Bengaluru Intl Airport (BLR) Flights & Information

Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR) is the gateway to India’s Silicon Valley and Garden City. BLR is the third-busiest airport in India, handling large numbers of passengers and cargo. It recently achieved the milestone of connecting passengers to 100 destinations worldwide.

BLR operates round-the-clock with no night curfew. It handles over 700 aircraft movements daily during peak months, facilitated by its 2 parallel runways and 2 centrally located terminals. Its state-of-the-art facilities cater to approximately 37 million passengers annually. Next time you are flying to Bengaluru, this expert tip guide will help you to navigate your way in and out of BLR.

Arriving at the airport

Bengaluru Airport has 2 terminals. Terminal 1 (T1), which is dedicated to domestic flights, is undergoing refurbishment. As a result, most flights currently operate out of Terminal 2 (T2), which gets busier during peak hours. It typically takes no more than 20 to 30 minutes to clear immigration on arrival, but this can extend to an hour or more if there are multiple international arrivals – usually at night.

BLR has 34 immigration counters for arriving passengers and 6 e-gates to speed up the process. Additionally, there are 20 visa-on-arrival kiosks. These facilities are located on the ground floor of T2.

After clearing immigration and customs, collect your baggage from one of the 9 baggage claim belts. If you have connecting domestic flights from T1, BLR provides inter-terminal bus service. For connecting international flights, make sure to visit the check-in counters, drop your baggage, clear immigration and security and explore the terminal. Otherwise, you can swiftly exit the airport and head to your final destination.

Getting to and from BLR by public transportation

Bengaluru is infamous for its busy roads – follow these recommendations if you don’t want to get stuck in that hours-long city traffic. BLR offers a wide range of public transportation options. The airport is well connected by 24-hour, government-run and air-conditioned Volvo buses and the Vayu Vajra shuttle bus. Local buses are also available, but they are crowded with local people. It’s better to avoid these and opt for the Vayu Vajra shuttle bus.

If you want to explore other cities, BLR also has an inter-city bus called Flybus Airport Transfer, which I like to use to visit cities like Mysore.

Getting to and from BLR by car

The safest and most convenient way to reach your final destination, especially if it's near the airport, is by booking a cab or private car. Like any other major airport in India, BLR offers app-based rideshare services like Uber and Ola. Apart from these, there are many car rentals available if you’re looking forward to visiting tourist destinations near the city. Carzonrent and WTi rentals are quite popular in the area.

Ola and Uber are better options over local transport and private cabs as they are easy to book, transparent and affordable – local taxis are not always a great option as they may overcharge non-locals. Be aware that these services may charge an extra toll for pick-ups inside the airport, but the fee is minimal. For female travelers, there's the option of booking a Pink Taxi with a guaranteed female driver.

BLR offers parking facilities for up to 2,000 vehicles, but it's pretty expensive and it's better to take a ride to and from the airport. BLR is India’s first solar-powered airport and it offers charging stations for electric vehicles.

Security checkpoint and check-in

Real-time waiting times for the security checkpoint is available on the BLR website so you can get a sense of current activity. It also estimates how long it will take to reach your gate based on the airline you are traveling with. On average, it takes 30 to 40 minutes to get to your departure gate.

Security checks are situated on the first floor of T2 and are common for all international and domestic passengers. T2 has 17 security lanes, all equipped with advanced 3D scanners for better processing of the airport’s heavy traffic.

There are 95 check-in counters on the third floor of T2. BLR has self-service check-in kiosks where you can print boarding passes and baggage tags yourself to skip the in-person check-in entirely. Additionally, there are more than 30 self-baggage drops systems allowing passengers to scan their boarding passes and drop off their baggage without assistance.

I’ve noticed that few passengers use this system, opting to stand in long lines instead. Those lines can take up to an hour, but I save a lot of time using the self-service kiosks and can enjoy plane spotting and exploring the rest of the terminal instead.

Wi-Fi service

Bengaluru Airport provides free and unlimited Wi-Fi for up to 2 hours. It’s actually advertised as 45 minutes of free Wi-Fi, after which you have to pay for Wi-Fi vouchers, but here’s a hot tip: Download the BLR Pulse or BLR Airport app available for both Apple and Android. After logging in, you can get 2 hours of free Wi-Fi.

There are also kiosks where passengers with passports can connect to high-speed 5G Wi-Fi.

BLR Wi-Fi is faster than many other major airports in India, allowing you to stream videos and movies in HD quality. I also get excellent speed when using my phone’s 5G network. Overall, I give full marks to BLR for providing great connectivity.

Garden terminal

BLR has transformed Terminal 2 into what it labels a “biodiversity hotspot terminal.” It now features a 4-acre forest belt surrounding the terminal and hosts over 2,000 species of Indian flora. This forest belt includes trees reaching heights of over 30 feet and international passengers can now experience a unique forest canopy walk via a newly completed bridge.

BLR biodiversity includes trees that are 600 to 800 years old with more than 180 rare, endangered and threatened species. The terminal ecosystem also includes around 1,200 tree species, showcasing the airport's interest in preservation. The design of T2 features nearly 575 miles of bamboo cladding, enhancing its garden-like atmosphere. The ceiling hosts 150,000 live plants of various species.

Green walls also line the corridors between the check-in counters and security gates, containing approximately 450,000 more live plants. In total, T2 houses more than 600,000 live plants, creating a memorable garden experience for passengers throughout the terminal interior.

Lounges at BLR

Bengaluru Airport has several lounges. Both terminals are home to 080 Lounges (free access with Priority Pass) and an additional CBB Arrivals Lounge is available for a post-flight fresh-up, or for guests waiting to pick you up (free access with Dragon Pass). These can be booked for fees, too.

I tried the domestic 080 Lounge when I was flying to Mumbai and it was a pretty cool experience. The menu is curated by celebrity chef Ranveer Brar, and I enjoyed the food. There are also multiple specially designed zones for relaxation.

Plaza Premium lounges are also available in both terminals, and Air India operates a dedicated lounge in Terminal 2. This is the only lounge that can’t be entered with a walk-up day pass.

Some smaller lounges can book up quickly and you’ll have wait in long lines to enter. I’ve personally experienced this and it can be frustrating, but booking a reservation in advance can eliminate this concern.

Shopping at BLR

BLR offers a diverse array of shopping options. If you’re traveling internationally, make sure to visit Rare Planet, which specializes in unique items made by local artisans, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of India. And don’t overlook the extensive duty-free shopping experience, either. It features hundreds of brands, offering everything from essential travel items to luxury goods, including fragrances, gourmet foods and alcohol.

Bengaluru is renowned for its filter coffee, a staple of local culture. You can find high-quality coffee products at various shops within the airport. One of my favorites is Hatti Kappi, which is well-known for serving some of the best filter coffee in the region. Grabbing a cup from Hatti Kappi is a perfect way to experience a last bit of local favorite before your flight.