Other Useful Guides
If you plan on flying internally within India, you may be interested in the following guides:
Domestic Flights in India
Where from?
Where to?
Dates
-
Passengers & Class
1 Adult, Economy/Coach
Search and book domestic flights within India
Book flights in English
Alternative Airlines is a flight search and booking site that makes it easy to book domestic flights within India. With Alternative Airlines, you can book flights in English and rely on our trusted customer service team to help you with your booking. To begin, simply enter your chosen departure and arrival destinations into the search form at the top of the page.
Why book a domestic flight in India?
Travel India Fast
As one of the largest countries and the second-most populated countries in the world, there’s no wonder that there’s so much to see and do in India. Travelling India can be very time consuming if you are planning to go to cities around the country by car or train. The longest domestic flights in India are roughly 4 hours long, making internal flights within India a great way to travel around the country.
Comfort and convenience
Flying domestically within India is often a relaxed experience that allows you to travel in comfort. Compared to trains in India, you will have more space to spread out during your flight. It will also be not as busy as other means of transport, allowing you to have a quiet and chilled out journey.
Cost Effective
Compared to international flights, flying domestically within India is a more cost effective way of going on short trips away or holidays within the country. Not only that but deciding to take a holiday within India also helps local economies, all while you get to explore more of what the nation has to offer.
Popular Routes and Airports
Flights to New Delhi
Best Airport to Fly Into:
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the closest airport to the the city of New Delhi. Located approximately 16km from the city centre, it will take you about 30 minutes to travel between the airport and the city.
Flights to Goa
Best Airport to Fly Into:
When going to Goa, you will need to fly to Goa International Airport, which is officially known as Dabolim Airport. This airport is located about an hour away from the city of Goa, but there are great connections to the city from the airport.
Flights to Mumbai
Best Airport to Fly Into:
Mumbai Airport, officially known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, is the closest airport to Mumbai. It is located an hour away from the city centre but due to extreme traffic it can sometimes take two hours to travel between the airport and Mumbai central.
Flights to Hyderabad
Best Airport to Fly Into:
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, sometimes referred to as Hyderabad Airport, is the closest airport to the city of Hyderabad. Located just 24km outside of Hyderabad, there are good connections to the city from the airport.
Flights to Chennai
Best Airport to Fly Into:
To get to Chennai, you will need to fly into Chennai International Airport. It will take you about 50-60 minutes to travel between Chennai International Airport and the city centre. There is plenty of public transport available from the airport.
Flights to Guwahati
Best Airport to Fly Into:
To reach Guwahati in Northeast India, we recommend flying into Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, the primary airport that serves Guwahati. From there it will take approximately 40 minutes to travel between the airport and Guwahati.
The Most Popular Routes in India:
| From | To |
|---|---|
| Delhi | Mumbai |
| Delhi | Bangalore |
| Delhi | Kolkata |
| Delhi | Hyderabad |
| Delhi | Pune |
| Delhi | Chennai |
| Delhi | Ahmedabad |
| Delhi | Lucknow |
| Mumbai | Bangalore |
| Mumbai | Goa |
| Mumbai | Chennai |
| Mumbai | Hyderabad |
| Mumbai | Kolkata |
| Bangalore | Hyderabad |
Domestic Airlines in India
Air India
The flag carrier of India, this full-service airline operates domestic flights to a variety of destinations within India including Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi and more. It also has subsidiary airlines called Air India Express and Alliance Air, which also flys to domestic destinations.
IndiGo Airlines
IndiGo is a low-cost airlines based at Gurgaon, India, which carries over 300 million passengers annually to over 70 domestic destinations, such as Bangalore, Goa, Allahabad, Lucknow, Mumbai and many more.
Akasa Air
Akasa Air is a relatively new Indian low-cost airline that commenced operations in August 2022. The airline flys to over 15 domestic destinations, such as Bengaluru, Kochi, Mumbai and Chennai and Delhi.
Other domestic airlines in India:
Domestic Flight Check-In Times
Although the check-in time will often be later for domestic flights than it is for international flights, the times will vary from airline to airline. Here are a few popular airlines along with their check-in times for web check-in and airport check-in.
Pay The Way You Want
When you book your flights in India with Alternative Airlines, you can pay using the currency of your choice, whether that's using Euros, Dollars, or even Indian Rupee. You can also choose to pay using PayPal, PayPal Credit, or even one of our many buy now, pay later options.
Buy Now, Pay Later
Booking domestic flights in India has never been easier when paying with a buy now, pay later option at Alternative Airlines. Using options like Afterpay and Klarna, you can pay for your flight in instalments, allowing you to fly when you want.
Unfortunately we currently do not accept any buy now, pay later options that are available to Indian nationals.
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Domestic Flight FAQs
Do I need a passport for domestic flights in India?
Currently, a passport is not required for Indian nationals when travelling on flights within India. However, passengers are required to have a valid government-issues form of identity. This could include the following:
- Passport
- Driving License
- Aadhaar card
- Election Voter Photo Card
- PAN Card (issued by the Income Tax department)
- Photo Identity cards issued by the Government
- Photo public and reputed Private sector organisations (issued by their employer, government or private organisation)
- Photo Credit Card
For children or students at school, a college or school identity card is also considered acceptable proof of identification. Infants travelling with their parents should not require identification, assuming that their parents have valid identification. However, it is recommended that children under 2 who travel for free without a seat on the plane take their birth certificate with them, to prove their age.
Passengers who are not Indian nationals, but are foreign nationals will need a passport on their internal flights in India. Read more about travel documents for flights here.
How early do I need to arrive for flights within India?
Generally, passengers won’t need to arrive as early for their flights as they could if they were flying internationally. Please see the check-in times above for popular Indian airlines to see the latest check-in time, and plan your arrival at the airport around that.
When is the best time to find cheap tickets?
There are many tips and tricks you can follow to help get cheap flights in India. For example, our blog on the cheapest day to buy flights is good for finding general tips about booking cheap flights. However, for information about domestic flights in India, you should do your research and look up peak times for visiting India, and things such as big events in the areas you are planning to travel to which might bump the price up.
How much baggage can I take on domestic flights within India?
Baggage will depend on the airline you are flying with. When searching and selecting a flight on Alternative Airlines, the included baggage will be displayed, with additional baggage available for purchase displayed as an option.
Can I book domestic flights online?
Yes! You can book any flight in India online at Alternative Airlines. Simply use the search bar above to enter your flight search, select your desired flights and simply continue on with the payment process. The flight booking process is simple, we also have a step-by-step guide to help you. Here at Alternative Airlines, we offer lots of payment plan options, ranging from Klarna to Affirm, Afterpay, and PayPal Credit to Zip and ZestMoney. Discover all our ways to pay.
Are fruits allowed on domestic flights?
You will have to get the permission of the airline you are flying with to see if you are allowed to take fruits with you on your flight. Read more about the foods you can fly with here, or alternatively, you can check out our information about booking an airline meal if you’d prefer a meal on your flight.
Can I book flights on EMI?
Yes, you can! Book flights through Alternative Airlines to pay on EMI. We offer lots of pay-monthly options, including Tabby and Postpay. Visit our guide to booking flights on EMI to find out more.
What is the UDAN Scheme?
‘UDAN’ is short for ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik’, and refers to an extensive regional connectivity scheme in India. The UDAN scheme is aimed at providing affordable air travel on regional routes, while expanding networks and boosting connectivity. Under the scheme, the Indian government is providing concessions and financial motivation for airlines to participate, with capped airfares that will be subsidised by the government.
You can find out more about the UDAN scheme here at Alternative Airlines.