India’s geography makes the entry airport decision more consequential than almost any other destination. Flying into Delhi for a Golden Triangle itinerary (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) and returning from Mumbai after the south leg is the open-jaw approach that most India itineraries warrant — the country is too large to treat as a return-trip destination from a single city without significant retracing. The open-jaw search should be the first query, not the default return.

Indira Gandhi International (DEL) in Delhi is the primary hub for North India and handles the most long-haul international traffic. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus International (BOM) in Mumbai is the second major hub and correct for the Deccan plateau, Goa, and onward to South India. Kempegowda International (BLR) in Bengaluru is the right entry for South India (Mysore, Coorg, Kerala). Chennai (MAA) and Hyderabad (HYD) are secondary southern options. Goa’s Manohar International Airport (GOI) is the direct entry for beach-focused itineraries and avoids the Mumbai-plus-domestic-flight combination.

From London, India is one of the most competitive long-haul routes globally. The London-Delhi corridor is served by British Airways, Air India, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Finnair, creating genuine price competition. Economy return DEL sits at £450-£700 for most of the year; winter peak (December-January) and summer half-term (July-August) push fares to £700-£1,000. The October-November window (post-monsoon, pre-winter pollution spike in Delhi) and March-April are the two best buying windows: good weather in the north, strong availability, fares in the £500-£650 range. Middle Eastern carriers consistently undercut BA and Virgin by £80-£150 on this route, with Gulf hub connections adding three to four hours. For the price difference, taking Emirates via Dubai or Qatar via Doha is the correct call for most travellers.

From New York, Mumbai and Delhi both run $500-$850 economy return in non-peak periods. United, Air India, and Delta operate direct routes; the indirect Gulf carrier options are typically $50-$100 cheaper with connections.

India’s internal flight network is extensive and genuinely cheap. IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, and Vistara link every major city with services that cost INR 1,500-5,000 (£15-£60) booked two to four weeks out. The Delhi-Goa route, for example, runs under £40 one-way on IndiGo in the off-peak. The Shatabdi and Rajdhani express trains are excellent for shorter routes (Delhi-Agra, Mumbai-Goa), but anything over five hours is typically better served by a domestic flight on cost and time grounds. Budget domestic legs separately from the international flight — Indian carriers’ interline agreements with international carriers are limited.

Aviasales handles the India open-jaw search effectively and surfaces the Gulf carrier pricing that British and American airline sites systematically underplay. The Delhi-in, Mumbai-out routing should be the first search; compare it against the standard return to the relevant entry city. Kiwi.com is worth running for the more complex three-city routing (London-Delhi, internal Delhi-Goa, Mumbai-London) where combining an international and domestic leg under one itinerary view is useful. Book the long-haul international legs direct with the carrier; Indian domestic legs are smoothest booked via the Indian carrier’s own site (IndiGo’s app is well-built) or through MakeMyTrip.