25 Worry Free Air Travel Tips for Flying from India to USA
You got visa stamped and ready to go US. For most of you this would be your first time flying or first trip from India to US.
This post will help you understand the flight booking process and provide you with some air travel tips to USA. Cheap flight ticket from India to USA might not be the best always.
Air Travel Tips to USA
- Find a travel companion to the same university from your departing city.
- Book flights together (India to USA), if not get same connecting flight from second flight (if you have connections).
- Search for best airfare deal not the cheapest airfare (check with multiple travel agents)
- After you find the lowest priced ticket through travel agent, then shop online (or vice versa).
- Negotiate to get the lowest air fare to US
- One way fare is about 70% to 80% value of round trip fare.
- Register for frequent flyer account with the airline which you plan to book ticket.
- Provide the frequent flyer number to travel agent while issuing the ticket.
- Don’t forget about registering for frequent flyer account. By following travel hacking, you can get 1 round trip ticket within US.
- Find baggage allowance before paying for the flight.
- You may have to pay $50 for the second suitcase (How to Pack Suitcase)
- Some airlines will allow students to carry 2 checked bags for free (23kgs or 50 lbs each) [List of things to Carry to US]
- Avoid certain airlines (know for poor customer service and frequently delayed flights and lost bags)
- Lowest fare doesn’t always provide best flight connections and options.
- First time travelers ask for Window seat. If you are tall, ask for aisle seat.
Flight Connections
- Most likely you will have to get connecting flight within US before you reach your final destination.
- Universities located in Major cities will have direct flight from India (Mumbai to New Jork) or direct entry from second connecting flight.
- Port of entry in US will be the first city where you land (not your final destination) [Port of Entry in US – Procedures]
- You have to clear Immigration and Custom procedures before boarding the next flight within US
- Allow atleast 3 hours between connecting flight, that will give enough time to clear customs and immigration procedures.
- You will have to take your suitcase and clear customs and check the bags-in for local domestic connection.
- If you miss the connection, don’t panic. Inform the person who will be waiting to pick you from the airport.
- Airline will get you on the next flight to your destination.
- Have some US Dollars in hand and atleast $1 bill to make phone calls. If not ask someone with cell phone if you can make a phone call.
- Find a way ( phone or email) to inform the party who will be waiting to pick you from the airport, if there is a flight delay.
Flight Ticket Price
If you have already booked your flight tickets, post the route, airline and fare cost as a comment. It should give an idea to others and you may find a travel partner too.
I have lot more travel tips, so stay tuned to the latest blog posts. Do leave a comment if you find this post useful and share it with your friends (facebook, orkut, by email..).
See Also : Tips to Book Cheap International Flights for First Time Flyers
Travelling to TAMIU on 28 Dec 2017
Flight British airways & American airlines
Mumbai – LHR- dallas-laredo
univ of south alabama
22nd july 00:55 ( mumbai to munich)
12:20 munich to chicago
19:10 chicago to mobile
please contact to my facebook address if the itinerary is same!
Hello all,
Details of My flight journey.
Hyderabad-London-Chicago-St.Louis on 28th July.
1) Hyderabad to London, operated by British Airways BA 276
2) London to Chicago, operated by American Airlines AA 91 (BA 1546)
3) Chicago to St.Louis, operated by American Airlines AA 2201 (BA 2426)
Please reply if anyone is travelling through the same flight.
Hi!
Univ.- University of hawaii at Hilo, HI
D.O.J- 11th-August-2012 @ 11.10pm
Mumbai to New Jersey to Los angeles to Hilo
Flight Time- 36
Flight- United Airlines
Let me know if any1 is trvelling same.
Cost- 92,000
Hello,
I am supposed to travel on 25th Aug from Chennai to Boston (Via Mumbai, Heathrow ) and will be reaching boston on 26th Aug.. I am going to pursue MS degree in at Northeastern University. I have students orientation on 28th Aug 2012.
I have 8:30 hrs connection flight timeover at London. but there is change in terminals b/n the second flight and third flight.Do I really need Transit Airside Visa at London? Anyways, As per the info in UK Border Agency website, it is clearly told that there is no need of transit visa, but not sure if this is applicabe for temrminals change. However, could anyone confirm the same.?
Thanks.
Hi!
Univ.- Northern Michigan University,Marquette,MI
D.O.J- 19th-August-2012 @ 2.20am[18th late night]
New Delhi to London Heathrow-Chicago – Marquette.
Flight Time- 28 Hours.
Flight- British Airways & American Airlines.
Let me know if any1 is trvelling same.
Cost- 62,000.
Flight: Jet Airways
Details: Hyd to syracuse via connecting flight at Chennai & New York.
Date: August 18
Cost: 69000.
School: Suny Institute Of Technology-UTICA.
Just found ur site, very helpful to many. I’m American interested in going to Mumbai for 2 weeks. What stopover/layover cities do you recommend? Went from Denver-Newark, NJ-Mumbai last time, but the 15+ hours from US to India was SO LONG!! What is good layover between US and India (London/Germany/Doha)? Thanks!
Depends on how long you want to take layover break. Typical routes from NY to Mumbai are
Paris(Air France, Delta), London(Virgin Atlantic, BA), Frankfurt(Lufthansa), Amsterdam(KLM), Dubai(Emirates), Brussels (Jet Airways, AA).
Find the cheap fight among the above routes, then decide to take a break.
univ: cal sate-East Bay
route: Hyd–London–San Fransisco(waiting time only 1 hr…same terminal no need to change)
airways: British Airways
tarvel Date: 7th sept morning 6:45 A.M
Cost: around 47000/-
Luguage allowed: 23*3 plus a cabin luguage of 7 kgs
hey
British airways given me only 2*23 baggage,
is there any 3*23 baggage for students,
please let me know if it is there,.
Oregon State University
8th September 0110 hrs (7th late night)
Delta
Mumbai – Amsterdam – Portland
45k
SUNY Albany
13 August
Emirates and Delta
HYD – DUBAI – JFK – Albany
48.5 k
Louisiana State University
Date of flight: 5th August
Delta airlines and KLM
Delhi-Amsterdam-atlanta-baton rouge
Cost:46,782
Kent State University
Date of Dept: 15th Aug
Air India& American Airlines 50500
Cochin-Delhi-New york- Cleveland
hiii jibin am jino frm muvattupuzha..will be going to US on aug 15th at 4.30 am frm kochin on emarites..can i have ur cell num.mine is 9562950171
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.
Date of Dept: 27th July
Bangalore- atlanta- Clemson- Alabama.
University: Arizona State
Date of departure: Aug 1st
Route: Bangalore – Dubai – LA – Phoenix
Cost: 41,155
Airlines: Emirates (till LA), US Airways
2*23 for the whole trip, one additional 1*23 offered by emirates for students till LA; have to pay 25/50$ from LA – PHX
University: University of Illinois , Urbana champaign
Travel date: Aug 9 th
Route: Chennai- Abu Dhabi- Chicago
Cost:47600 INR
Airlines: Ethihad
Two baggages and a stop over is good.
Univ: Western Michigan University
DOJ: 14th August 2011
Airlines: British Airways
Route: CHENNAI-LONDON-CHICAGO-KALAMAZOO
Fare: 56,940
Univ: Texas Tech University
DOJ: 2nd August 2011
Airlines: Emirates
Route: HYDERABAD-DUBAI-HOUSTON-LUBBOCK
Fare: 62k
Going for :BRADLEY UNIVERSITY, PEORIA, IL
Date of journey : 10th Aug 2011
AIR INDIA 47 K INR
BANGLORE-DELHI-CHICAGO
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Air India (Kolkata-Delhi-JFK, New York)
Economy class (obviously !)
Fare: Rs 39780
date of Departure: 11th August 2011
I have been following the HSB since I planned to pursue my higher studies in the United States. Though I am yet to receive my grant and other admission related documents as the same is being looked after by my sponsoring agency, but the posts on HSB are really a great tool for a person like me who would be going to to study or the matter of fact flying first time out of the country.
I sincerely thank HSB for taking all the pains to post the blogs which help the students a lot to know about the foreign land and how to move ahead.
Since i joined HSB i have read almost all the posts and they were really helpful to me.
Though I would be going to US on a J1 visa which is scholar exchange visa, i would like the people with prior experience of the interview of J1 Visa kindly post their experiences so that it can be of some help to people like me who are yet to apply and appear for the Visa.
regards
thank you HSB 🙂 you have an awesome blog 🙂 it helps us for everything 🙂
hats off to you 🙂 for this
yup true ur dng a gr8 job bro
Air France
Cost : 41280
Mumbai-Paris-Los Angeles
Time between flights: 2hr 30min
University of California Los Angeles
Or if you want to be more comfortable during journey
you can opt for Premium Economy of-
British Airways
Mumbai-London-Los Angeles
Time between flights: 2hr 25min
Cost : Rs. 57,500
Flight Duration : 22hr 55min
University of California Los Angeles
Air France
Rs. 40,500
Mumbai — Paris — Atlanta (Port of Entry) — Columbus, Ohio
August 27th
The Ohio State University
Hi aakanksha,
There won't be any immigration problem. My college starts on 28th Aug 2010 but I reached USA on 1st July 2010. They will ask you for a reason at airport in India about why you want to travel to USA so early.
You just need to give them a logical answer and things will be done.
Thanks
hello vijay,
Thank you for the reply.
What was your answer when you were asked about why you are travelling early?
Is "got my ticket on this particular day" a good enough answer?
Aakanksha
Hi Aakanksha,
I told them that I have to attend couple of weddings of my relatives in USA staying in NJ & Denver and after attending the ceremony and staying with them for couple of weeks Ill leave for Texas to attend University orientation.
Is “got my ticket on this particular day” a good enough answer?- No I don't think its a satisfying answer and the Immigration officer may end up asking more questions to you in order to check the validity of your motive.
Thanks
I came to know that students cannot travel to the US one month before their start of classes as it is not allowed at immigration.
Is this news true?
My collg starts from 23th of aug(orientation is on 19th aug) and I will be reaching US on 21st july.is there goin to be a problem at immigrations?
congrats for ur overwhelming job of helping us aspirations
3 hrs beteween connecting flights……i have only around 2.15hrs to board the next flight from bangkok……would that be a problem..??
travelling on 2nd aug by thai airlines,would change for the next flight frim bangkok to los angeles.
Hi Himanshu,
2.15 hrs time between flights is sufficient. Anyways I will advice you to hurry up things at airport without wasting anytime.
Thanks
I have come from Thai Airways… from New Delhi to Los Angeles getting connecting flight from Bangkok…… man its a amazing experience… the most adventurous experiences of ur life. Anyways, when u reach Bangkok.. u gonna leave the plane and wait for the next flight. Please make sure when u land on airport just ask the authorities about the plane departure time and instructions. You will pass through security check and when u be about to get flight u will be asked to show ur I-20 and passport. Show them and wait for the exciting new world. Am so excited to remember my days. I came in 2009 to Los Angeles. Anyways, which university you are joining? Are you joining California State Northridge University or someone else? And don't worry about your time… 2 hrs is enough for it. I think your flight will take off around 11 in morning from India and then reach Bangkok around 4 afternoon according to their time. Then your next flight gonna take off around 7 or 8 something… the plane you will get in from Bangkok will be much bigger than the one you will take off from India. The airport of Bangkok is called Suvaranbhumi Airport and its very large, spacious and peaceful airport. Yah the Thai people working working there gonna seem like lizards… lol just kidding. When you be in flight… just keep on moving ur legs from time to time… drink more water and when u sit like too much time just go to bathroom and come back and again to bathroom n come back.. hahahaha thats the way u gonna get circulation in your legs… I enjoyed the movies alot while my flight. They have Bollywood, Thai and Hollywood movies. They also have a phone… like u can call from that phone by using credit card. You gonna enjoy man… don't be scared and don't be sad… wish you all the best!
Nice post Hsb keep up the gud work!
Hi HSB, this article is a very good one and must come in as very useful for all those going to US.
Keep it up…………………
Jetairways
Cost: Rs. 46,400
Ahmedabad-New Delhi-Toronto (One stop at Brussels)
Date- 29 August 2010
Sheridan College (Davis Campus – Brampton)
Flight: Air India
Details: hyderabad-Chicago-denver-bozeman
Date: August 4
Cost: 58,566.
School: Montana State University
Hi HSB ,
This blog is really a boon to all the US aspirants and am happy i found this blog and am also suggesting some of my friends to look into this blog .Keep going with this good work 🙂
Lufthansa 39,100(booked on 27th of may for the travel on 22nd july)
Chennai-Frankfurt-Dallas
UTD
Flight details :
Chennai to Delhi(Jet airways) – time : 5 PM in chennai airport
Delhi to Chicago(AA)
Chicago to Wichita(AA)
Date of Journey: 31st July
Expected arrival date : 1st August
Cost: Rs. 47800.
School: Wichita State University
Is there any one boarding from chennai ……..?
Also how long will it take to clear the immigration (in Delhi)……?
Luftansa
Cost-40,500
Mumbai-Frankfurt-Dallas
Date- July 5th 2010
University of Texas at Arlington- UTA
Flight: Air India
Details: Kolkata to Chicago via connecting flight at Mumbai.
Date: August 7
Cost: 41500.
School: University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Hi,
Congrats for getting admit from UCIC 🙂
Can u please post ur GRE, TOEFL scores and ur UG percentage?
Would like to know what it takes to get admit from UIUC.
Thanks
Hello Raghu,
Your doing a great job. 🙂 . This very post can allow users to find travel mates. I can tell that this blog is a boon to every student who is planning to go to the US. Keep this up….
Thanks
Rajkamal
Good blog. It is very usefull for all going to US for the 1st time. Thanks for all sharing the info. Keep up your gud work.