I am from Delhi and have been wanting to go Manali since a long time, but the only thing putting me off is the long distance and driving there would be a killer. I really would love to be in Manali this winter and am considering getting there by air. I need to know where the nearest airport is in Manali or even is Manali has its airport. If there is no airport in Manali, I need to know which the nearest one is and how far it is from Manali?
Hi there! The nearest airport to Manali is at Bhuntar and it is known as the Kullu Manali Airport or alternatively, the Bhuntar Airport. This airport is about 50 kilometres away from Manali but because of the terrains, you might need at least 1 and a half hours to 2 hours to reach the city. Flights to the airport are sparse and you might find that it only has one daily flight from from two destinations which are Delhi and Chandigarh. These flights are operated by Air India Regional and Deccan Charters, respectively. It is also not unusual for flights to get postponed, cancelled or delayed for the Bhuntar Airport. Usually, it's the weather conditions that can be blamed for this. Yet another factor is the fact that the airport can be quite difficult for pilots. It's situated at such a high location and even surrounded by peaks. It's a good thing that an additional runway was added recently so now, two airplanes can park at the airport. For a long time, the single runway has been quite troublesome for the pilots. Your best option, once you reach the airport, is to ride a taxi to reach Manali. If budget is an issue, you can opt to reach Kullu and from there, ride a bus going to Manali. Kullu is merely 10 kilometres away from the airport. You can even do some sightseeing around Kullu first before reaching Manali. Despite these issues, reaching Manali by flight provides you with a commanding view of the Himalayan ranges. Plus, it makes the trip from Delhi shorter as well as you only need three hours before you can reach Manali, including the flight duration. Here is one flight from Delhi to the Bhuntar Airport for today's date: Air India AI 9805 - Departs at 6:45 from Delhi and arrives in Bhuntar Airport at 8:00. Fare is at Rs. 7,151 per passenger. As you can see, flight duration is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Fare might vary, depending on how early or how late you book. There's a price difference of about Rs. 2,000 sometimes. If taking a taxi, fares vary, depending on the vehicle, a smaller cab might cost Rs. 1,800 while a bigger cab might cost Rs. 2,200. These taxis are operated by the Bhuntar Taxi Union. You can also get a taxi to reach Kullu and from there, ride a bus going to Manali. It's the cheaper option, here are some buses plying this route: India Canadian Transport Corporation (Mercedes Benz AC) - They have three buses plying this route, departing from Kullu at different times: 6:00, 6:10 and 6:15. They then arrive in Manali at 7:30, more or less. Fare is from Rs. 450 and above. There you go, I hope this helps you.
