Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is Delhi's main airport and the busiest in India, about 16 km south-west of central Delhi. It is named after the former prime minister Indira Gandhi, and most international flights, including the direct services from Singapore, use its large Terminal 3, which opened in 2010.

Indira Gandhi International Airport has three passenger terminals: Terminal 3 for most international and many domestic flights, and Terminals 1 and 2 for domestic flights. Direct flights from Singapore take about five and a half to six hours. After immigration and customs, your driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name board and takes you to your hotel; the drive into the city usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. At the end of the tour, you are dropped back here in good time for your flight home.

What to see

• Arrival hall money exchange, ATMs and SIM card counters
• The Airport Express metro line to New Delhi railway station
• Aerocity, a hotel and restaurant district next to the airport
• Terminal 3's shops for Indian tea, spices and handicrafts
• Lounges and food courts airside for departures

What to wear

For the flight and arrival, wear loose, comfortable clothes in layers. Delhi is hot from April to June, often above 40°C, so pack breathable cotton; from December to February nights can drop to about 5°C and fog is common, so bring a warm jacket in your cabin bag. If your tour includes temples or gurdwaras, pack a scarf and clothes that cover shoulders and knees. Slip-on shoes help at security and at shrines.

Local food to try

Delhi is a food city. Try butter chicken and dal makhani, chole bhature, stuffed paranthas and chaat, and halal Mughlai kebabs and nihari in Old Delhi. At the airport, the food courts serve Indian and international chains, and Aerocity next door has restaurants and hotel cafes for a first meal. Vegetarian food is easy to find everywhere.

Good to know

• Winter fog from December to January can delay early morning flights
• Open 24 hours, every day
• Singapore passport holders need an Indian visa (e-Visa) before travel
• Allow about three hours before an international departure
• About 45 minutes to an hour by car to Connaught Place, depending on traffic
• Only ticketed passengers may enter the terminals; carry printed or digital tickets

Nearby places

The Qutub Minar is about 15 km east, a good first stop, and Connaught Place is the easiest city-centre base. Sultanpur National Park is about 30 km south-west for a morning of birds.