Chicago to Kuala Lumpur Flights

  About Chicago

Located on the West coast of Gujarat is the quaint little city of Porbandar. The city is highly regarded for its pilgrimage as it has a strong mythological relevance. Many pivotal incidences from the tales of Mahabharat and Ramayana have taken place in the city, or so says the folklore. As the city is on the Saurashtra's coastal side, the city is blessed with a brilliant climate and geography. There are hills, coasts, rivers, lakes and more such geographical benefits that make Porbandar a beautiful city. Historically, the city adds another feather to its illustrious cap by being the birthplace of freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi. With such intriguing stories that the city has to tell, it easily becomes one of the most visited places in Gujarat.

The flight connectivity to Porbandar from other major cities is also excellent. The coastal town connects with the rest of India through popular routes, making travel easy and convenient. Booking hotels in Porbandar are also useful as the city comes with exciting accommodations.

Best time to visit Chicago

Porbandar enjoys fair weather throughout the year. The temperature is mostly at a pleasant range between 23 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. Depending on the year and the humidity, the temperatures do see some changes, but mostly, it's sunny positive. The winters in Porbandar are quite enchanting as the cold breezy air adds quite a romantic charm to the place. The temperatures usually range from 10 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. When you do plan for your Porbandar trip, try to choose this season. The pleasant weather will make sightseeing more comfortable. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar are also cheap and affordable, irrespective of the peak season. December and January are considered as best months to visit Porbandar.

The monsoon months in Porbandar are just as enjoyable as the winters. Between July to September, the monsoon drenches the city with a cool but humid atmosphere. While the humidity does increase during monsoon, the strong winds that pass through the city during the season help normalise the temperature to a pleasant level. You can book a hotel in Porbandar during this time and take in all the monsoon magic. You certainly wouldn't regret it.

Summers, though, could be a little hot. In comparison to the pleasant weather the city experiences throughout the year, the summer winds come with high temperatures that sometimes reach 40 degree Celsius. While it is not ideal for visiting Porbandar during summers, if you are already used to such temperatures and climate, you wouldn't have much trouble. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar during summers see a drop in prices.

Places to visit in Chicago

Porbandar does not have many tourist attractions as such. The place is a pilgrimage with many temples and shrines. During your trip, you can visit some of the temples, namely, Sri Hari temple, Krishna-Sudama temple, Kirti temple, to name a few. These temples have strong connections with the Hindu mythology tale Mahabharat. The city also has some relics from the Harappan civilisation which could add to a good historical venture.

One of the big highlights of Porbandar's tourism is the Huzoor Palace, built in the early 20th century by Rana Natwarsinhji, the last Maharaja of Porbandar. The structure has derived architectural inspiration from European styles and is quite beautiful. The vicinity also has fancy fountains and well-maintained gardens.

Things to do in Chicago

The city might have only pilgrimage as the most prominent tourist attraction, but you can tweak your itinerary and add some personal excursions of your own. Located a little away from the city are the Jambuvan Caves, known to be the resting place of the famous warrior Jambuvan, who has played an essential role in the mythological tales of Mahabharat. The caves are also known to have Ramayana relevance with Hanuman spending time in the caves. You can also visit the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary and indulge in some photography. The sanctuary has a scenic setting which adds to the charm and beauty of the place. The biggest attraction of the bird sanctuary is how it inhabits migratory birds such as jacanas, little cormorants, whistling teals, avocets, coots, grebes, pelicans, terns, to name a few.

Food and Restaurants in Chicago

Porbandar is famous for its Gujarati cuisine. The city, much like the rest of the state, is rich in vegetarian Gujarati delicacies. From lip-smacking dhokla with green chutney to divine khandwas, one can never get tired of these dishes. Porbandar also follows the Jain-style cuisine by eliminating potatoes, onions, etc. from their dishes. They substitute potatoes with bananas which manage to do the job perfectly well. In fact, Jain cuisine is just as tasty as a regular vegetarian cuisine. You should probably give Jain food a try when in Porbander.

Travellers with a taste for vegan and vegetarian food can head to Flavours. The restaurant is famous for its take on vegan-friendly dishes as well as a slew of global cuisine. You will definitely be happy and satiated with their take on international cuisine. The place is extremely healthy and something worth considering. If exquisite fine dine is in your itinerary then you should head to Blue Coriander and book a table. The place with its classy interiors has great food reviews. You can get some lovely Gujarati thalis here or even the sweet daal that they're fans of. The food is known to be fresh and tasty with a plethora of choices for vegetarians. You can also get a spicy vada pav at Goli Vada Pav. Mumbaikars know their vada pavs well, and they sure love Goli Vada Pav.

Finding a non-vegetarian restaurant in Porbandar might be challenging as the city primarily has a vegetarian population. However, there is one place where you can get some lovely Indian spin on dishes, including seafood. SaltWater, located on the Dwarka Porbandar highway, has the best seafood that you should certainly try. As for those who are tired of all the spices and want something savoury, you should check out Shiva Baker's Point and Midday Munchies.

How to reach Chicago(Transportation)

By Air

Porbandar Airport is located along the coast of the state of Gujarat. The airport is open for commercial use but also has a military presence. The city's airport is well-connected with some of the big cities in India such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, June, Jaipur and Bangalore, to name a few. Thanks to the consistent infrastructural development, the city has managed to find great connectivity with other cities in India. The flight connectivity to Porbandar is excellent as many flights from big cities have direct flights. SpiceJet and TruJet are the two airlines with dedicated flights flying to Porbandar. Even though it is a domestic airport, there are provisions of duty-free shops within the airport that one can avail goods from at a reasonable cost.

The airport also provisions a slew of restaurant chains and fast food shops to keep the passengers entertained. The most popular route to Porbandar is from Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi as these three cities have regular flights flying in and out. The location of the airport is also convenient, enabling easy access to the city centre. You can hire a taxi cab from outside the airport, or if you have booked a hotel in Porbandar, they will probably send the airport shuttle, if you request it.

By Rail

Porbandar Railway Station is perfectly connected with major cities within Gujarat. There are dedicated daily trains to and from Porbandar to Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Somnath and more. The railway also connects well with other domestic routes from Porbandar to big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Jaipur. Weekly trains to cities in the South such as Hyderabad and Kochi are also available. It is essential to know the train schedule before booking the tickets. Specific express trains are not reserved for Porbandar so you might end up spending a lot of your time in transit. The station is around 5 km from the city centre.

As frequent trains are entering and leaving the city regularly, transport via train is also considered to be a good and affordable option. Flight tickets to Porbandar could be expensive sometimes depending on the season in which you are booking your flights.

By Road

Major cities are connected to Porbandar through the domestic route of NH 8B. The national highway brings cities such as Ahmedabad and Rajkot closer to Porbandar. Public buses are also available to connect Porbandar to the rest of the cities in Gujarat. You can find them at the bus station where buses to Vadodara, Jamnagar, Surat and even Mumbai are available. Many travellers opt for roadways to reach Porbandar, especially if they are travelling from the coastal areas of Maharashtra. Tourists even drive down to Porbandar from Jaipur and other cities in Rajasthan as it is a good drive. From the bus station, rickshaws and buses are also available that can take you to the hotel you have booked in Porbandar. Taxi cabs are also present in the city, so transportation in the city is extremely convenient for travellers.

  About Kuala Lumpur

When you think of Malaysia, only two names crop up, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Touted to be a fancy holiday destination, Kuala Lumpur is the capital of the lovely country of Malaysia. With dominating skylines and alluring sights, the city manages to attract tourists all-round the year. Christmas and New Year celebrations especially, in Kuala Lumpur, are legendary and certainly something you should indulge in. The streets are decked up, and purveyors and locales are full of life.

Best time to visit Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is located quite close to the equator, which results in the city being perpetually hot and wet. The city only witnesses summers and monsoons with very mild to non-existent winters. Out of the unfavourable weather though, the month's May to July are pleasant. It is relatively dry during these months, which helps enjoy the brisk sun and dry weather. The city looks very lively during these months as the sky is clearer and the sun rays can touch the streets. The hotel prices during this time are comparatively high as it is the peak season. You might have to deal with some exorbitant hotel rates in Kuala Lumpur. While there might be some options for cheap hotels in Kuala Lumpur, for that you might want to make prior bookings. It will enable you to save up on a lot of money and ensure that you get some great deals as well.

May through August also enables easier access to tourist attractions within the city. You can enjoy places like Sunway Lagoon Park and more without having to deal with excess sun's rays and wet weather. Of course, it is going to be hot most of the time with temperatures standing between 30 to 35 degree Celsius. However, the nights are pleasant, and the dry weather helps feel at ease. December through February is also considered to be a good time to visit Kuala Lumpur. The holiday spirit is strong with the city during these months. Not just the universally recognised holidays but you can also indulge in some of the Malaysian holidays and festivals like Chinese New Year and Thaipusam Festival.

Places to visit in Kuala Lumpur

A trip to Kuala Lumpur should always start with checking out the city's major highlight, the Petronas Twin Towers. The twin skyscrapers in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur were once the tallest buildings in the world before they were surpassed by Taipei 101. Batu Caves is another important landmark in Kuala Lumpur which is a series of caves made up of limestones with temples within them. The shrine is dedicated to the Hindu god, Lord Murugan and is one of the biggest and most popular Hindu temples. The celebrations of Thaipusam take place here annually. Another intriguing building in Kuala Lumpur is the Menara Kuala Lumpur, which is a communication centre that stands at the height of 421 meters. It is the seventh-tallest freestanding tower recognised worldwide. The Dataran Merdeka is also an exciting attraction in Kuala Lumpur. It is located bang opposite the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is quite an interesting place that would definitely marvel you. It is acknowledged as the largest covered bird park in the world. In fact, within the bird park, you can actually choose from the slew of bird watching sections that range from flamingos to parrots to hornbill. The park also houses the famous Indian blue peacocks, cockatoos, parakeets and eagles, to name a few. One of the city's cultural heritage is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Even though the Moorish-style building holds no political or historical significance, it still manages to garner a lot of attention. The evenings here are exceptional as the building is decked up with lights and pizzazz. The National Mosque Of Malaysia is also a fine structure that would impress you. The architecture of the mosque is beautiful and depicts the Islam culture in its full glory. You should definitely go around the structure and soak in the brilliance of the religious infrastructure. It certainly is a beauty.

Things to do in Kuala Lumpur

For folks travelling from India, it would be silly to visit another locality that is inspired by the country. However, Kuala Lumpur's version of Little India will impress you. From bright decorations to Indian brands nestled in the area, the place would definitely get your attention. Similarly, you should also visit Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur to soak in all the dozens of restaurants and food joints that are heavily influenced by the Chinese. From Reggae Nar to indulging in some traditional laksa and curry noodles, this part of the city will amaze you and your stomach. Speaking of the stomach, Jalan Alor is a haven for foodies who wish to explore the street food culture of Kuala Lumpur. The place is practically lit with too many street food dishes set up by hawkers. They are cheap and too delicious. It is quite an experience worth exploring. Of course, there is room for shopping in Kuala Lumpur too as Berjaya Times Square is the spot with all kinds of entertainment.

Food and Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur's Oversea Restaurant is undoubtedly the most famous and a favourite among food critics too. From its flavourful char siu to the perfectly-cooked ham yue fah lam poh, the restaurant brings a lovely melange of flavours in a quaint environment. You can find a paradisiacal Indian restaurant in Kuala Lumpur too as Bala's Banana Leaf is a delight. With a spacious establishment, the food is a little trip down the South of India in Malaysia. Much like how the traditional South Indian food is served on a banana leaf, the same idea is followed at Bala's where you are blessed with lip-smacking dishes such as curries from lentils, fish, crab and vegetables made from spinach, cucumber and yogurt. The seafood here is a major seller. Get yourself a lovely Malaysian breakfast spread at Kedai Makanan Nam Chun. It is the best and ultimate comfort food, as stated by many food critics. Kuala Lumpur also welcomes French cuisine's succulent dishes at Entier at Alila Bangsar.

The ride continues as more restaurants are introduced to satiate your food cravings in Kuala Lumpur. Excelling in the noodle business is Albert Lai's Yung Kee Beef Noodles. The establishment serves the best rice noodles in beef broth with brisket, tendon and other cuts of beef. It is comfortable and soothing to the soul. The city also has room for Japanese cuisine as Sushi Azabu has been installed here. You can find the delicious ramen, tempura, sushi, yakitori and more statement dishes from the Japanese kitchen. Not just Japanese but Kuala Lumpur also has Pizzeria Dihyang, an Italian retreat where you will find some exquisite traditional Italian food, including pizza made from a wood-burning oven. It is quite a perfect setting and something you will certainly enjoy.

How to reach Kuala Lumpur (Transportation)

Flight connectivity to Kuala Lumpur is quite convenient and regular. Malaysia is recognised worldwide as one of the best tourist destinations, owing to its wide beaches and lovely weather. With cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur nestled perfectly on the shores of the country, it is not surprising that Malaysia receives a lot of tourists from India. The fact that the demand is high enables many airlines to provide flights from India to Kuala Lumpur. Airlines such as Malindo Air, Malaysia Airlines, GoAir, IndiGo, Srilankan Airlines, SpiceJet, AirAsia, Singapore Airlines, Silkair, Thai Airways, Vistara, to name a few, have regular flights from India. You can also find direct and nonstop flights to Kuala Lumpur from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, among a few cities. Malindo Air and Malaysia Airlines are two prominent airlines that have special direct flights reserved for Kuala Lumpur from India. The most popular route chosen for Kuala Lumpur is from Thailand or Singapore. In fact, Singapore and Colombo are some of the international routes that have amazing connectivity with Kuala Lumpur. Often a majority of tourists root for these city connections to reach Kuala Lumpur if they fail to snag the direct flight tickets.

The flight tickets to Kuala Lumpur are very cheap. In fact, you can round off your trip to and from Kuala Lumpur for less than INR 30,000. You wouldn't even need to make any special adjustments with respect to the connectivity of the flight or duration. These prices can be availed on direct nonstop flights to Kuala Lumpur. It only takes about five hours and thirty minutes to reach Kuala Lumpur from India. Plus, you will find some convenient time to catch the flight, so it doesn't mess with your travel schedule too. Make your flight bookings to Kuala Lumpur online to avail some of the benefits. While you are making flight bookings, you can also reserve your hotels in Kuala Lumpur to get some discounts or online deals. There are many provisions of combo deals available online. Depending on which season you pick for your trip to the city, you will be able to snag some amazing online flight deals and cheap hotel prices too, in Kuala Lumpur. It is best to make prior flight and hotel bookings in Kuala Lumpur as the city is quite expensive and you will need all the money to spend on the holiday.

  About Kuala Lumpur Airport

Kuala Lumpur International Airport serves as the main international airport in Malaysia and is also recognised as one of the biggest airports of Southeast Asia. The airport is situated in the Sepang district of Selangor. It is approximately 45 km away from the main city of Kuala Lumpur. It majorly serves the Greater Klang Valley metropolis. Kuala Lumpur International Airport is recognised as the largest and busiest airport in the country. Back in 1018, it estimated passenger capacity of 59,988,409. The same year, the airport witnessed 714,669 tonnes of cargo as well as 399,827 aircraft movements. Three parallel runways have been constructed to meet with the air traffic. The airport is recognised to be the 23rd busiest airport in the world with respect to passenger traffic. Kuala Lumpur International Airport was officially opened for business in 1998. It opened just in time for the 1998 Commonwealth Games that was held in the city.

About Airport Terminals

There are two main terminals at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The original terminal called KLIA Main and terminal 2, called klia2. Terminal 1 was designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa. The airport complex is sprawled across 38.4 metres and has enabled space for future expansions. The symbolic architecture is a testament to the late architect's vision of aesthetic details. It encapsulates Islamic geometry along with cutting edge technology that also puts hints of tropical rainforest. KLIA Main is situated between two runways and covers a floor space of 4,300,000 sq ft. The terminal has a total of 216 check-in counters that are spread across six different islands that are identified alphabetically named A-M. The airport also has self-check-in kiosks available.

Satellite terminal A is a building located at Kuala Lumpur International Airport that operates international flights departures and arrivals. An aerotrain has been constructed to connect the first terminal with the satellite building. The building has 27 boarding gates in total. Kuala Lumpur City, Air Terminal, also referred to as Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal or KL CAT is situated at KL Sentral and carries three airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malindo Air and Malaysia Airlines. KLIA2, also known as Terminal 2, has been built exclusively to optimise low-cost carriers. The operations at klia2 commenced in 2014 and have about 68 departure gates, 80 aerobridges and about 220 retail outlets.

About Airport Authority

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is owned by Khazanah Nasional Berhad, which is a sovereign wealth fund that is funded by the Government of Malaysia. The commercial objective of Khazanah is to multiply the financial assets and to diversify the revenue sources for Malaysia. They have strategic objectives to achieve the same and ensure to bring in long-term benefits economically. However, the airport is currently operated by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad. It is a Malaysian airport company that works to handle a majority of airports in the country.

The headquarters of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad is located in the Persiaran Korporat KLIA, which is within the premise of Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The company currently owns 39 airports under its wing, including Bintulu Airport, Langkawi International Airport, Sandakan Airport, Lahad Dat Airport, Penang International Airport and Limbang Airport, to name a few. Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad is also listed on the Board of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. They are the first airport operations company that has a space on the listing of Asia.

Out of the airports that fall under the Malaysia Airports umbrella, Kuala Lumpur International Airport is primarily the result of visionary strategy which has been working on accommodating traffic and big aircraft.

Top airlines flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Kuala Lumpur is one of the best tourist destinations in Malaysia, after Singapore. Hence, the city does witness a slew of travellers coming over to relish the tropical weather and the beaches. There are far too many airlines that operate from the airport. As the airport sees excellent connectivity with many international destinations, many airlines operate from Kuala Lumpur International Airport include Air Arabia, Air Astana, Air China, AirAsia, AirAsia X, All Nippon Airways, Bangkok Airways, British Airways, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Cathay Dragon, China Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, IndiGo, Himalaya Airlines, Indonesia AirAsia, Japan Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Nepal Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Scoot, Shenzhen Airlines, SilkAir, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Thai Airways, Royal Jordanian, Thai Smile, Turkish Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, VietJet Air and Vietnam Airlines. The airport serves as a major hub to a slew of domestic airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, AirAsia, MASkargo, AirAsia X, UPS Airlines and AsiaCargo Express. These airlines also cater to the economy of Malaysia.

Facilities at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Baby care room - Kuala Lumpur International Airport has facilitated baby care rooms to help mother's and infants find the necessary privacy. Airports can get very crowded and make it difficult for new mothers to cater to their child's needs. However, at the airport's baby care rooms, that won't be an issue. The room is well-lit and has all the required amenities for the mother and the child. This includes essential baby products as well as a diaper changing station.

Buggies - To enable faster and easier transport within the airport premise, they have installed buggies at all stations. You can find them at the entrance of the airport as well as at the check-in and security booths as well. You will need to inform the airlines and ask them to arrange for a buggy service though. The buggies are usually reserved for senior citizens, expecting mother's and mobility disabled passengers. However, travellers with other concerns can also avail the service.

Kidzania (Entertainment deck for kids) - Travelling with kids can be quite tough, especially when they get bored and start acting up. Hence, with a view to entertaining kids, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport has installed an entertainment deck for them in the form of Kidzania. The place has all amenities with rides and games that would keep the kids busy while you wait for boarding.

Medical services - The airport has also installed world-class medical services at the premise. Often airports see medical cases and emergencies which require assistance as soon as possible. Along with medical clinics and paramedic services, the airport also has pharmacies stationed at regular intervals. You can find them at the domestic and international terminals.

Muslim prayer room - Designated prayer rooms are also there at the airport. However, the rooms are separate for men and women. They are available at all levels of the main terminal building as well as the satellite building. The rooms can also be used for meditation.

Smoking lounge - Smoking in public space is prohibited in Malaysia, and hence, the airport has installed a smoking lounge. Passengers can make use of the comfortable rooms to smoke and even purchase some boxes, if necessary.

Entertainment deck - Interesting entertainment decks are also present at the airport in the satellite building. The lounge has multiple TV sets that have been placed in a U-shaped room. They face relaxed sofa sets and chairs to make for a comfortable experience. It is certainly a good space where one can hang out before boarding. TV has movies and sports channels that one can browse.

Calm room - Something known as a calm room is also present at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The room has soothing portraits and a calm environment to help anxious passengers keep their nerves on check while they wait for the boarding. They have miniature trees and paintings on the wall too that add to the soothing vibe.

Special assistance - There are provisions for special assistance that the airport supports. Trained staff will escort you through the airport and guide you with all the necessary steps and check-in processes required.

How to reach Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Rail

An Express Rail Link is directly connected to the airport. The station is located right at the Main Terminal as well outside klia2. You can catch two of the trail services to reach Kuala Lumpur International Airport namely, KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit. The two rail links have been routed in such a way that they make reaching the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from the city centre easy and convenient. The designs have also been aesthetically done to make the rails look good.

Taxicabs and limousine

There are dedicated taxicab services and even limousines available at the airport as well as the city's travel agencies. You can visit any of the agents and book yourself a ride to reach the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Airport Limo is one place where you can avail the limousine service. There are counters at the airport where you can book your vehicles. You will have to make the payments at the counter itself as there are fixed rates to reach the airport.

Bus

With buses too, there are public as well as private services available within the city to reach the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The buses are air-conditioned, so you will need to get a ticket to KL Sentral transportation hub which would cost you around RM11. The frequency of buses is quite high at the airport so you wouldn't have to worry about its availability.