Indira Gandhi International Airport arrivals

I am going to be picking up my family arriving from Canada from Delhi International airport. I haven't been to the new airport since it has opened as there has never been a need to go to the international airport and I have only been to the domestic one.

I would like to at the Indira Gandhi International Airport arrivals can we go inside the airport for receiving the passengers or is it the same like before it is all outdoors?

Are there any shops at arrivals?

How far is the car park from the arrivals?

 

Hi there, welcome to the forum!

(Images from Live Mint, Flights Watcher and Ramesh NG)​

Overview

The Indira Gandhi International Airport is India's busiest airport, with a handling capacity of over 40 million passengers annually. It is one of Asia's largest airports, even surpassing Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in air traffic for the last year. According to a survey conducted by globally known website, Sleeping in Airports, the Indira Gandhi International Airport stands as the 10th best airport in Asia alone. The airport has 3 main terminals, namely: Terminal 1 (Domestic Flights), Terminal 2 (Closed) and Terminal 3 (Mainly International Flights). Out of all these terminals, the Terminal 3 is regarded as the most spacious and developed part of the airport.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport

IGI Airport Outline (Map from Airports Worldwide)
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The map above depicts the main parts of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Included in the above map are the main terminals, Terminal 1, further divided into Terminal 1A, Terminal 1C and Terminal 1D, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Terminal 1 mostly handles departures and arrivals for domestic flights. Terminal 2 is closed for further renovation but is sometimes used for special flights. Terminal 3 handles international departures and arrivals, although it also has some domestic departures and arrivals. These two terminals are located quite a distance from each other and if ever you need to reach one terminal to the other, you need to ride a shuttle for a more hassle-free journey.

The IGI Airport Terminal 3 - International Arrivals + Facilities

All international flights begin and land in the Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. This terminal has 9 floors, the ground floor is mainly for arrivals while the first floor is mainly for departures. The other floors are for different services such as dining options, lounges and accommodation options. In this guide, our focus is on the Terminal 3 - Arrivals, since that is what you would be needing for meeting your family from Canada. Below is a map showcasing the Terminal 3 Arrivals Section and its different areas.

Terminal 3 - Arrivals Floor of IGI Airport (Map from New Delhi Airport)
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The map above showcases the Terminal 3 - Arrivals Floor/Section of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. As you can see, this section has several facilities for passengers arriving from abroad. Restrooms are available on the gate just after the Immigration Checkpoint. There's also a restroom nearby the Customs Department. Drinking water facilities are also available close to the restrooms mentioned above. An ATM facility is also available, care of the Punjab National Bank, close to the Gate No. 12, pictured above.

Just past Immigration Checkpoint are Duty Free Shops as well where arriving passengers can shop for some goods. Thomas Cook, a renowned travel agency, has three counters here as well, pictured by the bag-like icons. On the far right bottom corner is the Plaza Premium Lounge, where passengers arriving from abroad can freshen up for a nominal charge.

Visitor Entry to the Terminal 3 - International Arrivals

There are two Visitor's Lounges in the Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. One is for those picking up passengers from the Terminal 3 - Domestic Arrivals and the other is for picking up passengers from the Terminal 3 - International Arrivals. The latter is located at the extreme right of the Terminal 3, near Gate No. 8. The former is located at the extreme left of the Terminal 3, near Gate No. 1.

Former Visitor's Lounge in Terminal 2 (Image from Airways News)​

These lounges have glass-panelled walls so that visitors can actually see their loved ones checking in from the lounge itself. For Rs. 100 per person, you can stay in any of these lounges and wait for your loved ones to arrive. However, these lounges are usually filled with other visitors and sometimes, closed to the public too, depending upon the discretion of the management.

Another option is to reach Pillar No. 12, outside the Terminal 3. From there you will find a booth, to which you can pay a fee of Rs. 80, show a valid identification proof and enter the terminal. However, you're only allowed up to the Customs point and you can wait for your loved ones from there. You can also access the rest room and the drinking fountain from this point.

Car Parking in Terminal 3

For those bringing their own vehicle, there's a six-storey car parking available just across the Terminal 3 building. This is a huge car parking area which can accommodate over 4,000 vehicles at the same time. You can easily reach the car parking area via walking, although you would pass through non air-conditioned corridors. Those coming in from the Arrivals Hall itself, there's a foot bridge as well that connects the car parking to it directly, located on the first floor of the terminal.

Duration of Stay	Four-Wheelers	Buses/Bigger Vehicles
30 Minutes or Less	Rs. 80	Rs. 170
30 Minutes to 2 Hours	Rs. 180	Rs. 400
Succeeding Hours (Up to 8 Hours)	Rs. 90 Per Hour	Rs. 200
24 Hours	Rs. 1,180	Rs. 1,970

The table above depicts the rates for parking in the Car Parking in Terminal 3. Assuming that you have a normal four-wheeler vehicle, you need to pay Rs. 80 for the first 30 minutes of your stay in the car parking. If you exceed 30 minutes but still stayed for less than 2 hours, you have to pay Rs. 180. If you exceed 2 hours, you need to pay Rs. 90 for each hour you extend in the car parking. Finally, for those who stay longer than 8 hours in the car parking, they need to pay Rs. 1,180 as the parking fee.

Car Parking in Terminal 3 (Image from Wikimedia)​

Conclusion

I hope this little guide prepares you enough when reaching the International Arrivals Section or Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. There are signages all around anyway so that you can easily determine the point you need to get to. Good luck and I hope you have a hassle-free trip to the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

 

Now there are a number of shops at Delhi International Airport now, especially at arrivals. You have eateries like KFC, a South Indian food shop and a coffee and tea shop.

 

For those who are thinking of keeping their car aside just before approaching the arrivals airport area and waiting until the flight arrives, well that's not possible either, as the airport traffic police will be after you to move your car (that too by announcing it on loudspeakers).

 

This is ridiculous, why pay money to wait in a lounge. I am sure that nothing is offered there for free, so why the charge?

I am also sure that there is some seating arrangement outside the departures and arrivals where you dont have to pay!