Chandigarh to San Jose Flights

  About Chandigarh

Located on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, is the gorgeous city of Vancouver. It is famously known to be one of the most densely populated cities in the country. Not just the population but even the ethnic diversity sets the city apart from the others. Vancouver has a plethora of gardens and parks, along with museums and galleries. The city has managed to find fame amid travellers in recent years. Owing to the landscape scenery and thriving food establishments, Vancouver has grown into becoming one of the most important cities in Canada. It is easy to connect flights to Vancouver as well.

Best time to visit Chandigarh

Vancouver is predominantly a cold city with temperatures barely exceeding 22 degree Celsius. However, the spring, summers and fall are pleasant in Vancouver, giving way to tourists. Since summer is the peak season in Vancouver, often you will find a plethora of tourists from around Canada to flock over for some fun. The city's thriving culture and lifestyle, topped with the slew of amazing festivals such as TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver Pride Parade & Festival, Vancouver Folk Music Festival and Bard on the Beach, further make people want to head to the city. With so many events and lovely weather to take in, the hotel prices and flight tickets also tend to get expensive. Plus, with the crowd, it might be difficult for you to enjoy a quiet and quaint environment. The cruise port also gets busy as the travellers need to be accommodated. However, the spring season will get your spirits high and your pockets happy. From March to May, the city turns lively as the cherry blossoms bloom and the whales pass through the Vancouver waters. It is a beautiful sight and certainly comes with great perks.

There are some fascinating events such as the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival and Vancouver International Dance Festival that take place during spring. It is certainly the kind you shouldn't miss as the streets turn carnivalesque. Autumn is just as favourable as spring as the city prepares for the winters. It is easier to book hotels in Vancouver during this season as people are departing from the summer fun, reducing the demand for the city. Just as the temperatures go down, even the hotel prices and flight ticket costs drop, making it easier for tourists with a strict budget to traverse. While the city folks continue with their fairs and events, a new wave of budge tourists come over to be entertained by what the city has to offer. The temperatures would require you to carry jackets and coats along with you. It can get super cold, especially if you're from a hot country and are not used to the drop in temperatures. The experience of autumn in Vancouver is just as beautiful with the city streets turning crimson red as maple leaves flood the streets.

Places to visit in Chandigarh

Life in Vancouver is on the outside and not indoors. The city bustles and brims with opportunities for tourists to engage in. The Stanley Park is one sweet place from where you can begin your Canadian tour. Granville Island is the one place that will give you trendy restaurants, theatres and alluring galleries. All you've got to do is to hitch up a ferry ride and ho to the island. Another lovely place to visit would be Queen Elizabeth Park, a famous outdoor attraction in Vancouver. Famously known as the Kitsiklano 'Kits' Beach, the stretch of shores finds itself in the lines of an LA or Venice beach, thanks to the pristine water it touches. Spanish Banks Beach is another thrilling spot that would make you happy, especially if the water is something you love. The city has far too many gardens so you will never be tired of the greenery around you. The VanDusen Botanical Garden also deserves to be visited as it is one of the pretty places. It's not just gardens and beaches though, the city also has Yaletown, a chic neighbourhood to indulge in some upscaled lifestyle.

Things to do in Chandigarh

One of the best things to do in Vancouver is easily the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. It is 450 ft long, and 230 ft elevated from the ground that offers a stunning view of the river flowing under. It is quite thrilling and definitely poles apart from the feeling the gardens in Vancouver invoke. You can indulge in some leisure sightseeing and shopping at the Lonsdale Quay Market. Another fun thing to take up in Vancouver would be to indulge in a food tour. As the city does brim with a vast opportunity for lip-smacking food, you will not be disappointed with the establishments the city has. Sailing is another activity that you can take up in the city. It would be fun, and you will get to learn something new. Plus, for the outdoorsy kind, you can visit Grouse Mountain for some adventure fun.

Food and Restaurants in Chandigarh

Vancouver is nestled along the Pacific coast, making seafood as it's the staple food. In fact, much of their food has fish and other aquatic life as the base. That includes the classic fish and chips too, which is otherwise a London speciality. These can be found in the city's markets such as Granville Island. The place is ideal for you to explore their seafood delicacies. While Granville has some of the basic but delicious street meat, Yaletown upscales the whole experience, which would be ideal for you if you're on a romantic rendezvous. The setting at Yaletown is formal and posh. Some of the food establishments that you should visit during your trip are Rodney's Oyster House, Blue Water Cafe, to name a few. These are the best seafood restaurants in the city which you will surely like. You can also check out YEW Seafood + Bar, which is located at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. Their speciality includes Sidney Island venison and Qualicum Bag scallops. These are a big hit in the city, and something many would recommend.

A little away from Vancouver is Richmond (in British Columbia), where you'll find more seafood with wild salmon, tuna, mussels, crab and halibut too. What makes this place special is how the fish are fresh catch of the day which the fishermen get from the docks. These you can find at Steveston Village. Not just seafood but Vancouver also has its own version of Chinatown where you will find some of the best Asian dishes. In fact, you can also experience the little India that is settled in Vancouver. There is a Punjabi Market which is basically an Indo-Canadian neighbourhood located in the South Vancouver. Rest assured, all your cravings for Indian curries and delicacies shall be fulfilled here.

How to reach Chandigarh

There are no direct flights from Indian to Vancouver. However, the flight connectivity to Vancouver from India is exceptional. Canada, in general, receives a lot of tourists and potential residents from India. Due to this, the popularity of flights to this route is quite high. In fact, every second day, there are people travelling to Vancouver or other parts of Canada. Since there are no direct or nonstop flights to Vancouver from India, many airlines do have services to reach with layovers in other international cities. Airlines such as Delta Air Lines, Air France, Air Canada, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, United Airlines, British Airways have some dedicated flights flying to Vancouver. As there are no direct flights, many have layovers in their origin countries. For example, Air France has flight connectivity to Vancouver from Paris, so there is a layover in the city. Similarly, other cities with layovers are in Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Newark, Istanbul, to name a few. The most popular route for flights to Vancouver is from Paris and Frankfurt. However, some of the flights need a second layover which either takes places in Montreal, Toronto or Newark.

To fly to Vancouver from India, you will require to apply for a transit visa. Since the international routes connecting Vancouver and India are from cities like Paris and Frankfurt, they require a transit visa from the passenger. To make things easier, the Canadian Embassy has allowed for online applications. All you need to do is fill up the application online and submit the same. The process is easier and less time-consuming. Besides, the status of the application is received promptly. The flight tickets to Vancouver are considerably on the expensive side. The distance is quite a lot and travelling through certain airlines is why the prices are steep. However, you can always find exceptional flight deals online. There are provisions of miles as well which enable the ticket prices to reduce. You can find cheap flight tickets to Vancouver online, especially if you book them well in advance. Simultaneously, you can make your hotel reservations too. Booking in advance always comes with its perks and booking your hotels in Vancouver will also be cheap if you do it beforehand.

  About San Jose

San Jose is the capital of Silicon Valley, prominently recognised as the technology hub of the world, nestled perfectly in California. The city is surrounded by hills and Silicon Valley and is known to be a prominent and expensive city. Owing to the rich high-tech industry that it inhabits, the city's cultural, economic and political stance is quite high.

Best time to visit San Jose

San Jose is more of a dry city which has favourable winters as opposed to much of the cities in the US. You will notice that the city's best and most pleasant weather is in the months from December through April. The temperatures during the months of December to February are decently ranged between 16 degree Celsius to 25 degree Celsius. This is a good time to visit the city as the air is calm and perfect. However, you should ensure to carry a light jacket along with you to avoid the cold breeze. It can get pretty cold, and you wouldn't want to be in a position where you don't have the right clothes. You should know that San Jose also witnesses rain, in fact, heavy rainfall. The months from July through August are rather risky for you to travel to the city due to the excess rain. It might be a little inconvenient for you as excess rains in the city bring roadblocks and other such travel conundrums. It might not even be favourable for you to venture out to explore the city during the rains. Overall, it would be a sad trip if you opt for those months.

The dry winter season though is pleasant. With bare chances of snow and favourable cold weather, you will be able to soak in the city's beauty and its calm air. Summers might be perfect if you want to take in the sunlight and lit vibe of the city. However, the heat can get a little too much, since it is clubbed with humidity. The air is humid in San Jose most of the years. This makes their summers extremely hot. Spring surely makes the city pleasant and ideal for a tourist excursion. Plus, the city does not experience an excess crowd during the winter and spring months, adding to your benefit. You can make hotel reservations in San Jose without having to worry about the expensive hotel costs or anything. In fact, these seasons see fewer travellers which bring down the accommodation prices. You can actually make your hotel bookings in San Jose for a cheap and considerable cost. It would totally be worth the trip as you will get to save money and you might even be able to visit San Francisco, which is quite close to San Jose.

Places to visit in San Jose

San Jose is often crowded by business travellers who take a pit stop, especially to discuss business with potential clients. However, there are a few tourist attractions in the city that would captivate you. With proximity to Silicon Valley, there are only a handful of places to visit. Visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph and marvel at the beautiful architecture of the white structure. You can also check out the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, which holds the largest collection of ancient Egyptian relics that can be found on the West Coast. The city also has a museum dedicated to technology and innovation as the home to Silicon Valley. The Tech Museum of Innovation would be quite an experience to undertake as the air is quite thriving. San Jose also has the Children's Discovery Museum, something to engage your minds if you're travelling with family. San Jose's very own theme park, California's Great America is a brilliant place to enjoy with water parks, adrenaline-charged rides and entertaining acts. The city also has the Winchester Mystery House, a tourist trap.

Things to do in San Jose

You can start by Santana Row, which is a lovely shopping spot with an array of shops to excite your shopaholic soul. The street also has fascinating eateries and food joints to elevate your experience. You can travel a little away from San Jose to make a day trip to Calypso Tortuga Island. You can make the most of it here by engaging in some cruise activities and beach fun. Further, you can check out the Arenal Volcano and take up zip lining as one of the activities to engage in. There is a Japanese Friendship Garden too that is calm and tranquil. It will be a good way to relax and step away from all the noise of the city.

Food and Restaurants in San Jose

San Jose faces tough competition with San Francisco when it comes to the dining experience. More like, San Francisco is acing the game. A majority of the crowd often head to San Francisco to explore the culinary delights of the city. However, that doesn't mean San Jose doesn't have a food scene. In fact, the city reflects the cuisines of its rich and diverse population. The crowd is majorly Hispanic and Asian, and much of the food culture is also inspired by the same. You can find some amazing food joints that glorify the food curated by many cuisines. San Jose witnesses a lovely melange of food culture, which you can find at the San Pedro Square Market. Located in downtown San Jose, the market has an abundance of local food vendors preparing snacks and dishes that can be purchased to go. Interestingly, you will find a vast diversity of food ranging from pizzas to coffee. There are over 20 vendors who are indulged in varied businesses which give a tourist enough options top peruse through before deciding which food to buy. It is the ideal place for you to visit if you're travelling with a group.

The city also has a slew of steakhouses. A majority of the crowd that visits San Jose are mostly from the business background. Hence, the crowd often expects steakhouses as the best place to dine and unwind. You will find many steakhouses in the city such as LB Steak, Morton's and The Grill on the Alley. The juicy meat and sides are a big hit among tourists who have raved about these places. However, if you want more than steak on your menu, you can visit Santana Row. It is a restaurant that caters to all kinds of moods that you might have in terms of trying out cuisines. They have Mexican, Asian, French and Italian. You can also check out Le Papillon, which is San Jose's famous French food establishment. It is also one of the best and is an upscale from the usual restaurants in the city. You might need to make reservations before visiting the restaurant.

How to reach San Jose (Transportation)

Flight connectivity to San Jose from India is quite poor. There are not many flights that directly fly to San Jose, even from the US. Most of the flights to San Jose are directed towards San Francisco as it is the closest international airport. There are extremely few options to fly to San Jose and only airlines such as Alaska Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines have provisions of flights to San Jose. In fact, flights to San Jose often require far too many connecting flights to reach from India. There are options from Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi but they are very few. The most popular international route to San Jose is from San Francisco. Travellers often opt to fly to San Francisco from India as the availability of flights is high and the connectivity is also good. Dedicated airlines such as Cathay Pacific travel from India to San Francisco and from here, provisions of rentals, taxi cabs are available to reach San Jose. Flying to San Jose can be quite tedious as there are far too many layovers and connectivity errs to deal with.

Aside from San Francisco, there are connecting flights to San Jose from Los Angeles too, which many prefer. United Airlines has flights flying to San Jose from Los Angeles on a regular basis. The flight tickets to San Jose are quite steep. Owing to the bare minimum connectivity and many layovers, the flight tickets to San Jose automatically become expensive. Another reason why many opt to take a flight to San Francisco and drive down from there. Some even opt to fly to Oakland and drive down to San Jose. The airports surrounding San Jose have better flight connectivity. The living expenses in San Jose are quite decent and can be maintained. However, it is advised that you make prior hotel bookings in San Jose to avoid a surge in the prices of rooms. The city witnesses a lot of travellers and hence, accommodation can get a little expensive. As long as you're able to save up on the flight ticket cost to San Jose, you wouldn't have to worry about the accommodation. There are always some great online flight and accommodation deals running online that you can avail.

  About Chandigarh Airport

Chandigarh International Airport is a custom airport that also serves as a passenger airport to the Union Territory Chandigarh. Along with the city, the airport also serves Panchkula, Mohali and other cities in the states of Punjab, Haryana and a few southern districts of Himachal Pradesh. The airport runway is situated in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. In contrast, the international terminal falls on the south side of the runway, close to the village of Jhiurheri in Mohali, Punjab. The international airport has all its civil and commercial operations conducted from the civil enclave of the Indian Air Force Station. In the 1970s, the airport witnessed tremendous flight activity and operations from Indian Airlines. There were regular flights connecting Chandigarh to Delhi.

Following the construction of a new airport building in the civil enclave in 2011, all operations were diverted to the new terminal. This special air terminal was announced as a customs airport in 2011, giving it the international stature. Although it became an international airport, the terminal never witnessed international flight activities operate from its premise. In 2008, the Government of Punjab acquired a land area of 304.04 acres to construct the new international terminal. Over its completion in 2015 and a few Public Interest Litigation case hearings that took place at the Punjab High Court and Haryana High Court, the airport finally witnessed international flight activities from 2016. IndiGo and Air India Express became the first airlines to commence international flights to fly to Dubai and Sharjah from Chandigarh International Airport.

About Chandigarh Airport Terminal

The new international terminal came into existence in 2015 and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The new terminal has been built in an eco-friendly manner with several features validating the same. Larsen and Toubro constructed the airport's new terminal. The airport's interiors have an abundance of plants which gives a rather botanical garden feel. The earlier domestic terminal now caters to VIP flights and is also reserved for flying club. Meanwhile, the new terminal includes two link taxiways that connect to the terminal as well as the cargo complex. There are four aerobridges apron reserved for parking of four in contact, and eight remote parking stands for aircraft. The terminal is divided into two levels with the first level taking care of all departures while the ground level has arrivals. The first phase of the airport terminal has the capacity to handle about 1,600 passengers at a time with a parking space to accommodate 150 vehicles. Although the airport is not a greenfield airport, it does use the runway of the current Indian air force base. The departure section of the terminal has relevant facilities such as ATMs, WiFi and a duty-free shop. Much recently, the terminal's check-in counters have also been expanded from 24 to 26.

About airport authority

Chandigarh International Airport is jointly owned by the government of Punjab, the government of Haryana and the Airports Authority of India. In fact, they have formed a consortium as the airport's operations are handled by Chandigarh International Airport Limited. In the consortium, Airports Authority of India holds a maximum stake with 51 per cent equity while the Government of Punjab and Government of Haryana hold 24.5 per cent of shares respectively. Chandigarh International Airport Limited is responsible for all the management, maintenance and other such operations of the airport terminal. Ever since the airport's genesis, CHIAL has been working towards expanding the airport's premise and providing world-class facilities to attract more flights and passengers. After quite a lot of struggle with cases going up to the high courts of both the states, Chandigarh International Airport finally even received international flight operations. Currently, the airport caters to a slew of domestic airlines, some of them catering to Indian as well as international cities.

Facilities at the Chandigarh Airport

Food court - Chandigarh International Airport may not have a slew of fancy restaurants installed in its vicinity; it does have a dedicated food court. Passengers can avail lip-smacking dishes from the airport's food courts. They have local and globally recognised food joints available. From burgers to chole bhatures, you can find all kinds of cuisine.

Trolleys and wheelchairs – Trolleys and wheelchairs are available at the airport. While the trolleys can be found at every junction of the airport's arrivals and departure section, wheelchairs need prior intimation. You will need to speak with the airlines and inform them about the requirement for a wheelchair at the entrance of the airport's departure gates. Following the same, the airport will send trained staff to help out the passenger in need of the wheelchair.

Baggage – The baggage system and services at the Chandigarh International Airport include trolleys, baggage wrapping services, storage facilities and more. There are dedicated reclaim baggage conveyor belts located in the arrivals section from where passengers can get access to their checked luggage.

ATMs and currency exchange – As an international airport, Chandigarh International Airport has installed currency exchange booths in the arrivals section of its international terminal. International travellers can get their currencies exchanged and also make money transfers at the forex counters. Plus, there are ATM kiosks also available in the airport premise. Passengers can withdraw money if needed, especially if they are travelling within any liquid cash.

Medical facilities – The airport also has medical facilities available for emergency cases. It is essential to have medical experts on the airport campus at all times. Hence, the airport has ensured to keep a team of dedicated medical professionals. There are medical rooms also available at the airport. You can avail these services for free. There are pharmacies also available at the airport. They provide medicines as well as toiletries that you can purchase.

Child care room – Parents travelling with infants can avail the child care room facility. These rooms have been reserved for parents to help tend to their infant babies. Activities such as breastfeeding and changing diapers can be done in these rooms as it offers privacy. Simultaneously, the child can be put to sleep in the room while they wait for boarding. These rooms are kept well-sanitised.

Smoking zones – Chandigarh International Airport does not allow smoking in public. Hence, they have provided special smoking zones for passengers. These can be found at the departures and arrivals of both the domestic and international terminals. It is essential for passengers to adhere to these rules and smoke within the premise of the smoking lounge provided by the airport.

Special assistance – The airport caters to special assistance for disabled travellers. Prior intimation needs to be given to the airlines by the traveller if they wish to avail these services. You can also specify the requirements for the traveller to the airlines, and the airport will make the necessary accommodations for the same.

International SIMs – For travellers who are visiting Chandigarh and do not have a local SIM number, you can get hold of the same at the airport. There are dedicated counters at the arrivals section of the international terminal where counters have been installed to provide temporary SIMs. Mobile phones are also available, in case you need one.

Top airlines flying from the Chandigarh Airport

Chandigarh International Airport currently enables operations of seven domestic airlines and caters to connect two international destinations. Presently, the airlines that operate from Chandigarh International Airport are AirAsia India, Air India, Alliance Air, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo and Vistara. These airlines have excellent connectivity with various Indian cities along with designated international destinations. Chandigarh International Airport connects flights to cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Dharamshala, Pune, Jammu, Chennai, Kullu, Dubai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Srinagar, Ahmedabad, Bagdogra, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Patna and more.

How to reach Chandigarh Airport

By Bus

The new terminal of Chandigarh International Airport is close to 14 km away from the main city of Chandigarh. The city of Chandigarh has excellent bus transport facilities that help connect to various parts of Punjab, Haryana and parts of Himachal Pradesh too. Chandigarh Transport Undertaking has AC buses that operate from the main city to the airport's new terminal. The buses take Route 38 and 36 to reach Chandigarh International Airport. It is easily one of the most sought-after ways to reach Chandigarh International Airport. The ticket fare is also quite affordable and ideal for travellers. Besides, the buses have been designed in such a way that they offer a comfortable journey to the airport. The transport service also has a mobile app from where you can book tickets and get details about the bus schedules and routes to reach Chandigarh International Airport.

By Taxi cabs

Taxicab services are also present within the city to reach the Chandigarh International Airport. You can hail a taxi cab from anywhere around the city or the other surrounding states to reach Chandigarh International Airport. It might be challenging as you will need to communicate with the drivers and ensure that they don't make you pay an exorbitant amount for the journey to reach the Chandigarh International Airport.