India and South Asia Air Travel

India's Aviation Market: Scale and Structure

India is the world's third-largest domestic aviation market by passenger numbers and one of the fastest growing globally. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) oversees a sector where annual passenger traffic has grown from under 50 million in 2010 to over 150 million domestic boardings annually by 2023. IndiGo, with over 55% domestic market share, is India's largest carrier and one of the world's most profitable low-cost airlines by margin. Air India (now privatized and owned by Tata Sons), SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Vistara (merged into Air India in 2024) complete the main carrier landscape.

India's major hub airports are Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in New Delhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai, Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) in Bangalore, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) in Hyderabad, Chennai International Airport (MAA), and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) in Kolkata. Delhi and Mumbai handle the bulk of intercontinental traffic; Bangalore and Hyderabad are the primary gateways for the country's technology industry.

IndiGo operates from virtually every Indian airport with scheduled service, connecting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities—Patna (PAT), Ranchi (IXR), Raipur (RPR), Visakhapatnam (VTZ), Coimbatore (CJB), Nagpur (NAG)—that were previously accessible only by train or road. IndiGo's on-time performance and reliability are notably strong by Asian low-cost carrier standards, contributing to its dominance. The carrier's Airbus A320neo fleet is modern, fuel-efficient, and configured to dense domestic economy standards.

International Connectivity and Major Airlines

Air India, under Tata's ownership since January 2022, is undergoing substantial modernization including a massive aircraft order (470 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus) and product improvements across cabin classes. Air India operates intercontinental services to London Heathrow (LHR), New York JFK, Chicago (ORD), San Francisco (SFO), Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Tokyo (NRT), and Singapore (SIN), among others, from its primary hubs of Delhi and Mumbai. Air India is a Star Alliance member and offers reciprocal benefits with United, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines.

Emirates, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, and Etihad all operate multiple daily flights between India and their respective hubs—reflecting India's enormous importance as a source market for international travel. Singapore Airlines operates the most flights to India of any foreign carrier, with services to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. The Singapore–India corridor is one of the world's busiest international routes.

IndiGo has expanded internationally with services to Dubai (DXB), Singapore (SIN), Bangkok (BKK), Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Istanbul (IST), London Gatwick (LGW), and several Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cities. Air India Express—Air India's low-cost subsidiary—operates extensively on Gulf routes connecting Indian expatriates in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain with home cities across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. These Gulf routes are among India's most commercially important, driven by the large Indian diaspora working in Gulf countries.

Navigating Indian Airports

Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is India's busiest and most modern, with three terminals. Terminal 3, which opened in 2010, is India's largest building by floor space and handles all international departures plus IndiGo, Air India, and Vistara domestic operations. Terminals 1 and 2 handle remaining domestic carriers. An airside bus connects terminals for connecting passengers. The Delhi Metro's Airport Express Line connects Terminal 3 to New Delhi Railway Station in 19 minutes and Connaught Place in 21 minutes—excellent value at INR 60.

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM) has undergone significant renovation with the Veer Savarkar International Terminal (T2) providing a world-class experience for international arrivals and departures. However, the airport's location in the densely urban Kurla area means road access is severely constrained. The Mumbai Metro Line 1 does not directly serve the airport; the upcoming Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) connecting BOM to Colaba and Bandra will transform ground access when fully operational. Currently, taxis and pre-paid booths in arrivals are the primary option—allow 90 minutes minimum from BOM to South Mumbai during evening peak hours.

Bangalore's Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) is located 40 km from the city's IT corridor, making it one of the world's most frustrating airport access situations for technology professionals. The dedicated BIAL airport road is prone to severe congestion, particularly on Friday evenings and Monday mornings. The Namma Metro Purple Line extension to BLR was inaugurated in 2024, providing much-improved connectivity to MG Road and Baiyappanahalli in approximately 50 minutes. Pre-book airport taxis through app-based services (Ola, Uber) to avoid inflated fares.

South Asia: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal

Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo is South Asia's most pleasant international gateway—smaller than Indian metro airports but well-organized and efficient. SriLankan Airlines, a Oneworld member, operates connections to Colombo from London Heathrow, Paris, Frankfurt, Singapore, Bangkok, Melbourne, and major Indian cities. Sri Lanka introduced an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) system requiring online pre-registration for most nationalities—the fee is USD 35 for most passports and approval is typically instant.

Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Nepal is the region's most challenging airport operationally, situated in a valley surrounded by the Himalayan foothills. Visual approaches are required in poor visibility, and the airport is frequently closed during monsoon season (June–September) due to low cloud and heavy rainfall. Nepal's aviation safety record for domestic carriers has historically been poor—the country has been subject to EU Air Safety List bans for domestic carriers. International carriers including Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, IndiGo, Air India, Flydubai, and Malaysia Airlines serve Kathmandu reliably.

Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) in Bangladesh is the country's primary gateway, handling connections to the Middle East (particularly Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat) that serve Bangladesh's large overseas labor force. Biman Bangladesh Airlines operates intercontinental services alongside a domestic network. Bangladesh visas are required in advance for most nationalities; the e-Visa system is available for citizens of many countries. Pakistan's Islamabad International Airport (ISB), Karachi Jinnah International (KHI), and Lahore Allama Iqbal International (LHE) handle international services; Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has faced significant operational and regulatory challenges in recent years and foreign carrier alternatives are generally recommended.