Shirdi to Dubai Flights

  About Shirdi

Shirdi is one of the famous holy cities in Maharashtra and the most-visited too. The pilgrimage site is known to be the abode to spiritual leader Sai Baba and is located in the Ahmednagar district of the state. The saint is revered and honoured tremendously by many of his devotees. The stories of miracles brought forth by Shirdi Sai Baba has brought about a legacy that many devotees believe in. The temple sees an abundance of devotees paying a visit to seek blessings all through the year. Due to the site's popularity, the town's heads constructed an airport to make flight connectivity to Shirdi from other cities in India.

Best time to visit Shirdi

Shirdi is snuggled up in a pleasant location in the Ahmednagar district, giving it a favourable climate. The best time for tourists to pay Shirdi a visit is during monsoon and winter. The months from June through February are practically perfect for visiting Baba and seeking his blessings. Monsoons bring about a certain charm to the wilderness that surrounds the city while winter only adds to pleasant temperatures. Summers in Shirdi is hot and humid, which could be unfavourable for many.

Places to visit in Shirdi

Shirdi Sai Baba Temple

Shirdi's fame comes from its guru Shirdi Sai Baba's temple. He is considered to be one of the greatest saints and has many devotees who believe in his powers. The temple sees a strong footfall with over 30000 devotees visiting to seek blessings of Baba. This number is not restricted to weekends but weekdays too. The temple is always crowded with devotees who worship the saint and believe in his miracles. It is also believed that the holy town of Shirdi is able to continue extensive development thanks to the money donated by devotees.

Sai Teerth Theme Park

Sai Teerth theme park is a spiritual theme park that the city has built to expand its tourist attractions further. It is commemorated as the first religious theme park to have been constructed in India. The park basically takes the devotees through a virtual tour of Sai Baba's life and times. There are 5D shows too that take place in the vicinity where his stories are projected. In fact, an artificial Dwarkamai has also been set up within the premise along with a train ride. It is a visual treat to the devotees and an entertaining, educational tour for the kids. The complex also has restaurants within the park premise.

Gurusthan

The Gurusthan holds a lot of spiritual significance for being the seat of the guru. The place found prominence as it is believed to be the seat where Sai Baba first made his appearance in the world. Baba sat under a neem tree which has now been converted into a shrine. The surrounding of the neem tree has been constructed with marble tiles, and an elevated structure has been created. It also has a small temple with Baba's photo on it.

Sai Heritage Village

With a view to celebrating the life of Shirdi Sai Baba, the city has constructed a heritage village which plays as a theme park for Baba's devotees. The heritage basically brings forth some of the tales of Shirdi Sai Baba with mannequins and sculptures. The place is a good tourist attraction not just for devotees but also for visitors who are not well-versed with the works of the spiritual leader.

Shani Shingnapur

Shani Shingnapur is another important temple to visit in Shirdi. Dedicated to Lord Shani, the temple is nothing like the traditional ones with walls and chambers within which the shrine is placed. In fact, the locals believe that Lord Shani resides in black stone and protects his devotees. An interesting titbit about Shani Shingnapur is how the villagers trust the lord's power so much that they don't have locks for doors at their houses.

Things to do in Shirdi

Wet N Joy Water Park

After all the pilgrimage, it would be quite nice to enjoy some time with family. And what better place than going to unwind at the Wet N Joy park? The water amusement park is one of the major tourist attractions in Shirdi as it caters to the families who don't just come for pilgrimage but also a mini vacation.

Jangli Maharaj Ashram

Aside from being an educational and residential school, the Jangli Maharaj Ashram also organises yoga and meditations. The institute is founded by guru Om Gurudev, a spiritual leader. Barely 7 km from the city centre, you can easily cover this area and return with a tranquil state of mind.

Food and restaurant

As a pilgrimage, Shirdi caters to the idea of selflessness and wholesomeness. This comes with the food that is prepared in the temple premise. After seeking blessings and visiting Baba's shrine, individuals have the option to dine at the temple premise in the Prasadalaya hall. The structure is acquired to accommodate devotees who would like to eat temple food. There is a line that needs to be maintained while the temple feeds all the devotees who have come to visit Baba. Much of the meals prepared in the temple are sourced from local harvesters and farmers. Not only does this help them eliminate the concerns of selling their crops but also gives the temple fresh stock. The meals are served free-of-cost and are abundantly flavourful. Since the food at the temple is exquisite, often people don't eat outside but, in the temple's, own eating space, Prasadalaya. The place is packed from morning to evening as the temple does witness a good footfall.

While a majority of crowd prefer food served in the temple as it is considered to be holy, there are diverse restaurants in the city that could be refreshing to your taste buds. The temple vicinity itself has several food joints and restaurants that you can explore. Places such as Sai Naivedyam, Blue Coriander restaurant, Mukta Food Court and Rajdhani restaurant are some of the places you can eat at, if not the temple. These places specialise in lip-smacking Maharashtrian, Gujarati, North Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine. In fact, some of them also have a buffet setting exclusively for breakfast. In fact, you should also check out some of the street food that is available in the city. From street pizza to sandwiches, noodles and oodles of junk food would be a good way to unwind after a pilgrimage. For those who have never tried vada pavs or pav bhaji and chaat, this could be your opportunity. These street food options define Maharashtra in a way and should be tried out.

How to reach Shirdi (Transportation)

By Air

Shirdi airport recently started functioning and has already become the fourth busiest airports after Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune, in the state of Maharashtra. The flight connectivity from Shirdi to other big cities in India is remarkable. The airport connects Shirdi to cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Indore and Hyderabad. Although the airport has only one runway, it seems to be managed really well with regular flights flying in and out of Shirdi. Alliance Air, SpiceJet and IndiGo operate from Shirdi and have regular flights to major cities from here. The closest international airport would be the Pune International Airport. However, with Mumbai's connectivity to international routes, the second option is favoured. Shirdi Airport is about 14 km away from the temple town's main city area. Due to excessive demands, the city's airport witnesses great footfall of passengers travelling from around the world. The holy city's airport has great transport in the city centre with taxi cabs available right outside the airport. You can easily book your hotels in Shirdi city as the accommodations are also decent.

By Rail

Sainagar Shirdi railway station is considered to be the best way to reach the holy city as the location is prime and perfect. It is only 3 km away from the Shirdi Temple, which makes travelling convenient for pilgrims. Several domestic routes to Shirdi via railways are available. Cities such as Mumbai, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, Aurangabad, Chandigarh, etc. have regular trains connected with Shirdi. Over the years, the holy temple has seen tremendous development as it has even been revered as a smart city. From the station, there are multitudes of transport options to choose from to reach the temple.

By Road

The road connectivity of Shirdi with other cities is excellent. Various cities in Maharashtra such as Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, etc., have bus services to Shirdi. In fact, the city also sees roadways connecting with Bangalore. However, the travel time would be tedious by road. If you plan to reach Shirdi, then you should pick either of the cities mentioned that have direct buses to the holy town. Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation services these buses. A four-lane state highway is also being constructed to enhance Shirdi's connectivity further. The highway would certainly make road trips to Shirdi less time-consuming via road. The buses have their last stops in the main city area, so reaching the hotel rooms you have booked in Shirdi wouldn't be cumbersome.

  About Dubai

The Las Vegas of the Middle East, Dubai, is the place to go if you are looking for a lavish vacation. The city promises a lavish vacation and is worth every penny spent. The spectacular skylines, the larger-than-life attractions, beaches, and the food in Dubai will only leave you awestruck. Not to mention, Dubai is also a very popular destination for people to go shopping. Be it electronic products, high-end fashion accessories, gold jewellery or the spices, and it is a shopping paradise for everyone. The Dubai Mall is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city and is quite close to the Burj Khalifa, too. It is a well-planned city, and despite embracing modernity, the city has managed to retain its old charm. You can book a hotel in Dubai that is closer to all the tourist spots or something lavish that is a little farther away.

Best Time to Visit Dubai

Dubai experiences very extreme weather. It's difficult to step out when it's hot, and you will want to put on 2-3 layers of clothes when it is cold. November through March is the best time to visit the city since it is winter. The temperature ranges from 13 to 23 degree Celsius. This is peak tourist season, and you must book your hotel in Dubai in advance if you are taking off to the city during this time. It can get a tad bit difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Dubai, too, during this time. The cost does fall considerably by March-end and April. Since November to March is the high season, you will find a lot of tourist spots quite crowded. The nightlife scene in Dubai is also very happening, and the New Year celebrations in the city are grand. This is also when you will find a lot of crowd at Jumeirah beach. Not to mention, you'll reach right in time for the Dubai International Film Festival and the Dubai Shopping Festival.

April to October is summer in Dubai, and it is not the best time to visit the city. The temperature is above 37 degree Celsius, and the heat is simply unbearable. Though you may get a good flight deal to Dubai during this time, it won't be a wise choice since you won't be able to enjoy anything. May and July is Ramadan month, which only leads to a quieter nightlife and lesser hustle-bustle in the city. The scorching heat will make you cancel your plans to venture out and go sightseeing. Even heading to the beach won't help. However, if you are planning a trip to Dubai during this season, make sure you put on sunblock at all times and drink lots of water. The evenings and nights might seem a little pleasant compared to the day, but it is best to avoid travelling to Dubai during the summer. While there is scarce rainfall during summer, the city does not witness a monsoon season. It's only winter and summer here.

Places to Visit in Dubai

The Dubai Mall is one of the most popular places to visit in the city. Not only is it huge, but you can get a lot of high-end fashion brands here. The mall also has a fancy fountain in it which is a popular spot in the mall to take pictures. But make sure Dubai Mall is last on your itinerary because you will definitely want to swipe your credit card a lot at the mall here. The Burj Khalifa is an architectural marvel and one of the most popular places in Dubai that you cannot miss. The view from the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa is unbelievably spectacular. You will have to pay around 125 to 400 AED to get up there, but it is completely worth every penny spent. The Jumeirah beach is yet another popular tourist destination in Dubai. You can book a hotel in Dubai close to Jumeirah Beach and know that you will be well taken care of by the staff. You will absolutely love the sunset view from the beach. The Burj Al Arab is the fourth tallest hotel in the world and is also one of the most expensive 7-star hotels that have the Skyview Bar on the 27ht floor. The exotic hotel offers you the best view of the Palm Jumeirah. Dubai Creek is one romantic destination that you cannot miss at all, though it is open for families and friends as well. You will find a lot of restaurants that have outdoor seating right next to the creek, so you get the best view of the water. You can also go boating here at a minimal price.

Dubai Aquarium at Dubai Mall is a famous place to visit for families and friends. It is exquisite, and you can even go cage snorkelling and shark diving here. Of course, you will have to pay a nominal fee to get in, but it is totally worth it. If Dubai Mall is on your itinerary, make sure you go during the Dubai Shopping Festival. Global Village is a popular tourist attraction in Dubai that is basically a compilation of all countries and cultures of the world. You can shop here, eat here and catch a few entertaining performances here. It happens from November to March every year. Next on your itinerary must be the Dubai Marina. It is an exotic place to visit and has gained popularity for being one of the biggest human-made marinas in the world. It also has a lot of activities in store, so you don't just drop in for some sightseeing and food. You can also head to Ski Dubai or better, book an accommodation at the resort to enjoy the indoor resort that is dedicated to snow. You can also visit the Snow Park here.

Things to do in Dubai

You can hire a car to go sightseeing around the city or just take the metro to get around the city. The metro is a far affordable way to commute within the city. You can have dinner at one of the restaurants at the Dubai Creek. Post dinner, you can just walk around the area and be marvelled at the clean, beautiful streets. The Burj Khalifa is highly recommended, and the view from up top calls for great pictures and a few more followers on social media. It has also proven to be a popular spot where romantic proposals have taken place. You can visit the local markets to buy spices, which is a speciality in Dubai. The city is known for its lavish and exotic nightlife. You can party till wee hours and be assured that you will have a lot of fun. You must also try the Desert Safari, a popular activity taken up by tourists here. Shopping is one of the main highlights of Dubai, and it would be a shame to not visit the Dubai Mall during the shopping festival that happens around January.

Food and Restaurants in Dubai

Dubai is a paradise for food lovers, and the various cuisines will only leave you wanting for more. In case you want to try the speciality of the Middle East instead of settling for Indian or Chinese cuisine, there are quite a few restaurants that you must try. A few popular Middle Eastern cuisines include the Manousheh, Iranian Sangak, Baba Ganoush, Tabbouleh, Chelo Kebab, Fattoush, Falafel, Taboon break, Madrouba and so on. The Local Bites Cafe in Jumeirah is popular for serving Luqaimat, hot dumplings that have a doughnut-like texture. You can head to Ruya to try Turkish cocktails like the Anatolian Fizz. Cafe Bateel is popular for its signature Qahwa and a complimentary Arabic coffee. Aseelah at Radisson Blu is known for serving the best Margoogat, a tomato-based stew rich with special spices.

How to reach Dubai (Transportation)

Dubai International Airport is not very far from the main city. The flight connectivity to Dubai from India is excellent. There are quite a lot of direct flights to Dubai, too, and it only takes 3 to 4 hours to land in Dubai. It is one of the busiest airports in the world for passengers and quite efficient, too. AirArabia, AirIndiaExpress, EmiratesAirline, FlyDubai are some of the airlines that frequently fly to Dubai. The Dubai airport is quite huge, and the Duty-Free stores inside the airport are a treat to all your shopping needs. Getting a taxi from the airport to reach your hotel is not very difficult. Make sure you book your tickets way in advance if you want a good deal on flights to Dubai. The metro is also quite close to the airport, and you can choose to take a metro or a bus instead of a taxi if you don't have a lot of baggage. Connecting flights to Dubai stop at Mangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad and a couple of other cities. A lot of flights also land in Sharjah instead of Dubai, depending on which airline you choose.

  About Dubai Airport

Dubai International Airport serves as the primary airport located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airport is touted to be one of the world's busiest airport concerning international passenger traffic. Dubai International Airport is the fifth busiest airport in the entire world in terms of passenger traffic. It follows Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport. Dubai Airport also boasts of being the busiest when it comes to operations of Airbus A380 and Boeing 777. The airport is known for its massive capacity. It managed to handle a capacity of 88 million passengers in 2017 as well as 2.65 million tonnes of cargo as well as a registered aircraft movement of 409,493. Much recently, the management also installed a solar system for energy to enhance the functioning of the airport. Dubai International Airport's mission is to reduce the energy consumption to 30 per cent by 2030. Located in the Al Garhoud district, the airport is sprawled across 7,200 acres of land. The airport's Terminal 3 is also known to be the second massive building in the world with respect to floor space.

The airport also caters to the Emirates Airlines with an entire terminal dedicated to its operations. The terminal has three concourses and is shared with flydubai. Emirates hub is recognized as the largest airline hub in the Middle East. The airlines takes care of about 51 per cent of the overall passenger traffic as well as 42 per cent of aircraft movements of the airport. Dubai International Airport has a collective capacity to handle 90 million passengers on a yearly basis. The airport has undergone various upgradations in the years. It is currently aiming to enable a 37 per cent economic contribution from Dubai's aviation sector to further enhance the city's overall GDP.

About Airport Terminals

Dubai International Airport is said to be one of the busiest airports in the world. In fact, the infrastructure is also known to be one of the largest in the world. Dubai International Airport has three terminals, numbered as Terminal 1, 2 and 3. Terminal 3 caters completely to the Emirates airline. Terminal 1 and 3 have been perfectly connected to the common transit area. There is also an airside area reserved for passengers to walk through the two terminals without the necessity of undergoing immigration processes. A shuttle service is also present between the terminals for passengers. The terminal 1 was built originally to accommodate 18 million passengers in a year. However, it was expanded to handle more passenger action. The terminal currently has 28 remote gates, and the airport has undergone quite a few developments too. A fourth terminal is also in works, and the plans to expand Terminal 3 to accommodate more than 90 million a year in the terminal is being aimed. Terminal 3 is partly underground and is exclusively reserved for Emirates airlines. The terminal is also capable of handling the massive Airbus A380. Currently, though, it shares the terminal with Qantas.

About Airport Authority

Dubai Airport is owned by the Government of Dubai and is operated by Dubai Airports Company. It is basically the airport authority handles all the management of the Dubai International Airport but also has shares in the business. They handle Al Maktoum International Airport along with Dubai International Airport. The company came into existence in 2008 with duties to take care of all management activities of the Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai Cargo Village. Under their administrative power, Dubai Airport has seen a lot of improvement in terms of safety and efficiency of flight and cargo operations. A modular data centre that facilitates accumulating data availability has also been installed at the Dubai International Airport. The airport alone plays a strong role in contributing to the economy of the city of Dubai. The airport authority has further expanded Terminal 3 to make it the second-largest building in the world with respect to floor space. It has been recognized as the largest airport terminal, too, worldwide.

Top airlines flying from Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport accommodates a slew of international and domestic airlines. As one of the most important airports in the world, the connectivity of Dubai is excellent with other cities and countries. Not to mention how they also have Emirates, which is one of the biggest and most important airlines available. Along with it, the airport also helps operate some Indian airlines as the demand from some of the Indian cities is quite high. Dubai International Airport has Indian airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara, that operate from the city. These airports have direct connections with Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and more.

Along with some Indian airlines, the Dubai International Airport extensively caters to a plethora of international airport. A majority of the airlines that operate from Dubai Airport cater to various Middle Eastern, African and Central Asian cities. The most prominent airlines that operate from Dubai International Airport include African Express Airways, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Azerbaijan Airlines, Azur Air, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Druk Air, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Finnair, flydubai, Flynas, Gulf Air, Iran Air, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa, Kuwait Airways, Nepal Airlines, Oman Air, Pegasus Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Saudia, Sichuan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, Ural Airlines and Thai Airways. The airport also caters to reserving terminals for cargo flights. Carriers such as Emirates SkyCargo, Iran Air Cargo, Silk Way Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, FedEx Express, Spice Xpress and UPS Airlines operate from the Dubai Airport.

Facilities at the Dubai International Airport

WiFi - One of the major upgrades of the Dubai International Airport is the installation of a high-speed WiFi system across all terminals. You will need to follow some instructions available at the airport's website.

Currency exchange - You can find many exchange services across the terminals. The foreign exchange bureaus have good deals to help get good exchange rates as well as some more perks where you can reserve the rate and collect the amount later.

Baby care rooms - There are reserved rooms for baby care across all the terminals. You can attend to the child's needs with privacy at the rooms. In fact, you should visit the information desk or ask for help from one of the staff to guide you to the room.

Baggage - The airport has baggage storage facilities in the premise, and you can make use of the same. These services are open at Terminals 1 and 3. You can peruse through the airport's maps that would take you to the storage space.

Prayer rooms - There are Muslim prayer rooms available everywhere at the airport. Signs have been put up that direct you to the rooms.

Smoking lounges - The airport prohibits smoking in public and has reserved smoking lounges for the same. They are comfortable and have been located at various spots in the airport.

Showers - You can refresh yourself with some shower at Terminal 3. The facility is for free, so you can easily avail it.

Medical services - There are medical services and pharmacies available 24/7. You can visit the information desk to ask for help, or you can ask any of the airport staff to direct you to the medical centre. There are buggy ambulances also available at the Dubai International Airport.

Special assistance - The airport provides special assistance for passengers with mobility issues and special needs. For this, you will have to inform the airlines in advance.

How to reach Dubai International Airport

Dubai Metro

There are direct rail links from the Dubai Metro and the Dubai International Airport. A dedicated Red Line is connected directly to Terminal 3 and 1 of the airport. These services are run from 6 AM to 11 PM. The stations are accessible from the arrivals sections of both the terminals. Meanwhile, a Green Line has also been stationed close to the Airport Free Zone. The Terminal 2 and the Green Line is accessed conveniently. Currently, the airport authority is working on the Purple and Blue Lines to construct lines that would further connect the terminals better.

Bus

There are RTA-run Dubai Buses too that directly connect to the main city from the Dubai Airport. You can reach the Dubai International Airport by taking the inter-terminal shuttle bus service. These links operate on a frequent basis and are perfect for passengers who wish to transfer between terminals. A complimentary coach service is also available to reach the Dubai International Airport and is provided by Emirates.

Taxi and rental services

Government-owned and operated Dubai Taxi Agency can be availed to reach the Dubai International Airport. They have 24/7 services which can be found at the arrival terminal. There are counters and booths at the arrivals where you can book your ride to reach the main city of Dubai from the Dubai International Airport.