Other Asian, Australian and South Pacific Frequent Flyer Programs - Delhi in February...

Well, now that AA is flying in and out of Delhi from the US, i am going to give it a try...my real destination is Kolkata...i have heard that in Jan/Feb the fog in Delhi results in a lot of canceled morning flights...

My travel date would be on Feb 19 and the flight from DEL-CCU would be at 7:25 AM (Kingfisher) or 9:20 AM (Jet)...so two questions...

1. What is the likelihood that either of these flights will be able to take off (or not) because of the fog...does the time difference of two hours make a difference

2. Jet Business class is $750 and coach is $472...Kingfisher is $479 for their one class...is the Kingfisher class comparable to between business and coach on Jet and is it comfortable?

Any assistance that can be given will be appreciated....

Also, any recommendations of high end hotels besides Taj and Oberoi in Delhi would be greatly appreciated (off topic but i appreciate the help!)...

THANKS IN ADVANCE...

Fog has been less of an issue these past few weeks than in previous years. Pretty good year in that regard. That said, DEL has faced record cold weather unmatched in 70 years. Fortunately things are warming up as of more recently.

Feb 19th is beyond peak fog periods for DEL, so I would not much worry about that.

For DEL hotels, the Taj (Mansingh Rd) Hotel has become a wee bit more popular as of late.

Which hotel to use in DEL depends on what you want.

If you want something spanking new -- basically -- there is the Shangri-La hotel in DEL. :D

I'd take Jet's coach for DEL-CCU. The business fare I don't find useful unless having extra luggage or really needing the leg room and a somewhat wider seat. I also find Kingfisher's 7ish flight to require me to get up a wee bit earlier and rush to the airport, so I'd take the c. 9 a.m. on 9w unless you are in a rush to get to CCU a few hours earlier.

I've flown Jet several times and Kingfisher once. I was much happier on the Kingfisher flight though I only fly Jet in economy.

If you want a very special hotel experience and are less concerned with sightseeing in Delhi then try the Trident Hilton. I've stayed at the Taj Palace, the Sheraton and the Hyatt Regency and been quite happy with them. The Intercontinental was also fine but a bit far from where I have business and the airport.

I like the Trident Hilton in Gurgaon too, but as said well by yosithezet it doesn't work well for DEL-proper sightseeing.

If I had an INTL-DOM DEL connection with night arrival and morning departure, the Radisson may also make sense, as it helps to minimize headaches related to driving/traffic/time.

One slight upside of the 7 a.m. Kingfisher flight is that the DEL roads will not be busy between 4.45 and 5.30 a.m. :D As you get closer to 9 or 10 a.m., traffic mushrooms.

One slight upside of the 7 a.m. Kingfisher flight is that the DEL roads will not be busy between 4.45 and 5.30 a.m. :D As you get closer to 9 or 10 a.m., traffic mushrooms.

THANKS TO ALL for the responses...we have decided to try Kingfisher (as it seems the fog won't affect us and as we have heard that it also is similar to Jet Blue in the US or Virgin in the UK in terms of being the "fun" alternative)...the flight is short, so a little more room in a "one class" seems the best option...and more economical too!

THANKS ALSO for the responses on hotels..we ARE arriving to Delhi at night and leaving to CCU in the early am so I will check out the Radisson...is this the closest "5*" to the airport? We won't sightsee so airport proximity is the most important thing...

The Radisson is the closest hotel to the airport that participates in mileage/point programs. The only "five-star" within 8-10-minutes (drive) of the airport. Everything else will be quite a lot further.

In the morning you will be going to the domestic airport -- not back to the international airport -- to catch the domestic/intra-India flight, so be aware of that.

2. Jet Business class is $750 and coach is $472...Kingfisher is $479 for their one class...is the Kingfisher class comparable to between business and coach on Jet and is it comfortable?..


The R/T DEL-CCU fares seem a little high to me.

Question(s):
Is that because they were purchased outside India?
Aren't tickets purchased in India for these routes around $200 or so for Economy class DEL-CCU R/T ?

Aren't tickets purchased in India for these routes around $200 or so for Economy class DEL-CCU R/T ?There are low excursion fares for Indian residents. These fares carry more restrictions and a 20kg luggage allowance (there is no luggage hassle when transferring on a single itinerary).

The OP is probably not a resident whether or not he/she is of Indian origin. Of course, anyone who can pass for Indian when checking in can get the resident price even from abroad (by accessing the Jet Airways rupee booking page, or by contacting a travel agent in India by e-mail). But this option is useful only to a subset of Flyertalk users; these days, one can no longer assume that anyone who is going to India is probably of Indian ethnicity.

There are low excursion fares for Indian residents. These fares carry more restrictions and a 20kg luggage allowance (there is no luggage hassle when transferring on a single itinerary).

The OP is probably not a resident whether or not he/she is of Indian origin. Of course, anyone who can pass for Indian when checking in can get the resident price even from abroad (by accessing the Jet Airways rupee booking page, or by contacting a travel agent in India by e-mail). But this option is useful only to a subset of Flyertalk users; these days, one can no longer assume that anyone who is going to India is probably of Indian ethnicity.

That is right, from top to bottom. On my last trip -- a handful of days ago -- there seemed to be more people of non-Indian ethnicities than of Indian ethnicity in the "foreigner" line. That used to be rather rare.

Sometimes it used to be cheaper to do DEL-CCU via Nepal. But things may have changed.

The Radisson is the closest hotel to the airport that participates in mileage/point programs. The only "five-star" within 8-10-minutes (drive) of the airport. Everything else will be quite a lot further.

FYI, the Radisson is very busy in early Feb (week commencing 6-Feb) so I'd book soon. They are one of our corporate hotels but wanted US$500 per night for a room.

I don't know how busy they are around 19-Feb but I wouldn't want to pay US$500 for a room there! It is convenient for the airport though.

Thanks again for all the tips...I am a non-resident, not of Indian origin and I usually fly BA from LHR to CCU, trying out the new AA ORD-DEL route, and connecting to CCU in the early am...the rt DEL-CCU fare seemed VERY high to me too, which is why i asked the questions in the first place...glad to know i wasn't alone in my thinking...

Has anyone heard of/stayed in the Uppal's Orchid Hotel..it is supposedly 5* and close to the airport, and in addition an eco-hotel....also, GUWonder, is the domestic airport different than the international airport and if yes, which is the closest hotel to the domestic airport? Or are they just different terminals within the same airport? Coming in we aren't in a hurry in either direction (overnighting in DEL both ways) but we will be wanting to be sure not to miss the flight to CCU....

Sorry for my ignorance but as I said, i primarily travel to CCU and this in and out of DEL is confusing me...THANK YOU to all who have replied and any more advice is appreciated...FLYERTALK ROCKS!!

I like the Trident Hilton in Gurgaon too, but as said well by yosithezet it doesn't work well for DEL-proper sightseeing.

If I had an INTL-DOM DEL connection with night arrival and morning departure, the Radisson may also make sense, as it helps to minimize headaches related to driving/traffic/time.

How is the Radission? We drive past it quite often but haven't stayed there. How does it compare to the Hyatt, Taj Palace or Sheraton?

FYI, the Radisson is very busy in early Feb (week commencing 6-Feb) so I'd book soon. They are one of our corporate hotels but wanted US$500 per night for a room.

I don't know how busy they are around 19-Feb but I wouldn't want to pay US$500 for a room there! It is convenient for the airport though.

And I thought the $350/night I paid at the Sheraton and the $370 that the Trident Hilton wanted, both in November, was outrageous! :eek:


Has anyone heard of/stayed in the Uppal's Orchid Hotel..it is supposedly 5* and close to the airport, and in addition an eco-hotel

Never stayed there but it is part of the Leading/Luxury Hotels of the World (http://www.lhw.com) program.

How is the Radission? We drive past it quite often but haven't stayed there. How does it compare to the Hyatt, Taj Palace or Sheraton?

I'd not choose the Radisson over the Hyatt, Maurya Sheraton, Taj Mansingh or Taj Palace unless it was a situation such as this airport-airport night transfer, but that's more a location issue than anything else.

I'd say the Radisson is weaker service-wise than the Hyatt and Maurya Sheraton and Taj Palace. (Note: I am rather well remembered by the staffs at Hyatt, Maurya Sheraton and Taj Mansingh so that is something which may explain my experiences; and for some inexplicable reason I am routinely upgraded at the Taj Palace whenver put up there by the airlines during irregular operations.)

The Radisson's common areas have a fresher -- more modern -- look than the Hyatt, Maurya Sheraton or Taj Palace but are nothing special. (The common area has a less "Indian" feel to it.) The Radisson's club rooms are ok and on average more spacious; nothing spectacular but I'd say they are in the same league as most of the rooms (incl. club rooms) in the hotels mentioned above. It's in the other facilities -- restaurants, gmy, etc. -- that I find the Radisson to be a bit weaker.

I have found stays at the Radisson comfortable and convenient but I would only use it for airport-airport transfers (or maybe IF I had business equally distributed between Delhi proper and Gurgaon and/or wanted quick highway access.) Otherwise there are options that are better, just not so very near the airports.

is the domestic airport different than the international airport and if yes, which is the closest hotel to the domestic airport? Or are they just different terminals within the same airport?
There is a single set of runways, but the dom and int terminals are on opposite sides of the airport area. These two terminals have been named as if they were two different airports.

There are no good hotels closer to one airport than to another (the Centaur near the intl airport claims it is five-star, but avoid it like the plague). There are a few mid-priced hotels on the main road near where you branch off to the airport, and these are locatable by googling, but I haven't stayed at any of them.

If I were staying in Delhi for even a day, as you seem to be doing on the return, I would not stay anywhere near the airport but rather in or near the walled city so I could walk around and see the mosque and fort and eat at Karim's. But that's just me. I've never paid for a five-star hotel in Delhi, although I've stayed at the Maurya Sheraton when put up there due to fog...I don't see the point. You can wall yourself in with glass and marble and armed guards, but it's still India outside the window.

The following is NOT about the Radisson Hotel by the International Airport access road.

There's an "airport" hotel on the access road of the domestic airport itself --within walking distance to the domestic airport terminal if that were to strike someone's fancy. Some people do that and I've checked out the rooms. And the following is a description of this far more basic "airport hotel":

The rooms are clean but the size varies and the rooms are rather sparse and feel more like a guest house than anything. The bathrooms were clean and looked recently refurbished. Same with the rooms. There was AC and heat units on the wall but those could presumably be a bit noisy during the summer. The major issue -- at the "airport hotel" by the domestic airport of which I speak -- is that there are no elevators and going to the rooms can require going up and down a maze-like complex of stairs inside. This hotel will pick up customers from the international airport take them to the hotel and then drop them off at the domestic airport in the morning for free. The charges there are reasonable but if you don't want a closet go for one of the superior/deluxe rooms. I think the charges are below 60 dollars/night for the "larger" rooms. But that is more of a budget option than anything and not one I would recommend as staff is largely indifferent and limited. It's more like a decent 2.5 star option and the food options are very limited and expressly limited to vegetarian options.

There is a single set of runways, but the dom and int terminals are on opposite sides of the airport area. These two terminals have been named as if they were two different airports.

There are no good hotels closer to one airport than to another (the Centaur near the intl airport claims it is five-star, but avoid it like the plague). There are a few mid-priced hotels on the main road near where you branch off to the airport, and these are locatable by googling, but I haven't stayed at any of them.

If I were staying in Delhi for even a day, as you seem to be doing on the return, I would not stay anywhere near the airport but rather in or near the walled city so I could walk around and see the mosque and fort and eat at Karim's. But that's just me. I've never paid for a five-star hotel in Delhi, although I've stayed at the Maurya Sheraton when put up there due to fog...I don't see the point. You can wall yourself in with glass and marble and armed guards, but it's still India outside the window.

Thanks for the explanation...i will arrive at night and leave in early am on the inbound, and arrive at night, leave in early AM for Agra, return just in time to catch quick dinner and go to airport on the return, so proximity to airport is highest priority other than comfort, safety and luxury...seems like the radisson will do just fine for these objectives, if the price is right...$500 is insane....of the taj palace and oberoi which is closer to the airport or more convenient? (in case cant get into radisson)...also, has anyone actually stayed at or know anyone who has stayed at uppal's orchid..it is part of leading hotels and under $300 but i am skeptical that noone's mentioned it at all...seems to be close to airport too and may be a good option...

THANK YOU for the explanation about the one airport divided...that is VERY important info...

Thanks for the explanation...i will arrive at night and leave in early am on the inbound, and arrive at night, leave in early AM for Agra, return just in time to catch quick dinner and go to airport on the return, so proximity to airport is highest priority other than comfort, safety and luxury...seems like the radisson will do just fine for these objectives, if the price is right...$500 is insane....of the taj palace and oberoi which is closer to the airport or more convenient? (in case cant get into radisson)...also, has anyone actually stayed at or know anyone who has stayed at uppal's orchid..it is part of leading hotels and under $300 but i am skeptical that noone's mentioned it at all...seems to be close to airport too and may be a good option...

THANK YOU for the explanation about the one airport divided...that is VERY important info...

$500 for which hotel in Delhi? I've never paid such a nightly rate and would never do it.

The Taj Palace is closer to the airport than the Oberoi. I've never stayed or known anyone personally who has stayed at Uppal's Orchid in DEL, so I cannot comment on Uppal's Orchid Delhi.

THANK YOU for the explanation about the one airport divided...that is VERY important info...
I am not sure how useful that information is to a passenger. As seen from the air there is one airport, but as seen from the ground (e.g. by passengers, taxi drivers, etc) they are two completely separate and unrelated airports with different names. It is a ~20 min drive from one to the other.

There has been a strong growth in air traffic, particularly skewed towards international business traffic. This has led to very high occupancy rates in 4 and 5 star hotels - especially the global chains. The $500 at Radisson is obsene. I have stayed there far too many times and it does not deserve it. You may not have much choice in Feb though.

There is a large amount of hotel capacity coming up, but the demand growth is expected to outpace even traffic growth. I am not sure what the options are.

Orchids are OK. You will just not see service/product level matching the expectations for the room rates quoted.

If it were not for the short transit stay, Maurya Sheraton with SPG award may be the best value offering. This year their award level is still reasonable given the room rates. Next year, with the high yields, they'll probably get pushed even higher.

The rates for the next 8 - 10 days are high across the board again with all the major international brands in DEL. :(

I too see -- but don't look forward to -- the Starwood hotels (or other brands) moving up in award categories in 2007. And in the interim, I am certainly disappointed that hotel rates will be rising excessively over the next few years.

I think some more firms are going to be buying and building their own in-house accomodation centers if things don't get under control. The price-quality value is increasingly difficult to find in the major metropolitan business centers (esp. the BPO ones) at the higher-end. And at the lower end, the quality is just not there with such hotels and the value-for-price anything but great.

The rates for the next 8 - 10 days are high across the board again with all the major international brands in DEL. :(

I too see -- but don't look forward to -- the Starwood hotels (or other brands) moving up in award categories in 2007. And in the interim, I am certainly disappointed that hotel rates will be rising excessively over the next few years.

I think some more firms are going to be buying and building their own in-house accomodation centers if things don't get under control. The price-quality value is increasingly difficult to find in the major metropolitan business centers (esp. the BPO ones) at the higher-end. And at the lower end, the quality is just not there with such hotels and the value-for-price anything but great.

Well, thanks again for all the advice, i had no idea there even WAS a Radisson in Delhi until i posted asking for help on the hotels....as it is a quick in and out, and our travel agent got us a good rate, we will try the Radisson, managing our expectations to the fact that it will be in fact just a place to arrive, sleep and leave from, both ways...

Thanks again to all for the VERY valued advice and suggestions....i will let you know how our experience is in Delhi....

The following is my guaranteed confirmation from Radisson inclusive of breakfast and airport transfers.

Fri May 05 2006 - Sat May 06 2006
1 Adult 0 Children
1 King Bed Non Smoking
Business Class Rm-Datapt-Movie-Apt Tsfer
Business Class-Brkfast-Movie-1
165.00 US Dollar (USD) Per night Tax excluded For 1 nights

I'm arriving on AA on the ORD-DEL flight and departing by Sahara at 09:55 to COK via HYD. So I figured the Radisson was the most convenient for an overnight stay and the price looked right which included the breakfast, airport transfers and movie.

I'm not sure what the 1 night tax exclusion clause means. Does it mean they don't charge taxes for a short 1 night stay or is it wishful thinking on my part?

I'm not sure what the 1 night tax exclusion clause means. Does it mean they don't charge taxes for a short 1 night stay or is it wishful thinking on my part?
Wishful thinking on your part. And the tax rate is high on 'luxury' accomodations; I don't know how much but assume 20%.

Well, thanks again for all the advice, i had no idea there even WAS a Radisson in Delhi until i posted asking for help on the hotels....as it is a quick in and out, and our travel agent got us a good rate, we will try the Radisson, managing our expectations to the fact that it will be in fact just a place to arrive, sleep and leave from, both ways...

Thanks again to all for the VERY valued advice and suggestions....i will let you know how our experience is in Delhi....

While at Radisson, try the Great Indian Kabab Factory, their Indian restaurant for dinner. Not a great place for vegetarians though.