Airports in India

Mumbai Airport, or Chhatrapati Shivaji International (BOM), is located approximately 17 miles (28 km) north of Central Mumbai. It is the city’s main airport and South Asia’s second-busiest airport, serving around 29 million passengers in 2010-2011.

Spread over two suburban areas, namely Santa Cruz and Sahar, Chhatrapati Shivaji International consists of two main terminals and an additional five sub-terminals. Terminal 1, which is reserved for domestic flights, is located on the Santa Cruz side, while Terminal 2 handles international flights and is situated on the Sahar side. Both terminals are separated on the landslide – thus requiring a 15-20 minute transfer between them – but they share the same airside facilities.  

Chhatrapati Shivaji International can get hectic at times; however, the completion of a number of renovations in the near future, including the merging of the airport’s two terminals, should see operations smoothing out across the board. For the time-being, expect long queues and a dash of organized chaos, both of which may be compensated for with a duty-free shopping spree or a tasty meal and drinks at one of Chhatrapati Shivaji International’s eateries.   

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is just 10 miles (16km) outside of New Delhi. The airport opened the dazzling new Terminal 3, which handles all international flights, in 2010, but there are also a number of other terminals still in use at the airport. Passengers who used the airport prior to the opening of Terminal 3 might remember a dank and dirty affair with little to offer travelers, but all this  changed when the airport was privatized and revamped.

New Delhi’s airport is well connected to cities across the world and serviced by a large number of international and national carriers. There are also quite a few low-cost carriers in residence and it's a hub for ten Indian carriers including Jet Airways, Kingfisher and Air India.

Indira Gandhi International Airport is a natural gateway to northern India. As one of the largest and busiest airports on the Indian subcontinent, it's a great introduction to a country full of delights, adventures and surprises.

Airport staff are friendly and always willing to assist passengers or dispense the best bargain-hunting advice for the markets of New Delhi. It has loads of facilities and shopping opportunities, and its clean interior offers an ordered, calm introduction or conclusion to a trip to New Delhi. However, if you do have to spend a lot of time at the airport, make sure you spend it in the modern Terminal 3.