Delhi Airport Welcome Sign

Travel Tips:

Options for Accommodation At Delhi International Airport

Delhi is one of India’s main international gateways. Delhi’s Indira Gandi International Airport is also a major domestic port, with flights to/from just about everywhere in India. If you’re traveling through India, there’s a good chance you’ll fly into/out of Delhi at some point.

If you fly into Delhi with an onward flight the following day, you can easily stay overnight at or near the airport. That way you can skip the city’s chaotic traffic & crowds, save time by skipping transportation to/from the city, and chill out between your flights.

boarding international flight to Delhi

Many international flights to Delhi arrive at ghastly hours in the middle of the night. Even if you’re planning to visit Delhi, it could be much easier and safer to spend your arrival night at/near the airport then make your way into the city the following day, in broad daylight after you’re well rested.

Alternately, if you arrive in Delhi by bus or train the day before a morning/midday flight, it makes sense to stay near the airport so your flight departure is easier and less stressful.

Whatever your situation, if you’d like to stay at/near the airport, you have four options. They range in price from free to mid-range on up to five star accommodation.

interior of Delhi’s great modern airport

2 OPTIONS INSIDE THE AIRPORT TERMINALS

 Option 1 – Sleep free in the airport terminal buildings

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has two main terminals: T3 serves both international and domestic flights. T1 serves selected domestic flights. If you have a domestic flight, be sure to check your ticket/airline to see which terminal you depart from or arrive to. T1 and T3 are a 30 minute drive from each other by airport shuttle bus or taxi, so it’s important to know which terminal(s) you’ll be using and plan accordingly. Don’t miss a flight!

Both T1 and T3 have large, spacious modern interiors with tiled floors, shops, fast food restaurants and lots of security.

You could easily just sleep inside either terminal on the many rows of chairs, snooze in the coffee shop booths or stretch out on the spacious, uncluttered floors. This would be easiest to achieve if you arrive by flight and are thus already inside a terminal. The airport has various restrictions on how far in advance of a flight passengers are allowed to enter the airport buildings. Check the details on the airport website here

If you do arrive by flight and want to sleep in the terminal, make sure you do not go outside the building until you’re ready to leave for good. You won’t be able to get back inside until 3-6 hours before your next flight, and then only into the terminal from which your ongoing flight departs.

Delhi Airport Premium Lounge

Option 2 – Sleep at the airport’s luxury lounge rooms

Both T3 and T1 have luxury lounges for arriving, transit and departing passengers. Private rooms can be booked in packages of 3 hours or 6 hours at set rates. But they are expensive. The 6-hour package costs 3500 rp at T3 or 3000 rp at T1, plus taxes which kick the total rate up considerably. Count on 4000 – 4500 rp total / $67-75 US per night… Remember, that’s not for an entire night. That’s for just 6 hours.

Although the rates are 5-star, the quality is more like 2-3 star. Showers are hot but drastically flood the floors. Free food & drinks included in the rate are extremely low quality and essentially amount to junk food. A/C cannot be adjusted per room, so you’re stuck with the temperature set by the lounge.

I don’t know about you, but for that rate I expect much better service and amenities.

I made the mistake of staying at the airport lounge the first time I flew into/out of Delhi. I later realized it was the most expensive and lowest quality choice I could have made.

For just about anyone, this is probably the worst option – unless you absolutely do not want to leave the building, require your own room and don’t mind the cost.

*note – Although the website doesn’t mention it, T1 also has a Premium Lounge and it’s accessible from outside without entering the security area. On the other hand, the Premium Lounge at T3 can only be accessed if you’re already inside the airport T3 building (via can arriving flight) or a few hours before your departing flight if arriving from outside the airport (such as by bus, train or taxi).

Check Premium Lounge details here 

Google map of hotels near Delhi Airport – all those red dots are hotels!

2 OPTIONS NEAR DELHI AIRPORT

 Option 3 – Book into a hotel near the airport

There are dozens of hotels very close to Delhi airport. The closest are within walking distance to T1 and a 5 minute transfer to T3. Other hotels are 1-10 km from the airport, taking 10-30 minutes by taxi. Most hotels offer transfer services to/from both terminals. Some are complimentary and some charge a fee.

Hotels range in price from under 1000 rp per night / $15 US on up to luxury hotels like Radisson and Hyatt for 12,000 rp / $200 US per night or more.

If you’re looking for the least expensive hotels nearby, simply Google ‘budget hotels near Delhi airport’ and you’ll soon have dozens of options to choose from. You can book rooms online or call the hotels for more information and booking. I’ve recently seen rates as low as 880 rp and 950 rp, inclusive.

As you can see, the low end rates are considerably less expensive than the airport lounge – for a whole night. Too bad for me that I neglected to research hotels near the airport before I arrived!

Here I am boarding my Spice Jet flight Delhi to Dharamsala after sleeping overnight at the airport

 Option 4 – Home stays near the airport

If you prefer a more personal touch, several Indian families in gated suburban communities near the airport welcome travelers into their homes. They all provide nicely appointed bedrooms, wifi, TV, and breakfast. They also can provide pick up & drop off at the airport, for a fee (generally higher than catching a taxi on your own)

Most of the home stays charge 3000-3500 rp per night / $50-60 US, inclusive. Their airport transfers run 800-1000 each way. So you’re looking at a total cost of about 5000 – 5500 rp. That’s basically the same rate as staying at the airport lounge, but you get to stay the whole night in someone’s home with all the mod-cons, including a home-cooked breakfast.

The home stays are all located within 20-30 minutes of the airport by taxi.

Find home stays online by Google-ing ‘home stays near Delhi airport’. Lonely Planet guidebook, Dec 2011 also lists a few.

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