Mumbai05 Sep 24 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Chicago
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 TAP Air Portugal
TAP Air Portugal, headquartered at its hu, Lisbon Airport, is the flag carrier airline of Portugal. The airline operates at least 2500 flights a week to 90 destinations in 34 different countries. The airline began its operation in 1946, and the inaugural flight was from Lisbon to Madrid. Since its inception, the airline has been dangling between getting privatised and then getting nationalised again. In 2015, the airline became semi-privatised and finally became a flag carrier for Portugal. TAP Air Portugal has won several awards for being the best engine, best airline and much more. TAP Air Portugal also has subsidiaries under it to save the airlines from diving into any further loss. TAPExpress, Groundforce Portugal, TAP Services, TAP Maintenance and Engineering, now you know why I ask mouthful? The airline is gaining quite the popularity in Europe. The airline has managed to survive and get through the most difficult days with the whole uncertainty of whether or not it will shut down. The airline has also gone through rebranding several times. The airline also has many codeshare agreements with a few other airlines. These include Aegean Airlines, All Nippon Airways, EgyptAir, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, LAM Mozambique Airlines.
TAP Air Portugal has been the recipient of several accolades for its contribution to the aviation industry as well as for providing the industry and its customers with excellent facilities and services. In 2007, the airline was honoured by NATO for Best Engine/Aircraft Source of Repair for its AWACS Maintenance Programme. The airline also won several such awards for conducting and managing the best repair centre for big aircraft and maintaining its fleet. British Condé Nast Traveller even called TAP Air Portugal the World's Best Airline Award.
Fleet size of TAP – Air Portugal
As of 2020, TAP Air Portugal's fleet size stands at 87 aircraft with 25 in order and yet to be delivered. The aircraft that are currently being used by the airline include 18 Airbus A319-100, 19 Airbus A3290200, seven Airbus A320neo, four Airbus A321-200s, six Airbus A321LR, seven Airbus A321neo, seven Airbus A330-200 and 19 Airbus A330-900neo. Out of these, the airline has ordered for eight more of Airbus A320neo, six Airbus A321LR, five Airbus A321neo and six Airbus A330-900neo. TAP Air Portugal turned up as the launch customer of Airbus' latest aircraft model, A330-900 when it was revealed back in 2018. The airline instantly opted to invest in the said aircraft and make it part of Tap Air Portugal's fleet. TAP Air Portugal has made the order for the said type of aircraft, ten of which will be directly delivered by the manufacturing company, Airbus, meaning the others will be leased. They have also estimated that they will be controlling a fleet that will accommodate 133 aircraft, by 2025.
Baggage Allowance
TAP Air Portugal has certain baggage allowance policies for passengers to follow, and these are mandatory. According to TAP Air Portugal's baggage allowance rules, Your hand luggage cannot weigh more than 8 kg, whether you are in the economy class or the business class. Your check-in baggage cannot exceed 32 kg. However, the maximum limit may vary depending on the cabin class and ticket type. It also depends on whether it is a long haul or a short-haul. However, if your baggage is going to exceed the limit, make it a point to inform the airline before your flight so necessary arrangements can be made. You will have to pay extra depending on what the weight of the added luggage is. The dimension of the baggage cannot exceed 158 cm as it comes as an aircraft
Inflight Services
You can easily do a web check-in before reaching the airport unless you want to pick your seats carefully. TAP Air Portugal's in-flight services might be limited to a few, but it is worth every penny spent. The airline has WiFi for all passengers up in the air, you can choose the best seats depending on your type of ticket, the in-flight meals are simply delicious, and you choose from whatever you wish to eat. TAP Air Portugal's in-flight entertainment services, however, are only accessible entirely to the Business Class passengers and not everyone. They have a variety of sources of entertainment like music, television, movies and so on. Now, everything is not available everywhere. Only certain aircraft, like the A330 and A340 or A330, A330neo and A321LRneo.
One of the best TAP Air Portugal in-flight services is that they help you lose your fear of a takeoff. Make sure you head to their website and give it a read before you leave for the trip. If you are travelling by the economy class, make sure you bring your blanket and earplugs with you. However, if you are travelling by the business class, an entire kit will be provided to you. The airline also has its frequent flyer program. You can either use your miles to get a free air ticket, or you can use the points for any other ongoing offers. Make sure you use it for an expensive upgrade.
Popular routes and top cities for TAP Air Portugal
TAP Air Portugal was founded in 1946 as a means to play the nation's flag carrier. The airline initially only had operations on the Lisbon - Madrid route and used the Douglas DC-3 for the same. Soon, a new route was introduced by TAP Air Portugal between Angola and Mozambique. The same aircraft was used for the same. The Angola - Mozambique route turned out to take in a lot of praise for being the world's longest route that a DC - 3 has been used for. By 1957, TAP Air Portugal started dropping Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellations for their Lisbon - London route as well as Lisbon - Paris. The same year, the airline started to add more destination to it's kitty and fleet to the company. They started flying the TAP Air Portugal to a specific route that connected Portugal with Portuguese Mozambique and Portuguese Angola. In 1957, the airline further added a new route to connect Lisbon to a long haul route be taken for this. It operated from Lisbon to Kano - Leopoldville - Luanda, Lourenço Marques routes and also accommodated medium-haul routes in the same line. Further, the airline also started a new route to connect Lisbon to London.
As of 2012, Portugal was named and recognised as the only European airline that has the most connectivity in Brazil. In the same year, TAP Air Portugal was also recognised as the third-largest airline to serve Latin America, with respect to passenger traffic. In recent years, TAP Air Portugal has made a few domestic routes and international route expansions. A majority of their expansions took place in eastern Europe along with a few other. These are Gothenburg, Panama City, Belgrade, Saint Petersburg, Bogota, Nantes, Hanover, Oviedo and Tallinn. As of 2020, TAP Air Portugal has expanded its horizons to accommodate about 84 destinations, in 35 varied countries. The airline also launched a TAP Express.
Some of the big cities include Algiers, Luanda, Vienna, Brussels, Maceió, Belém, Brasilia, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Boa Vista, Sal, Praia, Prague, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Bordeaux, Nice, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Accra, Hamburg, Dublin, Tel Aviv, Bologna, Florence, Milan, Abidjan, Venice, Luxembourg City, Maputo, Oslo, Warsaw, Funchal, Lisbon, Porto, Santa Maria Island, Cape Town, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Zurich, London, Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco and Washington DC.
Why travel by TAP Air Portugal?
TAP Air Portugal has managed to maintain a good reputation in the aviation industry across Europe. The European continent is blessed with some of the finest airlines in the world. Right from the illustrious legacy of Netherlands' KLM - Royal Dutch Airways to the innovative and visionary Austrian Airlines, the airline's sector in Europe has many stalwarts who have ensured to bring the best experience to the passengers as well as develop the aviation industry for the better. TAP Air Portugal also finds itself in the hall of fame as one of the most sought-after airlines in the European continent. The airline has grown tremendously in all its years since inception. From bringing forth some of the world-class in-flight services to adding more comfort to a passenger's journey, TAP Air Portugal has managed to stay ahead of the game. Unlike how a majority of European airlines have their international route connectivity predominantly within the European Union, TAP Air Portugal has extended its wings to go transatlantic to attract more international routes and presence in a diverse market.
The airline has also enhanced its services to the customers and loyal flyers. With the world turning digital, TAP Air Portugal also took its market to the internet and has been doing quite well for itself. They have made web check-in facilities possible for customers. Not to mention how updates on the flight status as well as TAP Air Portugal's flight schedule can also be found on their site. Passengers can book TAP Air Portugal tickets on their website and avail some great benefits too.
