Jan 6, 2022, 1:47 am
Last edit by: TheBagman
Terminal 3 at DEL handles all international flights as well as domestic flights of Air India, Vistara and Air Asia India.You can transit D-I, I-D, I-I and D-D.
I-I transfer desks are open as of August 2022.
Below are the details for transit within T3.
A. Domestic to international transit at T3:
If both your domestic and international flights are on a single ticket, your baggage will be checked through at the origin airport itself and you should get your onward boarding passes there as well.
At DEL there are 5 ways to get from arrivals to departures (one level up), listed here in order of least walking to most walking.
1. Domestic - intl transfer gate: After you deplane from your domestic flight (or get off the bus) and go down the escalator (or stay on the same level coming from a bus) there is a special facility for transit passengers in the hall with the copper hands on the wall (red gate in the image below). It leads directly to immigration counters and security check after which you can access departure gates, lounges etc. Service on this entry point are hit or miss, but will save you a lot of walking. There are AI and AF-KL agents roaming the queues and will fast track you if running late. However, this only works if you already have your boarding pass for your International flight, have checked your luggage through from your point of origin, and have less than 4 hours between your domestic and international flights. If you are on separate tickets, have more than 4 hours for your international flight, or the lines are too long try one of the other options below.
2. Transfer desk in the middle of the arrivals concourse: always crowded. Here you could theoretically drop your bags and take the lift up to the security or checkin desks. Its a night mare, never used it due to crowding.
3. The escalator & lift on the international end: collect your bags, turn LEFT when you exit the first set of doors after the baggage belt. At the complete end of the concourse a lonely CISF jawan polices that way up. S/he will check if you have a international onward ticket/BP or send you packing to the other ways. Once you go up you get into a glass walled holding pen with yet another CISF checkpoint that will only let you ínto the checkin area if your flight is in 4h or less.
4. Escalator & lift on the domestic end: collect your bags, turn right when you exit the first set of doors after the baggage belt. At the complete end of the concourse a lonely CISF jawan polices that way up. S/he will check if you have a domestic onward ticket/BP or send you packing to the other ways. Once you go up everything is cordoned off and you are shown out the terminal by the CISF guy sitting at the glass door to the checkin area you end up curbside and have to enter the terminal again.
5. Just walking out as if you want to go to Delhi: here you exit the terminal and pretend to be a regular pax arriving in Delhi. Once you exit there are walk escalators where you push your cart on and get transported to the departure level. Select one of the many gates where there are no major lines and enter the checkin area.
B. International to domestic transit at T3:
For Air India I-D flights where your domestic flight is from AI 010-399 or 900-999, you will follow the procedure for I-I transfers (see this for details). Otherwise follow the procedure given below.
For all other flights, you will go through immigration in Delhi. After immigration you have to collect your bags and go through customs. Then follow steps 3, 4 or 5 in the section above.
Security will generally not allow entry into the domestic terminal until T-4 (four hours before the departure of your flight).
Transit hotel: For overnight transit (int'l flight arriving at night and domestic connection departing following morning), the transit hotel within Terminal 3 (IHG Holiday Inn Express) is perfectly acceptable. And the views of the tarmac when having the included breakfast aren't bad. You need to have a domestic flight departing from T3 in order to use it. The T-4 restriction does not apply to use the transit hotel. But it goes for quite a premium in rates over what the other hotels in the area cost (if willing to exit the terminal building for overnight stays). To reach, turn right after Customs and look for the Holiday Inn Express help desk inside the terminal. Staff will escort you to the hotel and help with other formalities.
For other terminals:
T2 is a (long) walk from T3. Exit the terminal, turn left and follow the signs.
T1 is ~8km by road and takes about 15 minutes by taxi. There is also a shuttle bus outside the terminal which is free if you are a woman or have a boarding pass for an onward flight, and costs INR 25 otherwise. There are no airside connections.
C. International to International transfer
After landing look for the board saying "International Transfers" (DO NOT go through immigration).
1. If you are on a single ticket and already have boarding pass in hand with "DT" (Direct Transfer) printed on it, walk past the transfer desks and go through transit security. Then you can proceed to the departure lounges and gates. Note: if your boarding pass does not have "DT" printed on it, you need to talk to the transfer desk, otherwise the I-I security checkpoint will likely not let you through and send you back to the transfer desk.
2. If you have separate tickets or don't have your onward boarding pass in hand, you have to go to the transfer desk where the airline staff will check documents and issue your onward boarding pass. You cannot check-in online or get an e-Boarding Passes for international flights out of India. Check-in generally opens 4 hours before and closes 60-75 minutes before departure. Then go through transit security as in point 1.
3. There are no priority security lanes in transit security so it is advisable to keep adequate time (>2 hrs) between connecting flights even if you are in F or J.
4. If you have separate tickets, in addition it is advisable to hold an Indian visa or e-visa as you may be denied boarding at origin otherwise.
5. A transit hotel for overnight stays (up to 24 hours) is available after transit security.
I-I transfer desks are open as of August 2022.
Below are the details for transit within T3.
A. Domestic to international transit at T3:
If both your domestic and international flights are on a single ticket, your baggage will be checked through at the origin airport itself and you should get your onward boarding passes there as well.
At DEL there are 5 ways to get from arrivals to departures (one level up), listed here in order of least walking to most walking.
1. Domestic - intl transfer gate: After you deplane from your domestic flight (or get off the bus) and go down the escalator (or stay on the same level coming from a bus) there is a special facility for transit passengers in the hall with the copper hands on the wall (red gate in the image below). It leads directly to immigration counters and security check after which you can access departure gates, lounges etc. Service on this entry point are hit or miss, but will save you a lot of walking. There are AI and AF-KL agents roaming the queues and will fast track you if running late. However, this only works if you already have your boarding pass for your International flight, have checked your luggage through from your point of origin, and have less than 4 hours between your domestic and international flights. If you are on separate tickets, have more than 4 hours for your international flight, or the lines are too long try one of the other options below.
2. Transfer desk in the middle of the arrivals concourse: always crowded. Here you could theoretically drop your bags and take the lift up to the security or checkin desks. Its a night mare, never used it due to crowding.
3. The escalator & lift on the international end: collect your bags, turn LEFT when you exit the first set of doors after the baggage belt. At the complete end of the concourse a lonely CISF jawan polices that way up. S/he will check if you have a international onward ticket/BP or send you packing to the other ways. Once you go up you get into a glass walled holding pen with yet another CISF checkpoint that will only let you ínto the checkin area if your flight is in 4h or less.
4. Escalator & lift on the domestic end: collect your bags, turn right when you exit the first set of doors after the baggage belt. At the complete end of the concourse a lonely CISF jawan polices that way up. S/he will check if you have a domestic onward ticket/BP or send you packing to the other ways. Once you go up everything is cordoned off and you are shown out the terminal by the CISF guy sitting at the glass door to the checkin area you end up curbside and have to enter the terminal again.
5. Just walking out as if you want to go to Delhi: here you exit the terminal and pretend to be a regular pax arriving in Delhi. Once you exit there are walk escalators where you push your cart on and get transported to the departure level. Select one of the many gates where there are no major lines and enter the checkin area.
B. International to domestic transit at T3:
For Air India I-D flights where your domestic flight is from AI 010-399 or 900-999, you will follow the procedure for I-I transfers (see this for details). Otherwise follow the procedure given below.
For all other flights, you will go through immigration in Delhi. After immigration you have to collect your bags and go through customs. Then follow steps 3, 4 or 5 in the section above.
Security will generally not allow entry into the domestic terminal until T-4 (four hours before the departure of your flight).
Transit hotel: For overnight transit (int'l flight arriving at night and domestic connection departing following morning), the transit hotel within Terminal 3 (IHG Holiday Inn Express) is perfectly acceptable. And the views of the tarmac when having the included breakfast aren't bad. You need to have a domestic flight departing from T3 in order to use it. The T-4 restriction does not apply to use the transit hotel. But it goes for quite a premium in rates over what the other hotels in the area cost (if willing to exit the terminal building for overnight stays). To reach, turn right after Customs and look for the Holiday Inn Express help desk inside the terminal. Staff will escort you to the hotel and help with other formalities.
For other terminals:
T2 is a (long) walk from T3. Exit the terminal, turn left and follow the signs.
T1 is ~8km by road and takes about 15 minutes by taxi. There is also a shuttle bus outside the terminal which is free if you are a woman or have a boarding pass for an onward flight, and costs INR 25 otherwise. There are no airside connections.
C. International to International transfer
After landing look for the board saying "International Transfers" (DO NOT go through immigration).
1. If you are on a single ticket and already have boarding pass in hand with "DT" (Direct Transfer) printed on it, walk past the transfer desks and go through transit security. Then you can proceed to the departure lounges and gates. Note: if your boarding pass does not have "DT" printed on it, you need to talk to the transfer desk, otherwise the I-I security checkpoint will likely not let you through and send you back to the transfer desk.
2. If you have separate tickets or don't have your onward boarding pass in hand, you have to go to the transfer desk where the airline staff will check documents and issue your onward boarding pass. You cannot check-in online or get an e-Boarding Passes for international flights out of India. Check-in generally opens 4 hours before and closes 60-75 minutes before departure. Then go through transit security as in point 1.
3. There are no priority security lanes in transit security so it is advisable to keep adequate time (>2 hrs) between connecting flights even if you are in F or J.
4. If you have separate tickets, in addition it is advisable to hold an Indian visa or e-visa as you may be denied boarding at origin otherwise.
5. A transit hotel for overnight stays (up to 24 hours) is available after transit security.
Delhi IGI [DEL] connection/departure experience reports
Oct 24, 2017, 8:08 am
#331
formerly gantid
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Platinum, Marriott Platinum elite, *G, Hilton Gold
Posts: 198
just a quick update on DEL T3 transfer from Domestic to International flight.
I was on BLR-DEL-IAD with BLR-DEL on a AI 503. Since I had over 4 hours for transfer, I decided to use the transfer option in DEL rather than exit the domestic terminal and re-enter International terminal, which I considered since i was traveling on J and could use dedicated emigration/security lines in DEL.
The transfer area is much better organized with 4 counters handling transit passengers. One word of caution is that if your flight departs over 5+ hours, the flight data does not appear on the emigration computers and they will make you wait as it happened to a friend of mine departing from DEL in about 6+ hours. The staff supervisor at the emigration counter was very helpful and asked my friend to wait and that he would come and get her as soon as he saw the flight details loaded on to their system. I did see her later in the lounge and she was thankful that they allowed her to get thru within 30 minutes or so.
So, things have improved dramatically for the better since my last transfer thru DEL.
I was on BLR-DEL-IAD with BLR-DEL on a AI 503. Since I had over 4 hours for transfer, I decided to use the transfer option in DEL rather than exit the domestic terminal and re-enter International terminal, which I considered since i was traveling on J and could use dedicated emigration/security lines in DEL.
The transfer area is much better organized with 4 counters handling transit passengers. One word of caution is that if your flight departs over 5+ hours, the flight data does not appear on the emigration computers and they will make you wait as it happened to a friend of mine departing from DEL in about 6+ hours. The staff supervisor at the emigration counter was very helpful and asked my friend to wait and that he would come and get her as soon as he saw the flight details loaded on to their system. I did see her later in the lounge and she was thankful that they allowed her to get thru within 30 minutes or so.
So, things have improved dramatically for the better since my last transfer thru DEL.
Oct 29, 2017, 7:27 pm
#333
formerly gantid
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Platinum, Marriott Platinum elite, *G, Hilton Gold
Posts: 198
Oct 31, 2017, 10:13 pm
#334
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC, BA, Marriott, SPG
Posts: 842
Really helpful thread. We’re flyig BOM-DEL-YYZ (AI to AC). We’re in PY and I am Star Gold. It sounds like historically the best was to exit terminal go upstairs and do security at international area. But a recent post said the transfer desk was expanded. Any advice on what would be best? We have a layover of 3.5 hours.
Nov 4, 2017, 11:55 am
#335
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,125
Really helpful thread. We’re flyig BOM-DEL-YYZ (AI to AC). We’re in PY and I am Star Gold. It sounds like historically the best was to exit terminal go upstairs and do security at international area. But a recent post said the transfer desk was expanded. Any advice on what would be best? We have a layover of 3.5 hours.
Nov 5, 2017, 11:23 am
#336
formerly gantid
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Platinum, Marriott Platinum elite, *G, Hilton Gold
Posts: 198
Really helpful thread. We’re flyig BOM-DEL-YYZ (AI to AC). We’re in PY and I am Star Gold. It sounds like historically the best was to exit terminal go upstairs and do security at international area. But a recent post said the transfer desk was expanded. Any advice on what would be best? We have a layover of 3.5 hours.
it is not worth taking a chance exiting and re-entering. You are better off going thru transfer area.
Nov 7, 2017, 10:14 pm
#337
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: Don't think it matters...
Posts: 5,240
Really helpful thread. We’re flyig BOM-DEL-YYZ (AI to AC). We’re in PY and I am Star Gold. It sounds like historically the best was to exit terminal go upstairs and do security at international area. But a recent post said the transfer desk was expanded. Any advice on what would be best? We have a layover of 3.5 hours.
I would not go out of the terminal and then come back in ..
Nov 11, 2017, 3:04 am
#339
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: BA GGL, Gold for Life
Posts: 590
Back to back at Delhi
I'm flying in from KL in Business class on one ticket, then would like to turn around and fly back out immediately on the return leg of that same flight, on a separate ticket. I shall on a tier point run, and although I've purchased my first ticket DEL-KUL-SYD-PER-KUL-DEL, I need more information before I buy the other ticket required: BKK-KUL-DEL-KUL-BKK).
I will be travelling HBO, and I have been through transit at IGI Terminal 3 in the past, so am aware it's a very idiosyncratic procedure. Unless this has changed, my memory is that I must be 'handed over' from the arrival airline to the onward airline. Since in this case it's the same airline, I am concerned that this might just be too bizarre for MH staff.
The other issue is that quite often, one has to wait at the transit area for a staffer from the relevant airline to turn up. It may be that as the MH flight will be shortly to leave, there would normally be MH staff at the transit desks, but if not, I would probably miss the flight waiting for one to be found.
Alternatively if I could get the boarding pass for the outbound flight from Delhi on my phone, would I be able to go straight from the plane to the departure gate?
Does anyone have any experience of this situation or any other advice?
I will be travelling HBO, and I have been through transit at IGI Terminal 3 in the past, so am aware it's a very idiosyncratic procedure. Unless this has changed, my memory is that I must be 'handed over' from the arrival airline to the onward airline. Since in this case it's the same airline, I am concerned that this might just be too bizarre for MH staff.
The other issue is that quite often, one has to wait at the transit area for a staffer from the relevant airline to turn up. It may be that as the MH flight will be shortly to leave, there would normally be MH staff at the transit desks, but if not, I would probably miss the flight waiting for one to be found.
Alternatively if I could get the boarding pass for the outbound flight from Delhi on my phone, would I be able to go straight from the plane to the departure gate?
Does anyone have any experience of this situation or any other advice?
Nov 11, 2017, 4:00 pm
#340
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,186
Some people have managed to do this with Finnair in DEL. A direct turnaround is very tricky in DEL and needs support from the ground crew of the airline. Also ou need a evisa/eta in advance, or else MH is not allowed to board you in KUL. Try to find out more about MH in DEL and reach out to the station crew in advance if they will support you.
Nov 12, 2017, 5:54 am
#341
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: BA GGL, Gold for Life
Posts: 590
I have a 5 year multiple entry Indian visa, so that's not an issue. I couldn't find any reference to back-to-backs at Delhi on any of the FT Finnair threads. Are you able to point me to any links?
I'm also not sure how to reach out to MH station staff at Delhi from here in the UK; so any ideas welcome, as I really do need to make that back-to-back!
I'm also not sure how to reach out to MH station staff at Delhi from here in the UK; so any ideas welcome, as I really do need to make that back-to-back!
Nov 12, 2017, 6:47 am
#342
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,186
Finnair DEL turnaround: The Delhi deli
MH DEL contact data: https://www.consumercomplaints.in/th...ty=85&nocrop=1
MH DEL contact data: https://www.consumercomplaints.in/th...ty=85&nocrop=1
Nov 12, 2017, 8:29 am
#343
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: BA GGL, Gold for Life
Posts: 590
Many thanks for the link. I read the entire thread; it is most amusing, and the transit part of the story certainly chimes with my memory. The difference for me is that my MH plane will only be on the ground in Delhi for 60 minutes. With anything longer than about 90 minutes I'd be fairly confident of doing it, but with less than that, I think you're right - I need the MH ground staff on-side!
I remember now about the necessity of having DT marked on one's onward boarding pass when transiting at Delhi. In fact it is absolutely crucial. Once you've got your onward boarding pass you have to go through security, and they will not let you pass unless the letters D and T are marked, in close proximity, on your boarding pass. Several years ago when I had a normal transit at Delhi (i.e. not trying to get back on the same aircraft) I got as far as security in the transit area, only to be turned back because, as the security guard put it "This boarding pass is not correct, you must go back".
Very perplexed and somewhat concerned, I returned to the transit desks; the person who had issued my boarding pass had gone (apart from Air India and Jet Airways, most airlines only send staff to the transit desks when they know they have a passenger there) and there was nobody at that desk. I went to the lady at the adjacent desk and explained what had happened at security. She scrutinised my boarding pass, and I saw a flash of understanding cross her face. "The boarding pass does not mention DT" she said. "This is why you have been sent back, but no problem, I can adjust for you". She got out a ball point pen and in large capitals wrote DT on the boarding pass. I was not entirely confident that this would suffice, but sure enough it did, and I passed swiftly through security to the lounge, where I proceeded to add the letters G and T to my itinerary.
I remember now about the necessity of having DT marked on one's onward boarding pass when transiting at Delhi. In fact it is absolutely crucial. Once you've got your onward boarding pass you have to go through security, and they will not let you pass unless the letters D and T are marked, in close proximity, on your boarding pass. Several years ago when I had a normal transit at Delhi (i.e. not trying to get back on the same aircraft) I got as far as security in the transit area, only to be turned back because, as the security guard put it "This boarding pass is not correct, you must go back".
Very perplexed and somewhat concerned, I returned to the transit desks; the person who had issued my boarding pass had gone (apart from Air India and Jet Airways, most airlines only send staff to the transit desks when they know they have a passenger there) and there was nobody at that desk. I went to the lady at the adjacent desk and explained what had happened at security. She scrutinised my boarding pass, and I saw a flash of understanding cross her face. "The boarding pass does not mention DT" she said. "This is why you have been sent back, but no problem, I can adjust for you". She got out a ball point pen and in large capitals wrote DT on the boarding pass. I was not entirely confident that this would suffice, but sure enough it did, and I passed swiftly through security to the lounge, where I proceeded to add the letters G and T to my itinerary.
