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Delhi IGI [DEL] connection/departure experience reports

Old Jan 6, 2022, 1:47 am
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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 nto 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.



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Delhi IGI [DEL] connection/departure experience reports

Old Aug 17, 2017, 7:59 pm
  #316  
formerly gantid
 
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Originally Posted by erik123
DO NOT use the transfer option when arriving domestic and continuing international - especially if continuing in business or first. It is much faster to go upstairs to the normal check-in area and use the dedicated premium security line.
I did not realize you could do that!

I will be traveling BLR-DEL-IAD in a few weeks and I will keep that in mind.
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Old Sep 7, 2017, 11:07 am
  #317  
 
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Do I need to go through Immigration

Hi, I am flying from KTM - DEL on Jet Airways and DEL-NRT on Japan Airlines same day.

Two Questions:

1. If I just have a carry-on and a laptop do I still have to go through immigration in DEL?

2. If I have checked baggage, how long will it take for me to go through immigration, retrieve my baggage and check back in for JAL flight?


Thanks,
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Old Sep 8, 2017, 1:06 am
  #318  
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Originally Posted by snuniyar
Hi, I am flying from KTM - DEL on Jet Airways and DEL-NRT on Japan Airlines same day.
how long do you have between the two flights????

Originally Posted by snuniyar
1. If I just have a carry-on and a laptop do I still have to go through immigration in DEL?
technically you don't but i assume you are on separate tickets....in this instance it is always best to have a visa....

Originally Posted by snuniyar
2. If I have checked baggage, how long will it take for me to go through immigration, retrieve my baggage and check back in for JAL flight?
i've done this in as little as 15 minutes but it shouldn't take you more than an hour max....
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Old Sep 21, 2017, 7:53 am
  #319  
 
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Transfer Desk in DEL Question

Hello Travel Experts,

Where can the transfer desk be found in the DEL International terminal? If I am arriving on Delta an departing on Air India to KTM (separate tickets) Will the transfer desk recheck my bag for me?

I've tried to research online but can't find anything definitive. I arrive at 10:40 pm and depart at 7:40 am. I have a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express in T3 for the night. I did get a visa just in case I have to go through immigration to recheck the bag. I'm worried about getting back in to access the Holiday Inn Express if I have to pass immigration to recheck the bag especially if it doesn't line up with hours that I can check the bag with Air India.

Thanks in advance for any info!
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Old Sep 21, 2017, 8:52 am
  #320  
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The transfer desk will not recheck your bag. The transfer desk is easily spotted the moment you deplane, you will walk past the transfer desk when you follow the crowds that are headed to immigration.
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Old Sep 21, 2017, 10:20 am
  #321  
 
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Originally Posted by oliver2002
The transfer desk will not recheck your bag. The transfer desk is easily spotted the moment you deplane, you will walk past the transfer desk when you follow the crowds that are headed to immigration.
Thanks for the info. What is the function of the transfer desk then?
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Old Sep 22, 2017, 1:28 am
  #322  
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The transfer desk will issue you the boarding passes for the onward flight or print you a new one on their card stock. If the ticket is interlined, they usually make note of your baggage details in their system to make sure it gets loaded on the connecting flight. The transfer desk is not supposed to locate luggage that was not checked to the final destination. Also note that Delta will not let you board a flight to India if you don't have valid travel documents (like a visa) for entry into India. That you have an onward connection on a separate ticket will not impress the DL agent whose computer will say 'no'.
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Old Sep 22, 2017, 3:44 am
  #323  
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Originally Posted by thecherif
I'm worried about getting back in to access the Holiday Inn Express if I have to pass immigration to recheck the bag especially if it doesn't line up with hours that I can check the bag with Air India.
the hotel has a domestic wing as well so if you can't check in for your second flight right away then you can access the domestic wing of the hotel until its time to check-in for your second flight....
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Old Sep 22, 2017, 8:50 am
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Thank you @oliver2002! This has been quite an education for me. Thank goodness I 'played it safe' and got a visa! The thought crossed my my just in the nick of time.

Last edited by thecherif; Sep 22, 2017 at 8:51 am Reason: typo
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Old Sep 22, 2017, 8:54 am
  #325  
 
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Originally Posted by Keyser
the hotel has a domestic wing as well so if you can't check in for your second flight right away then you can access the domestic wing of the hotel until its time to check-in for your second flight....
Thanks. I just talked to them and they're supposed to meet me when I get off the flight. I had read in the hotel reviews that calling with flight info is necessary. This one is shaping up to be quite the unique adventure.
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Old Sep 25, 2017, 4:07 pm
  #326  
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I am flying:

AI 104 IAD to DEL 11:15 AM
AI 502 DEL to BLR 1:25 PM

Both segments are on J

is a two hour window sufficient to clear customs/immigration/re-check baggage/clear security for domestic?
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Old Sep 25, 2017, 9:31 pm
  #327  
 
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Originally Posted by washingtonian_2017
I am flying:

AI 104 IAD to DEL 11:15 AM
AI 502 DEL to BLR 1:25 PM

Both segments are on J

is a two hour window sufficient to clear customs/immigration/re-check baggage/clear security for domestic?
u will be fine ..
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Old Sep 29, 2017, 10:38 am
  #328  
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thanks, I made it but there were several moments of doubt as my checked bag (just one) did not show up for almost twenty minutes after all other bags started showing up despite it being tagged 'priority'.

Thanks to Oliver2002 i turned left after customs (even though the signs point you to right) and there was just the CISF security guy who took a look at my BP and Passport and let me thru.

unfortunately, the AI check in counters were quite chaotic and I did not see a J/F checkin. I did see two counters (the last two counters) for 'bag drop' travelers. The line was 6 deep and I was panicking. There was an AI agent that asked me about my connecting flight and took the initiative and moved me to the front as the others had later flights.

Dedicated J/F security lanes are a huge help. The regular lanes were very crowded. I was able to clear security in less than five minutes.

I wish i had more time to look around and locate the J/F checkin counters.
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Old Sep 29, 2017, 2:43 pm
  #329  
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Over 75 minutes for some to deal with exit immigration at DEL tonight.
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Old Oct 9, 2017, 3:51 am
  #330  
 
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Originally Posted by oliver2002
The transfer desk will issue you the boarding passes for the onward flight or print you a new one on their card stock. If the ticket is interlined, they usually make note of your baggage details in their system to make sure it gets loaded on the connecting flight. The transfer desk is not supposed to locate luggage that was not checked to the final destination. Also note that Delta will not let you board a flight to India if you don't have valid travel documents (like a visa) for entry into India. That you have an onward connection on a separate ticket will not impress the DL agent whose computer will say 'no'.
Thanks for your info,Olivia2002

Upon checking IATA, India (New Delhi airport) does have TWOV if the connection is within 24 hrs, even on separate tickets.. why did you say no?

my situation is from TG bkk to UA Newark.
TG 315 20:55 DEL arrival
UA 83 23:35 EWR departure

I will beg TG to tag my baggage all the way...

Last edited by thinthin; Oct 9, 2017 at 6:18 am Reason: for better understanding...
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