Charlotte to Amritsar Flights

  About Charlotte

Charlotte is known to be the most populated city in the state of North Carolina. The city is the most recognised economic, cultural and transportation hub of the state. It is also one of the fastest-growing metropolitan cities in the country. Charlotte witnesses a great crowd during peak seasons as it has a favourable climate and boasts impeccable tourist attractions.

Best time to visit Charlotte

Charlotte's weather from March through May and September through November is practically perfect for a visit. The biggest perk of these months is that Charlotte's hotel prices drop tremendously, making it easier on the pockets. Spring is ideal as it invites warm temperatures and sets a base to the summer that is about to take over eventually. Despite being cold during spring, the transition of the weather is beautiful and definitely worth experiencing. April is considered the best by other tourists too, making travelling and hotels a little expensive. Only slightly though. The city welcomes amazing festivals such as Tuck Fest, Wells Fargo Championship, Charlotte Craft Beer Week, St Patrick's Day Parade, Charlotte Wine and Foods Weekend and Kings Drive Art Walk. These are some attractions that do get many tourists to flock over to Charlotte. This is followed by the summer, which is the peak season. The city is hot and quite expensive during summers, which could reflect badly on your pockets. Not to mention how it is jam packed with far too many tourists who come over from different parts of the world.

September to November in Charlotte is another ideal season. The summer crowd start to depart as the autumn season takes over the city. The best part is the hotel prices in Charlotte also drop during autumn as the tourist crowd disappears. The fall foliage at Charlotte is a visual spectacle that shouldn't be missed. The city's events calendar continues to celebrate many more festivals as more events are hosted during autumn. Activities such as Festival in the Park, Great Grapes! Wine, Arts & Food Festival, The Great Pumpkin Fest and Yiasou Greek Festival are some of the highlights. Overall, there are far too many beautiful sights to soak in when visiting Charlotte. You can make your hotel bookings in Charlotte done prior to the visit. In fact, if you do it months in advance, even if it is offseason, you will be in for some lovely online deals. From flights to hotels in Charlotte, you will manage to find some compelling online deals that will reduce the cost and leave you with more money, which you can splurge on food and other fun activities in the city.

Places to visit in Charlotte

The Queen City is recognised to be a big deal among petrolheads who are passionate about racing. The city also has some prestigious museums and food establishments to keep people engaged. You can start your trip with Discovery Place. It is a science museum which is great for individuals who are interested in science and concepts like physics and more. Mint Museum Uptown is an abode to some varied European and American art. The exhibits are contemporary and look really interesting. Billy Graham Library is one such place where America's Pastor, Billy Graham, grew up. It has been converted into a Christian book store and also a mini library with exhibits of Graham's life. You also have Levine Museum of the New South, which focuses on post-Civil War history. Of course, it would be a shame to not visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The museum has exhibits of plaques dedicated to drivers who have made an impact on the race track. While you're at the NASCAR museum, you can also check out the Charlotte Moto Speedway, probably even catch a race show in action.

Things to do in Charlotte

You can head straight to US National Whitewater Centre to engage in some fun kayaking and whitewater rafting. The place has the Catawba river flowing through Charlotte where often adventure junkies head to for some activities. You can also take up paddleboarding as one of the activities. Carowinds is another compelling space which is an amusement park with fun and engaging rides. Aside from this, you can always make the most of the city by going on a food and wine tour. The city's food and wine culture are quite thriving and interesting. Plus, it is also an excellent way to meet up with new people and interact with them. You can also participate in brewery crawls to check out some of the fascinating breweries around Charlotte.

Food and Restaurants in Charlotte

Charlotte's food culture is a beautiful melange of modern with Southern as its main attractions. Farm-to-fork menus are popular as they resonate the most with the traditional background of the city. But Charlotte also has a plethora of food establishments that rave international cuisine. To experience the city's best Southern taste and fried chicken, you should visit Price's Chicken Coop. Although the ambience and services might not be the best at Price's, the fried chicken certainly make up for what they lack otherwise. You should make sure to carry cash instead of a card payment at Price's because they're still primitive when it comes to the exchange of money. Plus, you will also have to wait in a long line as the restaurant's fame comes with a price, that of excess customers. Another cheap and tasty restaurant to check out is Midnight Diner. You can expand your menu from fried chicken to some Carolina-styled barbequed meat. Check out Midwood Smokehouse, Mac's Speed Shop and Queen City Q to get a whiff of the smokey barbequed meat and even a bite of the same.

The city also raves fine dining and steakhouses, which is perfect for business travellers who wish to take their clients to a place with lip-smacking food. Upscale food establishments can be found in the Uptown area of Charlotte. As long as you're ready to splurge a good amount, you can visit Halcyon Flavours From The Earth. You can also get away from the city and head to places such as Good Food On Montford, Fig Tree and Stagioni, for an intimate yet delicious setting and food. Soul Gastrolounge is one such establishment that you simply cannot miss. The place offers an array of beautiful dishes and is perpetually busy, which only means it's as good as people say. Queen City Charlotte also has a thriving crafted beer scene that you should indulge in along with some lovely appetisers. There are many breweries such as NoDa Brewing Company, Birdsong Brewing Company and Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, to try some of their crafted beer and food. You will not be disappointed by the beautiful flavours and tastes that you will get to experience in the city.

How to reach Charlotte

Flight connectivity to Charlotte from India is decent. Located in North Carolina, the city does see a decent number of travellers flocking over from India. However, travelling to Charlotte comes with some challenges, mainly to do with flight layovers and connectivity. While the airport is perfectly with other cities in the US, for an international traveller, they will have to change flights from domestic cities in the US. Domestic routes to Charlotte from Boston and New York City are quite ideal. Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines, have regular flights flying to Charlotte from across the globe. There is one United Airlines flight from Delhi that has only one stop at Newark before heading to Charlotte. The best thing about this flight is how it will take only 20 hours 53 minutes to reach the city. Air Canada's flight to Charlotte from Delhi also has only one stop at Toronto, and the journey can be covered in 21 hours and 4 minutes. Rest all the airlines have two stops and layovers in various other international cities.

Depending on the international routes chosen by airlines to reach Charlotte, the layovers and flight connectivity take place. Some countries require a visa. Hence, make sure to first check all the stops where the flight will by halting for layovers. Depending on the travel policies of the cities or countries, you will accordingly have to issue for a transit visa. You can do this by submitting an online application or get in touch with the embassy to do the same. Flight tickets to Buffalo is actually quite expensive. Irrespective of the flight duration, the airlines or even the connectivity, the ticket prices of Buffalo are quite steep. You will have to mentally prepare yourself and your bank balance that there will be some spending done. You can opt to book flight tickets to Buffalo well in advance. You might even receive some great deals online for flights and hotels in Buffalo. Booking hotels in Buffalo shouldn't be a problem as there is a range of cheap to expensive accommodations available in the city. As long as everything is done before time, you will have nothing to worry about.

  About Amritsar

Amritsar, in Punjab, has been a city of historical and mythological importance since a very long time. According to scriptures, the city housed Maharishi Valmiki, who wrote Ramayana. It is also said that Goddess Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush at the Ramtirth ashram in Amritsar. Amritsar is colloquially called Ambarsar and was initially called Ramdaspur. And how can you forget the Golden Temple! It's one of the most famous religious places of worship and has also been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Golden Temple sees visitors from all over the world throughout the year. You cannot leave Amritsar without visiting the Golden Temple and embracing your spiritual side. The langar food will leave you satiated for a very long time. You can also volunteer in the kitchen and help the others serve. It is an experience of a lifetime.

Amritsar was founded by Guru Ram Das, who is the fourth Sikh guru who founded the holy city in the Sikh tradition. Guru Ram Das made a pool and a home next to it after which he named the town he founded, Ramdaspur. He then invited merchants and artisans to come to live in the town that was later called Amritsar. Sikhism is a widely practised religion in Amritsar, and the Sikhs have also been a very integral part of Indian history. Amritsar is also known for the tragic Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that saw the merciless killing of hundreds of Sikhs. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions, too, where you can see the bullet marks on the walls even now.

You can also visit the Bhagwan Valmiki Tiath Asthan, which is believed to be the birthplace of Luv and Kush. It is also where Maharishi Valmiki stayed and wrote the Ramayana. If you feel like going on a shopping spree, you will find lots of colourful clothes and souvenirs to take back home. All you women out there, make sure to buy the phulkari dupattas from the markets. Hall Market is one of the most popular lanes for a fun shopping spree. You can also indulge in some scrumptious local treats and try out the street food. Amritsari kulchas, Tandoori luchas, Keema naan, kulfis, phirni and some mouth-watering lassi at a Dhaba. Hungry yet?

The city is also visited a lot because of the Wagah Border. Witness the retreat ceremony at the border that divides India and Pakistan two hours before sunset every day. It will surely make you feel patriotic and can get quite overwhelming. You can also visit the Museums in the city to get to know more about its history. The Sikhs are also known to be very friendly and hospitable, which is another reason you must visit this city, at least once in your life. The city is well-connected, and if you are starting your trip from Delhi, a nice road trip will work just perfectly. The popular route from Amritsar to Delhi is often the most sought-after for an impromptu road trip.

Best Time to Visit Amritsar

Amritsar experiences winter from November to March, which is also the best time to visit the city. It's ideal to go sightseeing and plan other outdoor activities that can get quite difficult during summer and monsoon. The temperature can fall below 5 degree Celsius in January and evenings can get quite foggy. Summer starts from April and goes on till June. The summer gets really hot, and the maximum temperature is approximately 40 degrees Celsius. The heat will only make it more difficult for you to get out of your hotel rooms. The monsoons start from July and till October. The city experiences mild rains sometimes that can also get intense a lot of times. But the weather is mostly humid during monsoon and makes it unfavourable for you to step out or plan a trip during this time.

Places to Visit in Amritsar

The Golden Temple is one of the first things that you must visit when you reach Amritsar. The sheer aura of the temple is so positive, it will put you in a good mood instantly. Make sure to cover your head with a piece of cloth or dupatta, for women. The dome at the top of the temple is made of pure gold, and it even has a pond inside the complex. Do not leave without relishing the langar prasad. The Jallianwala Bagh is yet another place of historical importance that you must visit when you go to Amritsar. It was where hundreds of people were shot dead by Britishers, and the walls still have bullet marks. The spot was turned into a memorial after the independence to honour those who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Do make sure you also visit the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum which was actually the palace of the first King of the Sikh empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The museum boasts of antiquities and personal belongings of the King. You'll also come across a lot of paintings as you take a tour of the palace. The Ram Tirth Ashram is yet another place that you can visit. It's an ancient pilgrimage where Luv and Kush were born. You'll also come across a hut in which Maharishi Valmiki stayed. The Gobindgarh Fort is another location that deserves your attention and is also of historical importance. The fort was built by Gujjar Singh Bhangi's army and was later reconstructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 1800s.

Things to do in Amritsar

Be a part of Guru Ka Langar. You can volunteer in serving the langar food or in the kitchen to cook, chop vegetables or do the dishes. It is very fulfilling, and you'll surely enjoy it. You can also visit all the major attractions in the city like the Jallianwala Bagh, Gobindgarh Fort, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum and a couple of more places. Either you can hire a cab for an entire day to go sightseeing, or you can plan your own itinerary. You will easily find rickshaws and other modes of commuting quite easily. Make sure you try out Amritsari food and lassi at the dhabas after your shopping spree at the Hall Market. You can also go birdwatching at the Harike Wetlands. Your trip to Amritsar will be historical, educational, gastronomical and fun. Getting around the city won't be that difficult. To make things easier, you can hire a tour guide at the museums and historical locations if you wish to. You'll also find amusement parks in the city if you are travelling with your kids or a large family.

Foods and Restaurant in Amritsar

Whatever you do, do not miss the langar ka prasad. It's a simple meal consisting of dal, roti and kheer, but you will simply love it. It is advisable to go to the temple in the morning, offer your prayers and then wait to be served the best food in one of the biggest kitchens. You can also head to All India Famous for some Amritsari kulchas. Buzz is that they run out of kulchas by 2 pm so you might have to get there for breakfast or early lunch. Kesar Da Dhaba is one of the most popular dhabas and only serves vegetarian food. The dhaba was started way back in 1916, and the recipe has not changed since then. Pal Da Dhaba and Beera Chicken House are some of the other famous eateries if you want to binge on some mouth-watering butter chicken or lamb. Head over to Ahuja Milk Bhandaar for a delicious, tall glass of lassi. No meal in Amritsar is complete without a glass of lassi. You'll find a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in the city. It is also advisable to carry your own bottle of alcohol if at all, you wish to dine and drink at the same time. A lot of places that serve non-veg do not provide alcohol. The locals also carry their own bottle of liquor when they eat out.

How to reach Amritsar (Transportation)

By Air

The Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is only a 15-20 minutes drive to and from the city. Domestic flights from Amritsar to major metropolitan cities run every day from here, and it also connects directly to a couple of international destinations. You can get pretty good flight deals online for Amritsar and can even book hotels in Amritsar along with it.

By Rail

The Amritsar railway station connects to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Agra, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chandigarh. Delhi to Amritsar is a popular route that a lot of travellers prefer. It takes about 6 hours to reach Amritsar from Delhi. Paschim Express is the fastest train that you can board from Mumbai to reach Amritsar, and the journey takes about 30 hours approximately.

By Road

You'll find a lot of government and private bus services from Ambala, Patiala, Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu. You can also hire a taxi from these cities to reach Amritsar. If you are travelling from afar, flights are the best options or trains, if you are on a budget.

  About Amritsar Airport

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport serves as an international airport for Punjab and is located in the city of Amritsar. The airport is 11 km away from the city centre. The Amritsar Airport has been named after the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das. The Sikh Guru is believed to be the founder of the Amritsar city. Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is known to be the busiest airport in Punjab. The airport is also being acknowledged as a fastest-growing venture in India and is ranked as the sixth-best regional airport in the country as well as Central Asia. The airport, previously known as Amritsar Rajasansi Airport's Airstrip was established to cater to the British in the 1930s. It was specifically used for VVIP movements. After the independence though, the town's airport received good connection with Indian cities such as Srinagar and Delhi. The airport launched its first international flight in 1960. The flight was chartered to Kabul in Afghanistan. Later, in 1982, the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport also started their direct international flight to connect Amritsar and Birmingham in the United Kingdom. The flight didn't last for long as it had to be stopped by Air India, following the controversial Operation Blue Star, which took place in 1984.

About Amritsar Airport Terminals

There is a single passenger terminal that has integrated international and domestic flight operations. Back in 2009, the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport inaugurated an integrated terminal to bring forth a modernized program and enhance the airport's passenger capacity and functioning. An integrated terminal building has been built to accommodate passenger traffic. The terminal has been constructed with steel and glass and is perfectly equipped with world-class facilities such as inline X-ray baggage, conveyor system and various other amenities. They have incorporated Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) as well as Flight Information Display System (FIDS), as part of their modern amenities. The new terminal holds 30 check-in counters, 26 immigration counters, 12 security check booths, four x-ray scanners and four conveyor belts, for arrivals. The new terminal also harbours more extensive apron to accommodate parking of more than 15 aircraft.

About airport authority

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is owned and operated by Airports Authority of India. AAI acquired the regional airport with a means to expand its functioning and to bolster its performance. The airport has witnessed a good surge of air traffic as well as passenger activities. Hence, the Airports Authority of India has worked on its expansions and developments. The statutory body has brought forth an integrated terminal to bring forth better facilities for the domestic as well as international terminal. Both the flight activities catering to international and domestic flights are handled from the new terminal. AAI has brought forth amazing modern amenities to enhance the airport's functions. From modern designs to newer installed equipment, the airport body has brought tremendous efficiency to the regional airport.

Facilities at the Amritsar Airport

WiFi: Amritsar airport has immaculate WiFi services available. The WiFi services at Amritsar airport is free for 30 minutes. However, if you need it for more than the allotted time, you will have to purchase the internet card. The card is available for INR 20 per hour. The connection is good and even required as often the connectivity for a mobile network in the airport is not excellent.

ATMs and Forex: As the airport does see a lot of crowd at the domestic as well as international terminals, there are many ATM kiosks and forex counters available. The foreign exchange counters are available at the departure as well as the arrival segments.

Child care rooms: Child care centres are also present at the Amritsar airport. Often new mothers need private spaces to feed their infants and to change their diapers. Not to mention how the environment also needs to be hygienic. Hence, it is essential that they get a dedicated space that would allow them for the same. The airport's child care room also has some toys and hygienic ambience to help soothe the child.

Restaurants and cafes: A majority of the food establishments and restaurants at the Amritsar airport have Punjabi cuisine. Since the place is predominantly rich in Punjabi cuisine, much of the restaurants prevalent in the airport are also inspired by the same. However, the airport also has global food joints such as Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, to name a few famous ones.

Prayer rooms: There is a hall dedicated to prayers. The place is open for multi-faith and can be used for meditation as well. It is expected that people of all faith maintain decorum in the hall and not intervene with other faiths' practices.

Medical services: As it is imperative that every airport have medical facilities to ensure that emergency cases are handled, the Amritsar airport also has a devoted emergency medical station. You can get more details of the same at the information desk as well. In fact, in times of emergency, a medical team is immediately dispatched for assistance to the scene.

VIP lounge: VIP lounge and business facilities are also available. However, these can be found outside of the terminal building. The VIP lounges are only accessible for travellers who have the first-class ticket or have premium memberships. Various airlines have provisions of membership that allow them to benefit from the lounge.

Information centre: The information counter is an essential desk that is available at regular intervals. For any kind of query ranging from flights, schedules to gates and terminals, you can get help at the information desk. You can even make special requests such as to ask for extra trolleys or boarding pass copies (in case you lose yours), lost and found details and more. You will be able to get all your answers. Plus, the desk also gives you tour guides to the city at the arrival segment.

Luggage: The luggage services at Amritsar airport is quite good as they have trolleys and portage options available. You need to pay for portage though. A portage basically enables you to receive services of a professional, who will escort your luggage to the check-in or even till the security.

Top airlines flying from the Amritsar Airport

Amritsar has a limited set of Indian airlines that operate from the city. In fact, airlines from Amritsar Airport cater majorly to a few of the cities in North India. These include Delhi, Srinagar, Jaipur, Patna and more. Interestingly, aside from the North cities that Amritsar caters to predominantly, the airport also has services to other metro cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Domestic airlines flying from Amritsar Airport are Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara. The options are fewer as the connectivity is not spectacular. The airport doesn't connect to a lot of cities in Southern India. You will need to connect at New Delhi or Jaipur to get to the Southern cities of India.

Amritsar Airport does have good connectivity with cities in Central Asia. There are airlines that directly connect to the international cities of Central Asia, such as Ashgabat and Tashkent. Not many flights fly from Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport as a regional airport. However, it is still considered to be one of the fastest-growing. Amritsar Airport was considered to be one of the best airports with excellent international connectivity. There used to be a direct flight from Amritsar to Birmingham (United Kingdom) by Air India. A direct flight was also operational from Amritsar Airport to Kabul. However, these flights and airlines do not operate from the city anymore. Airlines flying from the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport are AirAsia X, Air India Express, Malindo Air, Qatar Airways, Scoot, Turkmenistan Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways.

How to reach Amritsar Airport

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is perfectly connected to the National Highway 354. This route connects Amritsar and Ajnala. Through this route, you can take up car rentals and taxi cabs as a means to reach the Amritsar airport. Taxicab services such as Ola Cabs and Uber have good connectivity and services which help with the traversing. Since it is about 11 km away from the main city of Amritsar, it is essential that prebook the taxi cab services. Some taxi cab and prepaid taxi services are available at both the terminals. You can make prior bookings for an airport shuttle, or you can book them at the airport counter. One of the most convenient ways to reach Amritsar airport is the Amritsar MetroBus. It is also a favourable method to reach the airport as it is affordable and convenient. Some of the key features of the Amritsar MetroBus is that the bus is AC with automatic doors located at the metro stations. It is reserved for passengers only. The path has two diverse lanes which ensure the opposite movements of two buses traversing simultaneously. You will require a special Metro Smart Card to swipe and take advantage of the metro services. It works in the lines of Metro Rails where you need to recharge your cards and avail the services. The structures of the MetroBus stations are well-maintained and have modern infrastructure. You can make use of the Amritsar MetroBus with its scheduled buses to reach the Amritsar Airport.