Delhi, Sept. 21 -- Airfares and last-minute bookings from India to the US spiked this week amid confusion over who the new $100,000 fee on H-1B employment visas applies to.

US President Donald Trump announced that all H-1B visa applications will require the fee starting 21 September. Soon after, American companies like Microsoft and immigration attorneys advised H-1B visa holders to return to the US before midnight on September 21 or risk being stranded. That triggered a scramble for flights to the US among those visiting home at the beginning of the festive season.

There has been a notable increase in last-minute bookings to the US since Saturday morning, said a spokesperson of MakeMyTrip, India's largest online travel aggregator. This...