MakeMyTrip Pivots to Buses and Trains as India's Flight Bookings Dip

India's online travel leader MakeMyTrip is shifting its focus away from flights and hotels and toward the country's vast, still largely offline bus and train networks. The move comes as air travel demand softens, prompting the company to tap into a segment that moves millions of Indians daily but remains under-digitized. CEO Rajesh Magow sees this as a major growth opportunity, with the company integrating bus and train bookings more deeply into its platform. The strategy aims to capture first-time digital bookers in smaller cities and towns, where rail and road dominate. By expanding beyond flights, MakeMyTrip is positioning itself to become a one-stop shop for all travel in India. The company's recent quarterly results showed a dip in air ticketing revenue, but a rise in non-air segments, validating the pivot. With India's middle class expanding and smartphone penetration growing, the race to digitize ground transport is heating up. MakeMyTrip's early move could give it a lasting edge over rivals like Cleartrip and EaseMyTrip, which are also eyeing the space. The next few quarters will reveal whether this bet on buses and trains pays off.