Finding Cheap Flights to India
Book your tickets 3 to 5 months in advance and use Google Flights with 'Track Prices' enabled to monitor fare drops. Fly into major hubs like Delhi (DEL) or Mumbai (BOM) rather than regional airports to keep costs significantly lower.
- Use the 'Explore' feature. Go to Google Flights, enter your home airport, leave the destination blank, and click 'Explore'. This shows you a map of the cheapest entry points into India from your location, often highlighting major hubs versus smaller secondary airports.
- Split your ticketing. If flying from a smaller city, don't book a through-ticket. Book a cheap domestic flight to a major international hub (like JFK, LHR, or DXB) and a separate ticket from there to India. Just ensure you allow at least 5 hours of layover time if you have to re-check luggage.
- Leverage hub-and-spoke carriers. Look at carriers based in the Middle East like Emirates, Qatar Airways, or Etihad. They frequently offer competitive 'stopover' deals that are cheaper than direct flights from Western countries.
- Set up price alerts. Once you have your preferred route on Google Flights, toggle the 'Track Prices' switch. You will receive email notifications when the price drops below the historical average.
- Which day of the week is cheapest to fly to India?
- Mid-week flights, specifically departing on Tuesday or Wednesday, are consistently cheaper than weekend departures.
- Should I use a VPN to find cheaper flights?
- It is a myth that using a VPN will automatically reveal lower prices. Price differences are usually based on the point of sale (where the currency is sourced), but direct booking and price tracking are more effective.