Changing planes in Delhi and Mumbai: international to domestic

Why so many trips change planes in India

Most UK flights to India land in Delhi or Mumbai. If your family is in Amritsar, Rajkot, Patna, Jaipur or a hundred other places, the last part of the journey is a domestic flight. Done well, this is simple. Done badly, with a short gap and two separate tickets, it is the most stressful part of the trip.

The key thing to understand is that your first Indian airport is where you enter the country. That is where you go through immigration and customs, whatever your final destination.

What happens when you land

On arrival from the UK you follow the signs for immigration, show your passport with your visa or OCI card, and have your e-Arrival confirmation ready. After immigration you normally collect your checked bags from the belt and take them through customs, even if they were labelled through to your final city.

After customs, look for the domestic transfer desk if your next flight leaves from the same terminal. There you drop your bags again and go through security for the domestic flight. If your domestic flight leaves from a different terminal, you leave the international terminal and travel across.

• Immigration with your passport and visa or OCI card.
• Collect your bags, unless your airline tells you otherwise.
• Customs, then the domestic transfer desk or the exit.
• Security and the domestic departure gate.

Our tip: Before you land, check your onward boarding pass for the terminal. It decides whether you stay inside or move across the airport.

Connecting in Delhi

International flights from the UK arrive at Terminal 3 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Domestic flights leave from Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and which one you need depends on the airline and sometimes on the flight number. Delhi has moved airlines between terminals several times recently, so always check the terminal on your ticket close to the day.

If your domestic flight is also from Terminal 3, the transfer is the easiest kind, using the domestic transfer area. If it leaves from Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, you exit Terminal 3 and take the airport’s free shuttle bus. The drive itself is short, but with queues it is sensible to allow at least three to four hours in total.

Connecting in Mumbai

At Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, international flights use Terminal 2. Terminal 1 has closed for rebuilding, and its domestic flights have moved to Terminal 2, which makes many connections simpler because you stay in the same building.

There is a bigger change to watch for. Mumbai now has a second airport, Navi Mumbai International Airport, and some international and domestic flights have moved there. The two airports are a long drive apart, so check the airport code on every flight. Mumbai’s main airport is BOM and Navi Mumbai is NMI. A connection between them needs many hours and is best avoided.

How much time to allow

These are the minimum gaps we are comfortable with. Airlines may sell shorter connections, but they leave little room for a late arrival or a long immigration queue.

If your first flight is late

Delays happen, especially in winter fog in Delhi, which can hold up flights for hours between December and February. On one ticket, go straight to the airline’s transfer or service desk once you have cleared customs. The airline will move you to a later domestic flight, usually at no cost.

On separate tickets, call the domestic airline as soon as you know you will miss the flight, and ask what it can offer. Keep your boarding passes and any delay notice, because your travel insurance may help with the cost of a new ticket. If you booked with us, call our office and we will work on it with you.

Whichever way you booked, let the family meeting you know as soon as you can. Many relatives drive a long way to the airport, and a quick message saves them a long wait.

One ticket or two

With both flights on one ticket, the airlines are responsible for getting you to your final destination. If the London flight is late and you miss the domestic one, they rebook you. Your baggage allowance usually stays at the international level for the whole trip too.

With two separate tickets, the domestic airline does not have to wait or rebook you for free. You may also pay for extra baggage, because domestic allowances are often lower. Our baggage guide explains why. Separate tickets can sometimes save money, but only with a long gap.

Travelling with elderly parents

A long overnight flight followed by immigration, bags and a terminal change is hard work for older travellers. Ask for wheelchair assistance on every flight when you book. The help covers the walk to immigration, the bags and the transfer, and staff know the quickest routes.

We can also choose a route that avoids a change in India altogether, for example a Gulf airline that flies to your final city, or the non-stop from Gatwick to Ahmedabad for Gujarat. See our page on assisted travel for elderly passengers.

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