Mumbai21 Feb 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Ahmedabad
Earn 500 InterMiles
Earn 500 InterMiles
About Ahmedabad
The city of Ahmedabad is known to be the fifth largest in India and is quite the commercial hub of the state. It is easily one of the fastest-growing cities in India, which also plays a centre for education and various industries. Even though it is not the capital of the state, Ahmedabad has immense scope for development and has been rapidly growing. The city plays an excellent host to a traveller who wishes to experience more of the city's history, development and spirituality. While the development sphere continues to expand in the city, the authorities are further following the Swachcha Bharat campaigns to maintain a neat town.
Ahmedabad is impeccably connected with the rest of the major cities in India. Besides, the international flight connectivity from Ahmedabad is excellent. Reaching the city is easy from all means of transport. As for accommodations, abundant options are ranging from luxury hotels to hostels for all kinds of travellers. You can opt for a fun staycation by booking your hotels in Ahmedabad and make the most of your time in the city. The city also has some great educational institutions that one can consider. In fact, the student crowd in Ahmedabad is rising as the opportunities are immense.
Best time to visit Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad's summers can get pretty rough and hot, but the monsoon and winter are equally pleasant. Interestingly, the Gujaratis actually have specific dishes for every season. For summer, aam ras and dishes made from mango. As for winter, their famous undiyo takes over the kitchens and streets! The monsoon also has some cool street food that one can indulge in, when in the city.
Monsoons are typically dedicated to fun street snacks such as roasted corn, boiled corn and some essential roasted dishes. You can primarily find these on the streets as several vendors indulge in selling smokey flavoured street snacks. During this time, the city also welcomes festivals such as Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami, which are celebrated with gusto.
Undoubtedly though, winter becomes the best season to visit Ahmedabad as it comes with a plethora of cultural relevance as well as sublime atmosphere. The temperature actually drops down to 5-20 degree Celsius, so do pack thermal wear for your trip. Not to mention how festivals such as Navratri, Diwali also take place during the winter months. This means you can actually indulge in some fun Garba as well as dress up for the occasion. Navratri food is another reason why you would want to take a trip to Ahmedabad during the winters.
Places to see in Ahmedabad
Gandhi Ashram
The Sabarmati Ashram, popularly known as the Gandhi Ashram is the place founded by Mahatma Gandhi. What makes this one of the major tourist attractions of Ahmedabad is the rich historical relevance it holds. The premise of the ashram has teachings of Gandhiji etched on the walls. Interestingly, the ashram continues to work with the principles set by the freedom fighter as the premise also contributes to the handicrafts market with their handmade products. In fact, the ashram also has a handmade paper factory and a spinning wheel factory located within the premise.
ISKCON
The Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Rama is prevalent in many parts of the country and even the world. The inspiring stories of the two deities as well as their teachings resonate with many followers. The temple is beautiful and has a festive air which will soothe your soul.
Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum
Established by Muni Shri Punyavijayi and Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai, the museum is a haven for a bibliograph as it is an abode to priceless book collections, manuscripts and text materials from a long time ago. From Vedic scriptures of Jainism to poetic verses written in ancient India, the manuscripts and published literary work would be of interest to you if you're an avid reader or someone interested in history.
Auto World Vintage Car Museum
At the Auto World Vintage Car Museum, you will find yourself in awe of some of the swanky rides owned by Shri Pranlal Bhogilal, who opted to convert his private collection to public viewing. Not only will you get to see some fancy rides such as Maybach, Cadillac, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Chrysler, Lincoln, etc. but will also get to take one for a spin! Of course, you'll have to pay a token to take one of the cars out for a drive.
Bhadra Fort
The Bhadra Fort was once a pristine palace with lush gardens and gorgeous sights. Built back in 1411, the fort vicinity also has a temple of Goddess Bhadrakali. The fort has some historical significance as well as some spiritual relevance. One can take up a stroll around the Bhadra Fort and learn more about the rich backstory.
Calico Museum of Textiles
Ahmedabad or rather Gujarat, in general, is known for their contribution to the textile industry. In fact, they are the frontrunners in the textile industry. Many might assume that credit goes to Mahatma Gandhi's Swadeshi movement, which enabled them to opt for handwoven khadi garments and produce the same. However, Ahmedabad's history with textiles dates back to the 1700s! Please take a tour through the Calico Museum of Textiles to learn more about their history and more.
Things to do in Ahmedabad
Drive-in theatres are a big hit here. You can probably rent a vehicle and head straight to Drive-In Road in the city but ensure to check the show timings before making a plan to watch a movie. Law Gardens is a bustling capital for the shopaholic in you. As long as you can handle some impeccable haggling, Law Gardens is the best place to shop Gujarati ensembles and clothes representing their culture. From glasswork on the fabric to shimmery outfits, you will have a lot of options to pick from at this shopping street.
A heritage walk is usually conducted in the city where you are taken through a tour of some of the historical streets of the town. The walk is organised by Ahmedabad's municipal corporation and happens daily. The walk starts at Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur and stretches up to the Jama Masjid. You can choose a day of leisure by hanging out at the Victoria Garden. It is close to the Bhadra Fort.
Food and Restaurants in Ahmedabad
Gujaratis fondness towards food is no big secret. They love food and are always game to explore the variety. In fact, much recently, a man found fame for selling pineapple and rabdi sandwiches! Speaking of which, if you do wish to check out this melange of flavours then you should head to Manek Sandwich in the city's Manek Chowk. For lip-smacking Gujarati thalis, you should check out Vishala. Tadka Punjabi, Sankalp is also some famous food joints in Ahmedabad with impeccable cuisines. While you're here, you should undoubtedly visit Havmor ice cream parlours and get some of that action.
There is something known as Kathiyawadi Food which is an Ahmedabad speciality. In case you're in the mood for some adventure, this is an excellent way to go about your gastronomical journey. Visit Bardi at CG Road for the same. There are more options available at CG Road such as Choice Snacks, Mirch Masala, to name a few that you can check out.
How to reach Ahmedabad (Transportation)
By Air
Ahmedabad has impeccable flight connectivity as various domestic as well as international airlines have flights in and out of the city. The main airport is the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport located approximately 15 km from the city centre. The airport is looking at some significant expansion plans to bring in more space for international airlines. Some of the global flight connectivity from Ahmedabad is with cities such as Kuwait, London, Doha, Singapore and Muscat, to name a few. As for domestic destinations, the flight connectivity from Ahmedabad is brilliant as a majority of the domestic airlines have flights in the city. You can fly to a majority of the metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Surat, Goa, Kolkata and more.
By Rail
The Ahmedabad Central Railway Station is also well-connected in terms of daily availability of transport. There are dedicated trains from Mumbai heading to Ahmedabad regularly with multiple connections to other major cities such as Rajkot, Pune , Delhi, Jaipur, Indore, Udaipur, Kolkata, Varanasi, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Chennai, etc. Other important junctions include the Sabarmati Junction and Maninagar Railway Station which connect to the central railway station.
By Road
Driving up to Ahmedabad is actually a fun ride as the roads are exciting and the highways are not risky. You can either book a bus ticket for yourself or rent a car or even drive yourself. People travelling from Maharashtra, Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh often opt for buses as the best option if railway tickets aren't confirmed. The buses are comfortable too as you have options such as semi seater and sleeper to choose from. You can easily reach Ahmedabad from any corner of the country.
About Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines or more popularly known as Saudia, is the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia and is based out of Jeddah. The airline's main hub is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. The secondary hubs for Saudi Arabian Airlines are in Riyadh and Damman's King Khalid International Airport and King Fahd International Airport, respectively. With respect to revenue, Saudi Arabian Airlines is the third-largest in the Middle East and falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways. The airline caters to a slew of domestic routes and international routes spread across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Much of the domestic and international charter flights are deployed and operated during the Ramadan period and the Hajj pilgrimage season. In 2012, Saudi Arabian Airlines joined the SkyTeam airline alliance and is also part of the Arab Air Carriers Organization. It is a non-profit non-political organization that comprises of airlines from 18 countries and has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.
The airline came into existence in 1945 following the reception of a Douglas DC-3 as a present to King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud by the then US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This gave the kingdom a nudge to put their resources towards building their civil aviation. Saudia Arabian Airlines was also founded at the same time and fell directly under the government rule with all its controls handled by the Ministry of Defence. The airline's management contract was handed over to Trans World Airlines (TWA). The first airport for the airline's operations was in Kandara Airport, located close to Jeddah. However, the airport has been demolished. Its early operations consisted of flights heading from Lydda (present-day Israel) to accommodate transport for Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah. Following this, Saudi Arabian Airlines introduced various domestic route operations such as Jeddah-Riyadh-Hofuf-Dhahran. The airline also brought in delivery of two Boeing 720s and became the fourth Middle Eastern airline to operate a jet aircraft. In 1963, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia announced that the airline would become a registered company instead of complete independence.
Later, Saudi Arabian Airlines purchased DC-6s and Boeing 707s. The airline further extended its reach from domestic routes to international routes with connections to destinations such as London, Mumbai, Sharjah, Frankfurt, Tripoli, Geneva, Tehran, Rabat, Tunis and Khartoum. By the 1970s, the carrier changed its name from Saudi Arabian Airlines to Saudia. Further, the airline also included Jumbo Jets to its fleet that was leased from Middle East Airlines. These jet planes were mainly deployed for operations in the London sector. During the same period, Saudia also operated Special Flight Services (SFS) that were reserved for the royal family and Saudi Arabia's government agencies. Following this, the airline expanded its international route network by chartering services to Rome, Stockholm, Paris, Kano and Muscat. A joint service of Pan Am/Saudia started in 1979 between Dhahran and New York City. In the 1980s, Saudia accommodated Horizon Class, a business class service, to enhance its in-flight services. In 2016, the airline announced that they would be starting a low-cost carrier subsidiary going by the name Flyadeal. Launched under the Saudia Group's SV2020 Transformation Strategy, the airline began operations in 2017 with flight services to domestic and regional destinations.
Fleet size of Saudi Arabian Airlines
As of 2020, Saudia owns a fleet size of 142 aircraft that comprises mainly Airbus and Boeing. The airline plans to continue adding world-class aircraft to its fleet and reach the top position as the best airline in the Middle East. They have constantly been rooting to enhance and modernize their fleet. Thorough studies and comprehensive deductions are made before the airline invests in acquiring new aircraft. Not to mention how an outline of their requirements from the aircraft is also charted out to get a better understanding of which aircraft will do justice to Saudia's brand name. This is in accordance with the airline's operations for domestic routes, regional routes and international routes.
Currently, the airline has 46 Airbus A320-214s, 15 Airbus A321s, 32 Airbus A330-343s, 33 Boeing B777-368ERs and 16 Boeing B787s as part of its fleet. Out of these aircraft, the Boeing B777-368ER is their largest aircraft which accommodates about 413 seats, 383 catering to the economy class cabin while 30 for business class. Meanwhile, the Airbus A330-343 and Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner are the second largest with a seating capacity of 298 that are segregated strategically. 274 seats have been reserved for economy class cabin while 24 have been placed in the business class cabin.
Baggage allowance
Baggage allowance, as stated by Saudia, vary from the journey type and the cabin class. They mostly follow the standard protocols set by the global aviation industry, which requires passengers in the first and business class cabin to have baggage weighing not more than 32 kg. As for passengers travelling from economy and guest class, the weight of the baggage cannot exceed 23 kg. In case the passengers do end up breaking the rules of baggage allowance and carry the weight that exceeds the said numbers, the airline will levy tariffs in SAR, per kg. Saudia also expects the passengers to follow the baggage dimension rules. Each piece of baggage needs to be within the dimensions of a total of 158 cm. In case the dimension does exceed, it cannot go beyond 205 cm.
Failing to meet the criteria would result in the airline requesting the passenger to ship the baggage by cargo. The same rules apply for domestic route flights and international route flights of Saudia. Depending on the cabin class that the passengers travel by, the airline would accordingly allow pieces of baggage. Flights to Asia from Saudia have two pieces of baggage allowed for economy class with one hand baggage that cannot weigh more than 7 kg. Business and first class passengers are allowed to car two pieces of checked baggage and one hand baggage that cannot exceed the weight of 12 kg.
In-flight
Saudia's in-flight services are exceptional as they offer a slew of luxurious amenities and hospitality. The airline boasts pristine seating which comes with comfortable leather. The seats are equipped with personal entertainment systems, spacious legroom and other such facilities. There is a special Saudi magazine that passengers can find as part of the entertainment package. These are mostly available on medium and long-haul flights. Part of Saudia's in-flight services also includes seat upgrades that can be requested at the check-in or even onboard. The airline also offers in-flight meals and beverages. However, it is one of the few airlines in the world, not to serve alcohol and pork. As per the Islamic dietary laws and restrictions, alcohol and pork are considered to be omitted from the diet.
Hence, the airline adheres to the same beliefs and does not serve the two items on the flight. It does offer a menu that has a rich list of dishes from global cuisine. One can immerse themselves in the delicious food while enjoying some good entertainment content. Some of the select few aircraft in Saudia's fleet also offer WiFi and mobile network portability. Interestingly, the airline's fleet also has prayer areas along with a recorded prayer that is played before the flight's take-off.
Popular routes and top cities for Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudia has enabled a successful domestic route and international route of flight connectivity. They have an extensive range of destinations to cater to that include about 80 cities spread across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Some of the international destinations include Vienna, Brussels, Hong Kong, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jakarta, Baghdad, Milan, Rome, Amman, Nairobi, Kuwait City, Kuala Lumpur, Rabat, Amsterdam, Lagos, Muscat, Lahore, Karachi, Doha, Singapore, Khartoum, Johannesburg, Madrid, Colombo, Geneva, Bangkok, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, London, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington DC. With hubs in Riyadh, Medina, Jeddah, Abha and Dammam, Saudia's domestic route connectivity is also quite strong as it connects to a vast number of cities within Saudi Arabia. These include cities such as Abha, Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh, Tabuk, Najran, Neom, Yanbu, Rafha, Najran, Turaif, Wedhj and more. Further, the airline wishes to expand more of its destinations and add more cities to its list of connectivity.
Why travel from Saudi Arabian Airlines?
Saudia or Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the best airlines as voted in the Middle East. It falls right behind Emirates and Qatar Airways to be the third-best in the aviation space of the Middle East. Much like the luxury standards set by the other two airlines, Saudia also meets with the same as it facilitates a slew of luxe in-flight services and convenience to the passengers. The airline is well-equipped with the best aircraft that have business class as well as economy class cabins. They recently introduced a mobile app to make travel procedures easier. Passengers can do their web check-ins from the app and also know more about the flight status. Further, there are provisions to book a Saudia flight on their app and other travel portals too, thanks to its popularity. Saudia's flight schedules have been mentioned on their website to help passengers pick the right option.
About Ahmedabad Airport
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport serves as an international airport to the city of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in the state of Gujarat. The airport is about 9 km to the north of central Ahmedabad. The airport has been named after the First Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It falls in the top ten list of busiest airports in India with respect to passenger traffic. In fact, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport stands at the seventh spot for being one of the busiest airports in India. According to reports received in 2018-19, the airport recorded a whopping passenger capacity of 11.17 million in a year. Ahmedabad Airport also serves as the focus city for GoAir airline.
The airport was originally set up in 1937 for domestic operations. However, the airport eventually received its international operations stature in 1991. In 2000, Ahmedabad Airport was added in the category of international airports in India. In the same decade, works to create a new terminal also commenced. In 2010, the airport's new terminal 2 came into existence, and it was inaugurated to handle international passengers.
Further, a towering 18 foot-tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was also erected at the airport. The airport has been recognised internationally for its world-class facilities and modern amenities. In fact, it also received an award in 2017 for being the 'Most Improved Airport' in Asia-Pacific, by the Airports Council International.
About Ahmedabad Airport terminals
Terminal 1 - Terminal 1 caters to domestic operations and comprises of two floors. The design and layout of the terminal are exquisite and is capable of handling 1400 passengers during peak hours. The terminal has also reserved spaces for parking cars which can accommodate 250 at one go. It comes with various facilities, including WiFi services and several food establishments. There are about 32 check-in counters as the terminal is sprawled over 480,000 square feet. Just recently in 2018, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport opened a new Plaza Premium lounge in the domestic terminal 1. The lounge is located right next to Gate 4 on the first floor of the terminal building. The lounge has world-class facilities and caters to Priority Pass. You can also use other select bank cards to get access to the lounge. Business-class passengers depending on the airlines that they fly from will also get access to the lounge.
Terminal 2 - Terminal 2, also known as T2, was inaugurated in 2010 and commenced operations the same year. Thanks to the exquisite Steel Structure built by the management, the terminal won accolades for the same at the 2009 edition of National Structural Steel Design and Construction Awards. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport's Terminal 2 accommodates four aerobridges with 32 check-in counters. The terminal's floor area sprawls across 41,000 square meters approximately.
With this, the terminal has the potential to accommodate over 1,600 passengers at all times. Similar to the terminal 1 lounge, terminal 2 also has a new Plaza Premium, which was opened in 2018. The new lounge at the terminal has been reserved for business class and first-class passengers. In fact, passengers who have special Priority Pass and other bank card are also given access to the terminal 2's lounge. Along with great facilities, the terminal also accommodates a 51,975 square metre long apron that enables parking bays for nine A-321 and four ATR-72 types of aircraft.
Terminal 3 - Terminal 3 is located next to terminal 1 and is used for domestic flight activities. The terminal is yet to start functioning, but as of 2019, the airport has managed to lay the foundation. Construction work has already commenced for the new terminal. The terminal building is set to accommodate a parking facility of 200 cars and will predominantly be used for Hajj season.
Terminal 4 - Terminal 4 is reserved for cargo activities. The airport has the capacity to accommodate about 51,637 tonnes of cargo, this includes gold and silver. Sixty per cent of the cargo is derived from various domestic sources. Presently, cargo airlines such as Blue Dart Aviation, Emirates SkyCargo, Ethiopian Airlines Cargo and Qatar Airways Cargo operate from Terminal 4 of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
About Airport Authority
Airports Authority of India is the owner and played as the operator of the Ahmedabad Airport. However, in 2015, they announced to privatise the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Until 2015, much of the airport's management and operations were handled by the Airports Authority of India. Following a bid to transfer the ownership or rather operations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Adani Group has become the management now. Plans of expansion and upgradation under the operations of Adani Group have not been revealed yet.
Facilities at the Ahmedabad Airport
Lounge – The international and domestic terminals of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have dedicated lounge services. Called the Plaza premium lounge, the two lounges have great hospitality and comfortable facilities.
Medical services – With a view to handle medical emergency cases, the airport has installed medical services and first aid rooms too. These are present in the domestic as well as international terminals.
WiFi – The airport offers free WiFi facilities for passengers. One can avail the free internet services without having to pay an extra tariff of any sort. Also, the internet connection is strong and can be utilised from various spots in the airport premise.
Currency exchange - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is an international airport and hence has a foreign exchange counter available in the terminal. You can get your currencies exchanged for a decent rate and also get money transfers done.
Child care rooms – There are provisions for parents travelling with kids to relax at the child care room. These rooms have been installed specifically to help parents calm their kids and to cater to their needs. The rooms are private in nature and have facilities such as changing tables, comfortable chairs and more. They also have baby products such as powders and diapers, in case the parent runs out of these essentials.
Spa – Ever since the airport has undergone upgradation, they have installed some interesting new features. One of them is a spa service. You can avail the spa services at the airport's terminals and relax ahead of the flight. They are mostly present in the international terminal.
Restaurants – There are dedicated food courts available at both the terminals of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. You can find famous restaurants and food joints from around the world at the airport. Famous establishments such as McDonald's, Subway, KFC, to name a few, are also part of the airport terminals. Affordable food joints and beverage points are present at the airport as well. You can pick from the most upscale establishments to the cheap and affordable ones at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
ATMs – The airport facilitates various ATM kiosks of local banks at selected spots in the international and domestic terminals.
Top airlines flying from Ahmedabad Airport
As one of the most important airports in India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport accommodates several domestic and international airlines. The domestic airlines that operate from Ahmedabad Airport include Air India, AirAsia India, Air Deccan, Alliance Air, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Star Air, TruJet and Vistara. These airlines connect to major cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Varanasi, Pune, Nagpur, Visakhapatnam, Patna, Kozhikode, Kochi, Bagdogra, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Indore and Dehradun, to name a few. Meanwhile, the international airlines that operate from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport are Air Arabia, AirAsia X, Druk Air, Emirates, flydubai, Iraqi Airways, Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai AirAsia and Thai Smile. These airlines connect to international destinations such as Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur, Paro, London, Baghdad, Kuwait, Doha Singapore, Jeddah, Dubai, Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, to name a few.
How to reach Ahmedabad Airport
By Bus
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is approximately 8n km away from the bus stand. From the bus stand, you can easily find taxis and private buses that will directly reach you to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. There are several prepaid taxi booths also available near the bus stand for you to reach Ahmedabad Airport. Reaching Ahmedabad Airport from the bus stand is quite convenient and comfortable. You can also find transportation facilities on Ola and Uber to reach Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. It would take approximately 20 minutes to reach Ahmedabad Airport. However, depending on the city traffic, the duration can vary.
By Rail
The railway station is also located about 8 km from the airport. If you have a flight to catch from Ahmedabad Airport and if you are travelling to Ahmedabad from other parts of Gujarat, it would be a comfortable journey. You can get various taxi cabs and other such vehicle services at the railway station to reach Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Private cabs are available at the station and would take you around 20 to 25 minutes to reach Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
