Country guide
Flights to India
A long flight, a very large country, and a season that decides everything
India is one of the longest flights American travellers regularly take, and almost all itineraries arrive in the small hours. Planning the first night properly matters more here than on most trips, because you will land tired at a time when little is open.
The country is also far too large to treat as one destination. A first trip usually picks one region and does it well, and the most common mistake is an itinerary that spends its days in airports and on trains rather than anywhere in particular.
Cities we have guides for
Where to go beyond the obvious
The Golden Triangle
Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, the standard first trip, connected by road and rail over a week or so. Manageable and genuinely worthwhile, though heavily travelled.
Rajasthan
Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer beyond Jaipur. A week or more, mostly by road, and the desert climate makes the season choice even more important than elsewhere.
Kerala and the south
A completely different India — greener, calmer and with its own cuisine and languages. The backwaters and the hill stations need a domestic flight from the north.
Mumbai and the west
The commercial capital, with its own international airport and good onward links to Goa and the Deccan. A different pace from Delhi entirely.
When to go
October to March is the main visitor season across most of the country, with comfortable temperatures in the north and the south both viable.
April to June is extremely hot in the north, frequently above 40°C, which makes sightseeing on foot genuinely difficult. The monsoon then runs from roughly June to September, arriving at different times in different regions.
Air quality in Delhi and much of the north is at its worst from November to January, often reaching hazardous levels. Travellers with respiratory or cardiac conditions should weigh this carefully when choosing dates.
Getting around
Domestic flights are cheap and frequent and are the practical way to cover long distances. The catch is that international and domestic terminals are often not connected airside.
Trains are an experience in themselves and good for shorter hops, but booking systems are complex and popular routes sell out well ahead.
Hiring a car with a driver is normal, affordable and considerably less stressful than driving yourself, particularly in Rajasthan.
The basics
- Currency
- Indian rupee (INR)
- Language
- Hindi, English and many regional languages; English is widely used for business
- Time zone
- IST, UTC+5:30, with no daylight saving
- Power
- Types C, D and M, 230V
- Driving
- On the left; hiring a driver is the norm for visitors
- Entry for US passports
- A visa is required, with an e-Visa available for many trip types. Apply well ahead and confirm current requirements with Indian immigration.
Before you book
Book the first night from your departure date
Landing at 02:00 means the room must be reserved from the previous calendar day. This is the most common and most miserable booking error on India itineraries.
Domestic connections are not airside
At Delhi and several other airports, international and domestic terminals are separate. An onward flight on a separate ticket means clearing immigration, collecting bags and transferring. Allow hours.
Pick one region for a first trip
The country is the size of a continent. The Golden Triangle, Rajasthan or Kerala are each a full trip; combining two means a lot of flying.
Check the visa requirement early
Categories and processing times change, and this is not something to leave until the month before. Apply well ahead of your dates.
Routes to India
Flight times are non-stop estimates from great-circle distance. Actual schedules and whether a non-stop exists on your dates come from a live search.
Airport guides
FAQ
Flights to India — common questions
If yours isn't here, just call — we're happy to explain.
When is the best time to visit India?
October to March for most of the country, when temperatures are comfortable and the monsoon has passed. The complication in the north is air quality, which is at its worst from November to January and regularly reaches hazardous levels in Delhi. Late February and March are often the sweet spot: still pleasant, with the worst of the winter air behind.
Do I need a visa for India?
Yes. US passport holders need a visa, and an e-Visa is available for many categories of travel. Requirements, categories and processing times change, so apply well in advance and confirm the current position directly with Indian immigration rather than relying on any third-party summary.
How much time do I need for a connection in India?
Much more than the published minimum if you are connecting from an international arrival to a domestic flight. At Delhi and several other airports the terminals are not connected airside, so you must clear immigration, collect your bags and transfer by road or shuttle. Treat that as a matter of hours, and avoid booking it on separate tickets.
Still have a question? We're happy to explain — just call.
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