For the past two years, India's festive shopping season has opened in the last week of September. In 2024, Amazon and Flipkart both started on September 27. In 2025, both opened on September 23. This year, the calendar has moved, and so have the sales.
Flipkart confirmed its dates first, in mid-September. Amazon followed on September 21. The result is a one-day gap: Amazon's Great Indian Festival opens to all shoppers on October 8, the same day Flipkart's paid and card members get early access, and Flipkart's Big Billion Days opens for everyone on October 9.
For anyone planning a big purchase such as a phone, TV, laptop or large appliance, October 8 is now the day to watch. Here is what both companies have confirmed so far, what is still unknown, and how to prepare.
Sale Dates at a Glance
| Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026 | Flipkart Big Billion Days 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale opens | October 8, 2026 | October 9, 2026 (general) |
| Early access | Not announced separately | October 8, 24 hours, for Plus, VIP/Black members and Flipkart cardholders |
| Bank partner | SBI credit and debit cards, including EMI: 10% instant discount | Axis Bank and ICICI Bank cards: up to 10% instant discount |
| Member benefit | Prime: up to 10% extra savings on select purchases | Early access for Plus, VIP/Black and Flipkart cardholders |
| Other payment perks | No Cost EMI, exchange offers | Cashback via Flipkart Axis Bank credit card, super.money and Paytm |
| End date | Not yet announced | Not yet announced |
Why the Sales Are Later This Year
The festive sales are timed to finish before Diwali, when most gifting and big-ticket spending takes place. In 2026, Diwali falls on November 8, roughly three weeks later than in 2025. Navratri and Dussehra move with it. Opening the sales in early October gives both platforms a month of shopping before Diwali, the same gap they had in earlier years.
It also means the sales now overlap with another change. From October 15, a new merchant fee applies to some UPI payments above â‚ą2,000. Customers pay nothing extra under that framework. We explain it in our UPI MDR 2026 guide.
Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026: What Is Confirmed
Amazon India announced the date on September 21. Here is what it has confirmed:
- SBI offer: a 10% instant discount on SBI credit and debit cards, including EMI transactions. Minimum order values and caps will be listed in the offer terms.
- Prime savings: Prime members can get up to 10% extra off select purchases. Amazon has not said which products qualify, so do not assume this adds on top of the SBI discount for every item.
- Deal formats: Blockbuster Deals, Top 100 Deals, Mega Deals and 8 PM Deals, along with Buy More Save More, Exchange Mela, No Cost EMI and Sample Mania.
- Categories: smartphones, electronics, TVs, home appliances, fashion, beauty, kitchen and daily essentials, with new product launches planned during the sale.
Amazon also shared figures about its preparations. It has created more than 1.6 lakh seasonal jobs in about 400 cities. It has added 20 fulfilment centres, six sort centres and 150 delivery stations, and says its seller base is now over 20 lakh, with more than 3 lakh added in the past year. Same-day delivery covers over 10 lakh products and next-day delivery covers over 40 lakh. Its quick-commerce service, Amazon Now, runs in more than 60 cities, and Amazon says it will reach 100 cities before Diwali.
Flipkart Big Billion Days 2026: What Is Confirmed
Flipkart confirmed its dates in mid-September, putting them on its homepage first and then launching an ad campaign called "Luck Badal Sakta Hai, Yahan Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai". The ad features Rohit Sharma, Jackie Shroff, Sreeleela, Samay Raina and Aneet Padda.
- Early access: 24 hours starting October 8 for Flipkart Plus, VIP/Black members and Flipkart cardholders.
- Bank offers: up to 10% instant discount on Axis Bank and ICICI Bank debit and credit cards, plus cashback through the Flipkart Axis Bank credit card, super.money and Paytm.
- Sponsors: Samsung Galaxy and Intel Core Ultra are the main sponsors. Acer, JBL, Aristocrat and TCL are associate partners.
- Deal formats: Price Crash, BBD Specials, Tick Tock Deals, Brand Hours, Rush Hours and Double Discounts.
Flipkart has not given an end date. Recent editions ran for about six to eight days. If that pattern holds, the sale could close around October 15–16, but treat that as an estimate until Flipkart confirms it.
Which Card Should You Keep Ready?
This year the two platforms have picked different banks, so the card in your wallet may decide where you buy.
Have an Axis or ICICI card? Flipkart's bank offer applies. The Flipkart Axis Bank credit card also carries its own cashback.
Have both, or neither? Compare the final checkout price on both apps. Exchange bonuses and No Cost EMI can be worth more than a bank discount on mid-range phones.
Bank discounts in these sales almost always come with a maximum discount per card and a minimum order value. A "10% off" offer on a â‚ą1.2 lakh phone rarely means â‚ą12,000 off. Check the cap in the offer terms before you plan around it.
How to Prepare Before October 8
- Make a short list. Write down the exact model, storage and colour you want. Sale-day stock sells out fast, especially for popular variants.
- Note today's price. Save the current price of each item on both apps so you can tell whether a sale price is a real drop or just a new "MRP" with a bigger discount badge.
- Add items to your wishlist or cart on both apps. This makes it quicker to compare once deals go live.
- Sort out payments now. Save your card, check its limit, and confirm your address and pin code are correct. A new co-branded credit card can take two to four weeks to arrive, so it may not reach you in time for early access.
- Check membership status. Flipkart's October 8 early access is limited to Plus, VIP/Black and Flipkart cardholders. On Amazon, Prime savings apply only to active Prime members.
- Read the exchange terms. Exchange value depends on your old device's model and condition, which are checked at delivery. The value quoted online can change if the device fails that check.
Offers Do Not Always Stack
A sale banner can show a bank discount, a coupon, an exchange bonus, No Cost EMI and a member discount side by side. That does not mean you get all of them on the same product. Some offers cancel each other out, and No Cost EMI is often built into the price instead of being an extra saving. The only number that matters is the final amount at checkout, after every offer you actually qualify for has been applied.
What We Still Don't Know
- End dates for both sales.
- Product-level sale prices, including for recent launches such as the iPhone 18 series (see our Apple event 2026 India pricing guide).
- Maximum discounts and minimum order values for the SBI, Axis and ICICI offers.
- Whether Amazon will add a separate early-access window for Prime members.
These details usually appear in the week before a sale opens. We will update this page when they are confirmed.
If you shopped Amazon's July sale, our Prime Day 2026 India coverage gives a sense of how Amazon structured its deals earlier this year.
Sale dates, bank partners, deal formats, sponsors and logistics figures are from Amazon India's September 21, 2026 announcement and Flipkart's Big Billion Days 2026 announcement, as reported by FoneArena, Techgenyz and Zoutons. Past sale dates are from earlier editions. Product prices, offer caps and end dates had not been published at the time of writing and may change. Last verified: September 24, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026 start?
October 8, 2026. Amazon has not yet announced when it ends.
When does Flipkart Big Billion Days 2026 start?
The sale opens to everyone on October 9, 2026. Flipkart Plus, VIP/Black members and Flipkart cardholders get 24-hour early access from October 8.
Which bank cards get a discount in the Amazon sale?
SBI credit and debit cards get a 10% instant discount, including on EMI transactions. Caps and minimum order values will be in the offer terms.
Which bank cards get a discount in the Flipkart sale?
Axis Bank and ICICI Bank debit and credit cards get up to 10% instant discount. The Flipkart Axis Bank credit card, super.money and Paytm also offer cashback.
Why are the sales in October this year instead of September?
Diwali falls on November 8, 2026, about three weeks later than in 2025. The sales have moved later to keep roughly a month of shopping before Diwali.
Do Prime members get extra discounts?
Amazon says Prime members can get up to 10% extra savings on select purchases. It has not listed which products qualify.
Can I combine the bank discount with an exchange offer?
Often, but not always. Offer terms differ by product. Compare the final checkout price instead of adding up every advertised discount.