Chandigarh Airport (IXC) Guide

Before security

• Entry: boarding pass/ticket plus photo ID checked at terminal entry gates.
• DigiYatra is supported for eligible domestic passengers — enrol via the app for faster, paperless entry and boarding.
• Automated security screening lanes keep the domestic side moving efficiently.

Good to know

• Reports on Wi-Fi availability are inconsistent across sources — some say free Wi-Fi is available, others report none. Don’t rely on it; carry offline entertainment or a local SIM as backup.
• The airport accommodates early-morning and late-night flights, though it isn’t confirmed as a true round-the-clock facility — check your specific flight time is genuinely scheduled rather than assuming full 24/7 service.

In the arrivals hall

• International SIM cards are available at dedicated counters — bring your passport and a photo.
• Free trolleys, complimentary baggage assistance, and special support for senior citizens and passengers with disabilities.
• Currency exchange counters and ATMs are available.

Meeting someone?

• Greeters wait outside the terminal exits — entry to secure zones requires a ticket.
• Wheelchairs and assistance for differently-abled travellers are readily available on request.

Indian citizens

• Immigration applies to international trips only — passport, boarding pass, and destination visa where needed.
• Fast Track Immigration (FTI-TTP) e-gates are being rolled out at major Indian airports — check current availability at IXC before relying on it, given its smaller international section.
• Returning residents get a duty-free allowance (general goods up to a rupee limit, plus limited alcohol and tobacco) — check current CBIC limits before shopping abroad. This matters here given how many passengers are returning NRIs from the Gulf.

OCI holders & PRs abroad

• OCI card holders use visa-free entry with a valid foreign passport + OCI card.
• Indian-origin travellers with foreign PR but no OCI need a visa/e-visa like other foreign nationals.

Foreign nationals

• e-Visa holders: follow the e-Visa lane at immigration — carry the printed ETA approval.
• Regular visas use the standard foreigner queue; complete the arrival card from the plane or the hall.
• Customs: green channel if nothing to declare; currency above prescribed limits (foreign cash beyond ~US$5,000, or higher total instruments) must be declared.

Lounges

• A domestic lounge is available, offering air-conditioned comfort, complimentary food and beverages, Wi-Fi, reading material and TV.
• Access typically via business class tickets, premium frequent flyer status, Priority Pass, or pay-at-door.
• Card note: bank lounge programmes changed across India in late 2025 — confirm your card’s current access before relying on it.

ATMs & forex

• ATMs and currency exchange counters are available across the terminal.
• India runs heavily on UPI; a working international card plus a small cash reserve covers most travellers.

Shopping

A small duty-free selection serves international passengers — modest compared to India’s metro airports. Retail outlets and a bookshop cover the essentials on the domestic side.

Food

A food court and retail outlets are available after security on the domestic side, with a smaller café on the international side. If you have time before flying, seek out Punjabi classics — the same rich, hearty flavours found across the region.

Restrooms & essentials

Restrooms are frequent and well-signed with accessible facilities. A Child Care Area, smoking room, and free medical facilities are also available.

The good news

Because it’s one integrated building, there’s no shuttle or long walk between domestic and international sides.

Connecting flights

International→domestic: you still clear immigration, collect bags, and check in again — keep at least 2–2.5 hours, on the shorter side given IXC’s compact scale and quicker processing.

Taxi & ride-hailing

• Prepaid taxi counter just outside the arrivals area — the most reliable option.
• Radio taxis and car rentals also operate from the airport.
• From Chandigarh city centre (Sector 17): ~12 km, 20–30 minutes. From Mohali: ~8 km, 15–20 minutes.

Bus

• City bus Line 213 drops passengers at the airport.
• Volvo buses from ISBT Sector 43 connect to the wider tri-city area.

Onward to Himachal Pradesh

• Shimla: ~115 km, 4–5 hours by road (NH-5), or a taxi to Kalka for the scenic Kalka-Shimla toy train.
• Manali: ~310 km, 7–8 hours (NH-21).
• Options include hiring a taxi from the airport, a Volvo bus from ISBT Sector 43, or a shared cab.

Under 30 min away

• Elante Mall — Chandigarh’s largest mall, with 235+ brand outlets, a multiplex, and extensive dining — the airport’s own recommended layover spot.
• Rock Garden — Nek Chand’s extraordinary folk-art sculpture garden, built entirely from recycled materials and industrial waste; a genuinely unique Chandigarh icon.
• Sukhna Lake — the city’s scenic man-made lake, popular for a stroll or boat ride.

Worth it with more time

• Capitol Complex — the UNESCO World Heritage-listed government buildings designed by Le Corbusier, reflecting Chandigarh’s status as India’s first fully planned modern city.
• Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park — one of North India’s largest zoos, with a lion safari.
• Shimla, Manali, Kasauli or Dharamshala — IXC is genuinely the most practical air gateway to Himachal Pradesh’s hill stations.

Closest to the airport

• Mansa Devi Temple, Panchkula — one of the region’s most significant Hindu temples, dedicated to the goddess Mansa Devi, ~20–25 min from the airport.
• Nada Sahib Gurdwara, Panchkula — a peaceful, scenic gurdwara by the Ghaggar river.

Worth the trip

• Golden Temple, Amritsar — Sikhism’s holiest site is a further drive (~4 hours) or short flight away, but many travellers combine both cities on a Punjab trip.
• Chamunda Devi & Naina Devi Temples — significant Shakti Peethas further into the Himachal foothills, popular pilgrimage stops en route to Dharamshala.

Lost something at the airport?

• Report to the terminal’s Lost and Found Baggage Services desk, or check aai.aero/en/airports/chandigarh for the current process.
• Left something on the plane? That goes to your airline, not the airport — contact the airline directly.

Airline customer service

Use only the contact details on airlines’ official websites — fake “customer care numbers” planted in search results are a common scam in India:

• Air India — airindia.com → Contact Us
• IndiGo — goindigo.in → Contact Us (24/7 chat in-app)
• SpiceJet — spicejet.com → Contact Us
• Akasa Air — akasaair.com → Support
• International carriers: use the airline’s own site, or their terminal ticketing counters.

At the airport

Free medical facilities are available on-site — ask any airport staff member for the nearest facility. India’s all-in-one emergency number is 112 (ambulance also via 102/108).

Major hospitals within ~20–30 min

• PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research), Chandigarh — one of India’s most prestigious government medical institutions, drawing patients from across North India.
• Fortis Hospital, Mohali — well-regarded private multi-speciality hospital, close to the airport.
• Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mohali — established private hospital network.

In Chandigarh

Some countries with strong Punjab diaspora ties may maintain a consular or visa-facilitation presence — check current listings before you travel.

If Chandigarh can’t help

• Full embassies for most nationalities are in Delhi, about 1 hour away by air.
• For a lost passport you’ll typically also need a police report (Chandigarh/Punjab/Haryana Police support online lost-property complaints, depending on where the loss occurred).
• In a genuine emergency, your country’s Delhi embassy can coordinate remotely even without a local consul.

Physical stores

• Pharmacies and convenience stores are available in Mohali, minutes from the airport.
• For a fuller supermarket, expect a 15–20 minute drive toward central Chandigarh’s sector markets.

The shortcut: delivery apps

Staying near the airport or in the city? Quick-commerce apps — Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart — deliver groceries, toiletries, chargers, and medicine, with strong coverage across Chandigarh’s well-planned sector grid.

Elante Mall

The airport’s own recommended layover spot — dozens of restaurants and cafés alongside its retail offering, minutes from the terminal.

Don’t skip: Punjabi cuisine

Hearty, rich Punjabi food — makhani gravies, sarson da saag with makki di roti, and tandoori classics — is worth prioritising at established city restaurants over generic multi-cuisine menus.

Hotel dining & bars

JW Marriott and Hyatt Regency in the city offer excellent dining and bars for a more polished evening, a bit further from the airport but well worth the trip.