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
Feb 26, 2019, 10:40 am
#436
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: IND
Posts: 301
No chance. Lufthansa cannot issue you the Thai boarding pass. Only the transfer desk in DEL can do that. However you have to show a Indian visa in SFO to LH and again in FRA/MUC or else they will not allow you to board the flight to DEL. So spend the 60$ and get yourself an evisa to show at checkin.
Feb 26, 2019, 4:56 pm
#437
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 787
I'm connecting in Delhi later this week, AI to AC with about 2hrs connection time. The flights are on the same ticket, and routing is MLE-DEL-YYZ. I do not have a visa or transit visa - how is this going to work? My understanding is I visit the transit desk and then pass through transit security, but this was NOT my experience in BLR earlier this week.
I flew BKK-BLR-MLE earlier this week and it was awful - it took over 3 hours for AI to figure out how to get us some kind of letter to pass through transit security, despite us already having our boarding passes and luggage was tagged to MLE. They said the had to manually pickup out luggage at the collection area and transfer it on our behalf as well. Once the letter was produced, we proceeded to transit security but the letter didn't meet their requirements, causing further delays.
I'm concerned there will be similar procedures in DEL - any comments on what to expect in reality? Anything I should do in advance, such as reach out to Air Canada?
To further complicate things, my MLE-DEL flight has a technical stop in TRV...will I have to deplane and endure some kind of transfer process there as well? Would it be considered a domestic to international connection in DEL since the flight stops in TRV?
I'm a bit anxious about this after the BLR experience! Thanks in advance!
I flew BKK-BLR-MLE earlier this week and it was awful - it took over 3 hours for AI to figure out how to get us some kind of letter to pass through transit security, despite us already having our boarding passes and luggage was tagged to MLE. They said the had to manually pickup out luggage at the collection area and transfer it on our behalf as well. Once the letter was produced, we proceeded to transit security but the letter didn't meet their requirements, causing further delays.
I'm concerned there will be similar procedures in DEL - any comments on what to expect in reality? Anything I should do in advance, such as reach out to Air Canada?
To further complicate things, my MLE-DEL flight has a technical stop in TRV...will I have to deplane and endure some kind of transfer process there as well? Would it be considered a domestic to international connection in DEL since the flight stops in TRV?
I'm a bit anxious about this after the BLR experience! Thanks in advance!
Last edited by tylerc; Feb 26, 2019 at 5:27 pm
Feb 26, 2019, 11:34 pm
#438
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
DEL is set up for this airside transit situation, hundreds of passengers do it every day. No worries. Air India handles this rather well, you will get boarding passes marked with a large T indicating that you are international transit.
The technical stop in TRV has been covered before, it is painless too.
The technical stop in TRV has been covered before, it is painless too.
Feb 27, 2019, 5:08 pm
#439
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 787
DEL is set up for this airside transit situation, hundreds of passengers do it every day. No worries. Air India handles this rather well, you will get boarding passes marked with a large T indicating that you are international transit.
The technical stop in TRV has been covered before, it is painless too.
The technical stop in TRV has been covered before, it is painless too.
Will Air India be required to create a letter or some documentation for us (apparently this was supposed to happen in BLR and didn't, hence the 3 hour holdup)? Any way to ensure this is done in advance, perhaps at check-in in Male?
Mar 8, 2019, 9:38 am
#441
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,333
I arrive at 02:45 from PVG; depart at 05:00 to AMD. Have an E-visa and both flights are on AI. How long will it take to clear immigration and customs at DEL at 03:00? I plan on checking one bag, or should I carry it on to avoid the delay of retrieving and rechecking it in DEL?
I tried to find some current info on INT-DOM transfers, but everything seemed to be INT-INT or DOM-INT.
I tried to find some current info on INT-DOM transfers, but everything seemed to be INT-INT or DOM-INT.
Mar 8, 2019, 9:25 pm
#442
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
I arrive at 02:45 from PVG; depart at 05:00 to AMD. Have an E-visa and both flights are on AI. How long will it take to clear immigration and customs at DEL at 03:00? I plan on checking one bag, or should I carry it on to avoid the delay of retrieving and rechecking it in DEL?
I tried to find some current info on INT-DOM transfers, but everything seemed to be INT-INT or DOM-INT.
I tried to find some current info on INT-DOM transfers, but everything seemed to be INT-INT or DOM-INT.
Mar 26, 2019, 10:55 am
#444
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: BKK/SFO
Programs: UA 1K, TG Platinum, SPG Gold, Hyatt GP Platinum, Priority Club Platinum, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 283
No chance. Lufthansa cannot issue you the Thai boarding pass. Only the transfer desk in DEL can do that. However you have to show a Indian visa in SFO to LH and again in FRA/MUC or else they will not allow you to board the flight to DEL. So spend the 60$ and get yourself an evisa to show at checkin.
The maximum period of stay in India permitted for a Transit Visa is 72 hours for each entry and is issuedonly when Transit/Travel is by Air. The Transit Visa is valid for 15 days only.
In case you remain within limits of the waiting area reserved for International Transit Passengers of the Indian Airport and are not going to cross Immigration Controls at any time, you do NOT need a Transit visa."
If I bring this printout to LH check in counter in SFO would you think I still having problem checking in without visa?
Thanks
Mar 27, 2019, 2:01 am
#445
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
LH in SFO thinks you are travelling to India and needs to see documentation that you have a visa. When they transmit your passport data to the Indian authorities it will be evident you don't have a visa. The Indian system is based on the passport number. That is where the troubles will begin. LH can refuse you boarding. Get the eTA.
Mar 28, 2019, 7:06 am
#446
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,333
I arrive at 02:45 from PVG; depart at 05:00 to AMD. Have an E-visa and both flights are on AI. How long will it take to clear immigration and customs at DEL at 03:00? I plan on checking one bag, or should I carry it on to avoid the delay of retrieving and rechecking it in DEL?
I tried to find some current info on INT-DOM transfers, but everything seemed to be INT-INT or DOM-INT.
I tried to find some current info on INT-DOM transfers, but everything seemed to be INT-INT or DOM-INT.
May 1, 2019, 4:42 am
#447
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: UA 1K/MM, EK Gold, CX Silver
Posts: 880
Will AI check my bags through if I have a 23 hr layover in DEL? I am on a single AI ticket, and the connection is International to International, and I intend to leave the airport (have a visa)
thanks
thanks
May 1, 2019, 8:22 am
#448
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, Marriott & SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, ShangriLa Jade, Enterprise Plat, Taj Gold
Posts: 3,347
Since it's a single ticket and <24 hours... they should through check.
May 3, 2019, 12:01 pm
#449
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 581
Hi,
It's been a while since I've done this, but I'm on a single ticket LHR-DEL-BOM, with baggage checked only till DEL by the airline (BA and Vistara)
I've got 2 hours in DEL, is that enough time to clear immigration, collect baggage and check in ? Is there a possibility of getting Vistara to collect my bags ? Is there a separate line for international to domestic transfers to expedite immigration, etc ?
Thanks
It's been a while since I've done this, but I'm on a single ticket LHR-DEL-BOM, with baggage checked only till DEL by the airline (BA and Vistara)
I've got 2 hours in DEL, is that enough time to clear immigration, collect baggage and check in ? Is there a possibility of getting Vistara to collect my bags ? Is there a separate line for international to domestic transfers to expedite immigration, etc ?
Thanks
May 4, 2019, 6:23 am
#450
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
Hi,
It's been a while since I've done this, but I'm on a single ticket LHR-DEL-BOM, with baggage checked only till DEL by the airline (BA and Vistara)
I've got 2 hours in DEL, is that enough time to clear immigration, collect baggage and check in ? Is there a possibility of getting Vistara to collect my bags ? Is there a separate line for international to domestic transfers to expedite immigration, etc ?
Thanks
It's been a while since I've done this, but I'm on a single ticket LHR-DEL-BOM, with baggage checked only till DEL by the airline (BA and Vistara)
I've got 2 hours in DEL, is that enough time to clear immigration, collect baggage and check in ? Is there a possibility of getting Vistara to collect my bags ? Is there a separate line for international to domestic transfers to expedite immigration, etc ?
Thanks