.

The Smart Strategy — Use All Three

1. Research on Google Flights — find cheapest dates and understand fair price
2. Check EaseMyTrip first — if zero fee promotion is active and you have no special card offer, book here
3. Check MakeMyTrip — if you have HDFC Regalia, calculate total cost including 5X rewards
4. Check Cleartrip — especially for Europe and USA routes or if you have Axis Magnus
5. Use FaresIQ — get the real-time recommendation for your specific route and credit card

Real Example — Delhi to Dubai on All Platforms

For an HDFC Regalia holder, MakeMyTrip wins even though it has a convenience fee — because the 5X rewards outweigh the fee significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions