As India’s travel market becomes more sophisticated, travellers are no longer looking just for hotels or flight deals. Instead, they are seeking well-organised, meaningful holidays that match their pace, interests, and comfort.
In the space of tour packages, three major players stand out: Thrillophilia, MakeMyTrip (MMT), and Thomas Cook India. Each has carved out its own niche, shaped by its business model, audience, and historical focus.
This article takes a closer look at how they compare, not to declare a winner, but to help travellers understand the differences and what type of experience each is best suited for.
Platform Orientation and Business Models
Each brand approaches travel from a different angle:
- Thrillophilia operates as an experience-led platform, focusing mainly on curated travel packages. Its model is built around personalised itineraries as per the travellers’ preference, and working closely with local partners to deliver flexible and experience-rich travel.
- MakeMyTrip is designed as a large-scale booking aggregator, offering everything from flights to hotels, activities, and some holiday packages. It caters well to travellers who prefer to self-navigate through booking options.
- Thomas Cook is a legacy tour operator, with a strong offline footprint, a history in international escorted tours, and bundled holiday packages—especially popular among families and NRIs.
Domestic Destination Coverage
India is a large and diverse country, so the number and variety of destinations a platform can cover matter a lot when choosing where to book a trip.
- MakeMyTrip offers wide coverage for hotel and transport booking, and basic itineraries for popular tourist circuits.
- Thomas Cook tends to emphasise international tours, though it offers domestic trips in popular tourist corridors.
- Thrillophilia has invested in building deep access across 200+ Indian travel destinations, including offbeat and less-travelled regions—from Spiti to Dzukou Valley in Nagaland to the interiors of Andaman. These are backed by ground-level partners, not just listings.
Travellers going to the popular tourist destinations may find all three platforms suitable. But for those heading into niche regions or seeking local immersion, the availability and depth of support may vary. Flexible itineraries and local support like those offered by Thrillophilia can make it easier to plan such offbeat holidays.
Trip Structure and Customisation
A key difference lies in how trips are built and delivered:
- Thomas Cook follows a traditional, fixed-itinerary approach with limited personalisation. It’s structured and reliable, but less flexible.
- MakeMyTrip’s packages tend to be pre-bundled and static—great for convenience, but not easily adaptable to pace, interests, or special requests.
- Thrillophilia, in contrast, designs each itinerary with room for personal preferences—be it the type of stay, food options (Jain/veg/non-veg), activity intensity, or time allocation. This is handled through dedicated trip planners and a modular backend system.
For travellers looking for more than a checklist tour, this flexibility can significantly affect the experience.
Booking Experience and Transparency
- Thrillophilia offers real-time pricing, detailed day-wise itineraries, and upfront exclusions with the help of its inbuilt AI systems and human support, thereby increasing clarity and reducing post-booking ambiguity.
- MakeMyTrip offers one of the most seamless booking interfaces for hotels and flights, but trip-level information can sometimes be limited to a summary of inclusions.
- Thomas Cook often uses a “call to book” or agent-led process, which may suit those who prefer a consultative approach but can be less transparent online.
Transparency matters more as trips get longer and more complex. Platforms that clearly define what’s included often reduce traveller anxiety.
Support System During Travel
Support structure plays a crucial role in tour packages, especially in unfamiliar or logistically tricky regions.
- Thomas Cook provides offline tour managers or point contacts, particularly for escorted group tours.
- MakeMyTrip offers strong support for flight and hotel bookings, but tour-related assistance often depends on the third-party operator.
- Thrillophilia runs a 24×7 remote support system, coordinated with ground partners. From itinerary changes to weather disruptions, travellers can escalate issues through chat, calls, or email, especially important in remote areas.
The support design of each brand reflects its operating model. Those looking for real-time help during custom itineraries may find more responsiveness from platforms like Thrillophilia.
Understanding the Ideal User for Each Platform
All the travel platforms organically appeal to different types of travellers:
- MakeMyTrip caters well to independent travellers, weekenders, and business-leisure users looking for quick bookings.
- Thrillophilia tends to attract travellers who are experience-oriented—couples, small groups, solo adventurers, or families exploring India’s less-travelled regions. It also caters to specific needs like dietary requests, slow-paced itineraries, or interest-based add-ons.
- Thomas Cook is trusted by families, senior citizens, and those planning international escorted tours.
This divergence doesn’t reflect a hierarchy, but rather a difference in how the platforms are used.
Trust and Credibility
- MakeMyTrip has established strong brand recognition in the online booking space, especially for hotels and flights.
- Thomas Cook brings institutional trust with decades of legacy and a known physical presence.
- Thrillophilia, the new age travel brand that has made a significant impact on the global travel sector, built its brand trust through community feedback. With over 250,000 verified traveller reviews and a base of 5+ million users, the brand is expanding exponentially.
Credibility today often comes not just from age, but from visibility into real experiences—an area where digital-first platforms have evolved faster.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your Travel Goals
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to multi-day travel. The best platform for a traveller depends on what they value most.
- For travellers who seek end-to-end coordination, flexibility, and local immersion—whether it’s food preferences, offbeat detours, or slower travel pacing—Thrillophilia offers a different level of experience in how trips are planned and experienced.
- For a quick, metro-to-metro holiday with bundled flights and hotels, MakeMyTrip offers speed and convenience.
- For traditional, escorted tours with minimal planning needs, especially overseas, Thomas Cook remains a dependable name.
As traveller needs shift toward more thoughtful, personalised journeys, platforms that are able to adapt to those expectations—without overcomplicating the process—are likely to shape the future of the holiday packages segment.
Want more travel insights? Explore our guides on best budget travel hacks or hidden gems in India to plan your next trip like a pro!
