Delhi Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 358 reviews
5/10
No Skytrax Rating
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2/10

"endless queues and waiting"

(United States)

Overall, our experience at the airport was extremely negative. We arrived at the international terminal (T3) around 2.30am and had to transit to domestic terminal (T1) to catch a domestic flight at 6.30am. With 3.5 hours in between our international arrival and domestic flight, we assumed that we would be able to catch the domestic flight, but unfortunately we missed our domestic connection. The bad experience started with a bus-transfer from T3 to T1 which took over 1hr 20min from the time we exited customs to the time we arrived at the check-in counter in the domestic terminal. Not only that, the bus driver ended up asking us (and other passengers) for money and when we refused to pay, he threatened to drop us off the bus, this inter-terminal connection is supposed to be free. The check-in process was slow due to a long line, and since the baggage allowance was lower on the domestic flight, it was made even slower as we had to go into another line to pay the extra baggage fee before check-in. The whole check-in took slightly over 40min. Security took another 30 mins. At the end of this endless queues and waiting, we arrived at the departure gate about 15 min prior to flight's scheduled departure, but the airlines have a policy of closing the gate 30 mins before departure so we were not allowed to board the flight. Exiting the post-security departure to go back to check-in counter to rebook on to later flight was another strange story. One would expect that we could walk back to the check-in area, but that isn't the case. You have to be escorted by an airline official who will first gather many passengers that have missed their flights, walk them to the security area (the same security checkpoint that one stands in line before the departure gates), and write down the passengers details one by one manually in a notebook before letting you go. Once in the check-in area, we managed to rebook onto a later flight by different airline, but still had to wait another 45 mins before we could get our luggage back from the airline who flight we had missed. In other words, from the time we missed the flight to the time that we received our luggage was another 1hr15 mins, and then we had to go through the same checkin/pay extra luggage/security before we could board onto another flight. By the time we got on our domestic flight, it had been a total of 6+ hours since we had landed in T3 terminal. We hadn't sat down for a single moment in all this time, and had been under constant stress of moving in different queues or waiting on/for something. Our experience at Delhi airport was in sharp contrast to our smooth sailing at Shanghai airport (we were flying into Delhi from Shanghai). We had a total of 4 hours at Shanghai airport. There are many things to say and infer, but it suffices to siply say that it is a tale of two different worlds.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitApril 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"staff gone from their desks"

(Canada)

We arrived 4 hours ahead of our International flight to London and we should have allowed 5 hours to get our boarding passes and get through security. I've never encountered such disregard for international travelers as they stood in lines for hours while the security staff slowly took their time processing people while people were missing their flights. At one point our line had all 4 of the staff gone from their desks and supervisors scratching their heads wondering where they went. No one moved for 15 minutes until they wandered back like they had no concerns at all. Several planes were late including ours because of this incompetence at this airport. One security guard asked my husband to take everything out of his carry-on after it had gone through the scanner and then left him standing there while he harassed some other "guests" and then motioned to pack it up without having taken a closer look for anything. What a waste of precious time as it was 2.30 am and our flight was scheduled to leave at 2.30 am. They held the plane while we ran. They seem to think they are doing "security" but it is a joke. Best step it up Delhi. Another example: We had arrived at the airport and walked through the front doors and sat and enjoyed a coffee near the doors. My husband went to go out for a smoke and was told he could not leave the airport, he asked why and the guard said "security". We hadn't even gone through any security yet. Avoid this airport.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitApril 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
9/10

"clean and effecient"

(India)

Delhi is a wonderful airport. Clean and effecient. Buggy service is helpful for the elderly and disabled but the staff lack discipline - they hide themselves behind counter using their mobile phones and their standard reply is the buggy is not charged. Plaza Premium lounge at domestic terminal needs a review on food quality and cleanliness which could be improved.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitApril 2016
Type Of TravellerBusiness
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
9/10

"airport is excellent"

(India)

We arrived at T3 from Lucknow on Air India flight. The airport is massive with a huge area. It is clean with adequate signs, clean restrooms and duty free shops. Overall, I would rate this airport as excellent for visitors from India and abroad.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitMarch 2016
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
2/10

"do they want visitors?"

(United Kingdom)

The e tourist visa check-in is a joke, we were in the first line, what a mistake. When anyone with a child arrived they were pushed to the front of the line. It took over an hour to deal with 12 people. The fingerprint machines did not work, the officials kept leaving their desks, officials stood around, no extra staff were brought in to man the empty desks. They scanned passport information they already had, total waste of time. When we did get through the carousel had stopped and we had to search for our cases. As another reviewer said: do they want visitors?
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitFebruary 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
no
2/10

"unsmiling and unhelpful"

(United Kingdom)

What a depressing chaotic experience arriving at Delhi from London on 6 February was. The terminal is looking old and tired but the main problem was immigration. There were lots of people (mangers, supervisors?) standing around watching but they weren't doing anything to keep the queues moving. The signage and information about which queue to be in, if a customs or entry form was required etc was total chaos. The staff were unsmiling and unhelpful and seemed almost to enjoy catching people out for having joined the wrong queue or got the wrong piece of paper. After a 9 hour flight the whole experience was a nightmare and made me want to get straight back on a plane an return to London. Bureaucracy and "jobsworth" attitude at its worst. Does India actually want tourists to visit its country - judging by the welcome at Delhi airport immigration it seems not. The whole dispiriting experience took over 90 minutes.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitMarch 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
no
10/10

"fantastic service"

(Australia)

We flew domestic from Amritsar to transit to International to return to Australia. It is a large but good airport. We had some trouble finding our way to International. We were spotted by an airport employee who approached us saying we looked like we needed help. He placed our bags in a trolley then walked the trolley and us to International to our check-in desk. He did not leave us until we were actually checked in. Fantastic service rarely encountered.
Experience At AirportTransit
Date VisitMarch 2016
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
yes
2/10

"nothing but horrible"

(United States)

My experience of arrival as well as departure thru this airport was nothing but horrible. Firstly a very faulty design, passengers have to walk too far to reach anywhere. Staff were very rude to say the least. Our flight arrived at 2.45 am, only 13 out of 52 immigration counters were manned, meaning at least a two hour wait to pass this hurdle. No seperate counters for OCIs, even though it says so on their website. Immigration officers have to ask a million questions even though they are irrelevant. Next hurdle is the duty free area. Staff there are loud and rude as if they are doing us a favor by selling us something. We had a hotel pick up vehicle which was parked in the parking. Apart from the above, the tarmac was dark and dingy and so was the immigration hall. What I don't understand is when they all know the maximum international flights arrive at night, why only 13 out of 52 counters were manned. The same story on the way out. Very few immigration officers available to clear too many passengers. We were in the line for over an hour and a half. We were very happy to get out and vowed never to return to India thru this airport.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitFebruary 2016
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
3/10

Delhi Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

I really needed to use WiFi at Delhi airport and I did not have a phone or an Indian mobile number to get a passcode. On the upside the metro train connection into Delhi is great and modern but there should be easier and reliable methods of getting a ticket for it. The machines both ways were not able to take my money so I was hanging around trying to find someone to serve me.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitFebruary 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
10/10

"good connecting facilities"

(India)

Very quick check-out for domestic travellers and quick luggage delivery. Very good connecting facilities from the airport. The time taken from the plane to the exit gate is less than 6 mins (with check-in baggage). Complete automated facilities.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitFebruary 2016
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes