Has anyone here ever spent the night at an airport in India? I am sure it must have come up for some people, whether they missed a flight or chose to save cash on a hotel when their plane leaves really early in the day. I would be interested in hearing about the experience, especially in terms of safety, comfort (decent chairs in quiet areas?), facilities (24 hour cafes?). Thanks in advance.
New Delhi International has amazing sleeping pods. They re around 12 USD an hour, and look spacious, with a proper bed, TV and power sockets for charging your electricals. I don't know if they have a bathroom though,so that could be a drawback. I think they are meant to be used for a couple of hours rather than all night, so for that they look fine.
It will be cheaper to get a hotel room as compared to spending $12 an hour even if you are staying 5-6 hours. A decent hotel room will cost you less than Rs2500 if you use an application like oyo rooms. If you include Rs1000 for the return taxi you would still save money and you get free wifi besides a full bed and other facilities not too far from the airport.
I have asked questions about the Indian airports and have not gotten any great answers. My main interest is in the VIP lounges. I would think, if they are comparable to those at other major international airports, they would provide a great place for food, drinks, and relaxation. I make use of lounges in my trips for business, and would hate to fly without them. You can look into individual use access, or some other plan. Many credit cards provide free lounge access, too. I would think it could be very economical, especially since many lounges have full meals and alcoholic beverages for free.
I've found in other countries too that a lot of hotels near the airport have shuttle services that go to and from the airport for free! Anyone looking at accommodation near an airport should definitely check that out and see if it's something offered - it's both convenient and saves money!
There are atleast two of them at the New Delhi international airport , one is called Plaza something and the other one is run by ITC (Indian tobacco company). I have no idea how much they cost. I am going to fly out of Delhi on the 10th and I will make it a point to find out the prices and different options for you
Thanks. That is really great of you. I think it will be good information for all of the community. The lounges really do make travel a lot easier.
I love airports, and unless I am really tired between long flights I actually find watching what is going on to be more fun than anything else. If I was going to be there all night I would definitely look at a local hotel though. I have bought lounge passes a couple of times, but not all airports allow that, as far as I remember.
If you get a Priority Pass, either buying it directly or through your credit card, you can save a lot. It only makes sense if you do a lot of travel. I am in and out of lounges all the time, and being able to pull out that card to get inside after or before a long trip is just great. I even have it as part of my plan when traveling certain segments, going so far as to make sure I have time at the airport between flights. I know which lounges have candy bars and chips, or soup cups, which provide full meals, paper, pens, pencils. I know which ones have nice showers, and which ones know how to make a proper martini. And, yes, it is great watching people at an airport. But it is better when you do it from the comfort of a VIP lounge.
jnorth, I love that you have that level of detailed information about so many airport lounges. Do you keep it all on a spreadsheet to make finding what you want to know easily?
Sleeping pods at some Indian airports? That is genius, and I don't know why my local airport doesn't do that. I once slept at an airport, and I decided to just be excited about the whole thing. I figured trying to enjoy a strange experience would be better than beating my head against a stone wall. It was not comfy at all, as far as sleeping went. I finally just laid in a corner on the floor. I was worried the staff would stop me, but they didn't. I know that was probably not very sanity. I would pay that much for a sleeping pod at an airport for sure!
I don't keep any of that information written down. But going back and forth from some place in South America to the United States at least twice a month gives me plenty of opportunities. Adding to that the other trips abroad for trade missions or actual vacations, and you build up a lot of knowledge. For instance, when I hit Las Vegas, I stop in the VIP Salon, to pick up some bagged chips and sodas, then head on over to the Centurion Lounge for a nice long meal and two or three drinks. In Sao Pablo, you will want to hit all three of the big lounges in the international terminal. The American Airlines one is great for magazines, including this one special luxury products and lifestyle publication called Noblesse.
Okay, there are several choices when it comes to sleeping in airports. Here they are: Lounges. All you need to do is purchase a lounge pass or be a member and you can relax in these lounges. Shops. Most shops have couches which you can use to rest or sleep. Transit Hotels and Sleeping Pods. There are hotels and sleeping pods within the airport terminal or even beside the area. The rates are quite affordable so you can avail of those. Good luck!
