All major international airlines fly to India, usually as stop-overs on air routes between the East and West. Air India is India’s international carrier. North American and European airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM/Northwest, Air France, and Swiss have regular flights to either some or all of India’s four major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. There are also numerous connections to the Far East and Australia, offered by Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. Flights to destinations in the Gulf and Central Asia are offered by Emirates, Air Lanka and Gulf Air.

Austrian Airlines and Virgin Atlantic currently fly to Delhi and Mumbai, though they plan to introduce flights to other Indian cities in the near future. Delta, South African Airways and Kenya Airlines fly only to Mumbai. Lufthansa flies to Bangalore, while Emirates flies to Hyderabad; and Malaysian Airlines flies to both these cities. In addition, Air Lanka also flies to Thiruvanathapuram and Tiruchirapalli.

India’s four main international airports are at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Other international airports offering flights to select destinations are at Hyderabad (Kuwait, Muscat, Sharjah and Kuala Lumpur), Bangalore (Muscat, Sharjah, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, London, Frankfurt and a few flights via Mumbai to Paris, the Gulf and New York), Goa (UK and Germany), Ahmedabad (UK and the US), Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (the Gulf, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Maldives). A limited number of international flights also operate from Kozhikode, Amritsar, Varanasi, Lucknow, Guwahati, Tiruchirapalli, Jaipur and Agra. These are designated “customs airports” and permit landing of charter planes as well as certain international flights.

Air fares vary according to the airline and the season. It is best to book tickets well in advance of the peak season (October–March). At this time of year flights to India are overbooked, as apart from tourists, Indian families settled abroad and students at universities abroad, make their annual visit home.

Before landing, visitors must fill in a disembarkation form that has to be submitted along with their passport at the immigration counter.

International airports offer a range of facilities that include currency exchange counters, left-luggage services, air-conditioned visitors’ lounges, duty-free shops, restaurants, business centres and rest rooms with access for the disabled. In addition, there are counters for pre-paid taxis, car rentals and mobile phone rentals. Travel agencies located within the arrival area can help with tour itineraries, hotel reservations and onward bookings. There is also a Tourism Department information counter.

The green channel is for those who do not have dutiable goods as listed in the Immigration Certificate. The Red Channel is for passengers with any goods that are liable to customs duty, including money in excess of US$2,500.

Coaches connect the airport with the city for a fee. Pre-paid taxis with fixed rates can be booked from counters outside the arrivals area. Metered auto-rickshaws are also available. Make sure you agree on the fare before taking one, and ask an airport policeman to note down its licence plate number. If you have booked accommodation, check if your hotel offers a free pick-up service.

Visitors who are travelling onwards to other Indian cities will need to transfer to domestic terminals. Be sure to allow enough time to get between the two terminals. At all major aiports there is a free transit service from one terminal to the other. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi (IG) International Airport has two terminals: Terminal I (for domestic flights) is 7 km (4 miles) from Terminal II (the international terminal). In Mumbai, the international terminal at Sahar is 4 km (2.5 miles) from the domestic terminal. Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, has both the international and domestic terminals in the same building. Chennai’s Aringar Anna International Airport is next door to the Kamaraj Domestic Airport. In Thiruvananthapuram, both domestic and international flights operate from the same building.

For international flights, check-in is usually three hours ahead of departure. Tele-check-in is allowed by some airlines for business and first class passengers. Most airlines allow an economy-class passenger 20 kg (44 pounds) in the hold and one item of hand baggage. Make sure that your luggage is within the weight limit set by your airline, as excess baggage charges can be very high.

A foreign travel tax of Rs500–750 (US$10–15) has to be paid when leaving India, unless already included in your ticket. Only Rs150 (US$3) needs to be paid if travelling to neighbouring countries, such as Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka.