Port Blair Airport (IXZ) Guide

Indian citizens

• No permit and no passport needed. Flying to Port Blair is the same as flying to any other Indian city.
• Carry a government photo ID matching your ticket — Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or voter card.
• Separate permits still apply for the restricted zones described below.

Foreign nationals

• You need a valid passport and Indian visa, as anywhere in India.
• Since 2018 the RAP requirement was relaxed for around 30 designated islands, covering the usual tourist destinations. Immigration officials still check your passport and visa on arrival at the airport and seaport.
• Where a RAP does apply, it is typically issued for 30 days, extendable by 15 with permission from the authorities in Port Blair, and can also be obtained in advance from Indian missions or the FRROs in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

The exceptions that still bite

• Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan, and foreign nationals of origin in those countries, continue to require a RAP, granted only with prior Ministry of Home Affairs approval.
• Travelling without a required RAP invites action under the Foreigners Act — this is not a formality to improvise at the airport.
• Some areas carry additional nationality-specific requirements. Verify your own case rather than relying on a general summary.

The Nicobar group

• Closed to tourists, Indian and foreign alike.
• Access requires special government authorisation, granted essentially only for official, research or military purposes.
• Don’t plan an itinerary that includes them; no operator can arrange it legitimately.

The Baratang road

• The route north from Port Blair to Baratang crosses the Jarawa tribal reserve.
• You travel through in a timed convoy — no stopping, no photography, no interaction of any kind.
• Filming along that stretch is a serious offence. Prosecutions have followed. Put the phone away entirely.

Why this matters

• These communities have limited immunity to illnesses that are trivial to visitors.
• The rules exist to protect people, not scenery — which is why enforcement is unusually strict here.
• If a tour operator offers you something that sounds like access to a tribal community, that is your signal to walk away.

The day before

• Come back to Port Blair the night before your flight. Do not plan to sail from Havelock or Neil on departure morning.
• Ferries cancel for rough seas at short notice, particularly in the monsoon months.
• A missed flight here isn’t a rebooking inconvenience — it can cost days.

At the terminal

• Entry: a printed or mobile boarding pass and photo ID are checked at the terminal doors.
• No photography at or around the airfield — it’s shared with the Navy.
• Buying shells or coral as souvenirs? Don’t. Removing marine material is restricted and can be an offence.

In the arrivals hall

• Taxis and hotel transfers are the practical options; the town is very close.
• ATMs are available — draw cash here, because ATM coverage on Havelock and Neil is limited and machines run dry.
• Buy your SIM before you come if you can. Mobile coverage across the islands is patchy and some networks work far better than others.

First moves

• Book your ferries before you arrive — private catamarans to Havelock and Neil sell out in season.
• Confirm your return ferry at the same time, not later.
• If you’re diving, check that your operator knows your arrival time — most are based on Havelock.

How it works

• Private catamarans are faster and more comfortable; the government ferry is cheaper and slower.
• Havelock is roughly 1.5–2 hours from Port Blair by fast ferry; Neil is closer.
• Departures are from the Port Blair jetty, not the airport — allow travel time between them.

Book ahead

• Private ferries sell out in peak season (roughly November to April). Book with your flights, not on arrival.
• Book the return leg at the same time.
• Keep ID handy — it’s checked at the jetty.

When seas are rough

• Sailings cancel at short notice in the monsoon windows, and sometimes for days.
• This is exactly why you return to Port Blair the night before your flight home.
• Seasickness is common on the crossing — come prepared if you’re prone to it.

Lounges

• Provision is limited — this is a single-terminal island airport, not a hub.
• Where available, access is via credit-card programmes or pay-per-use.
• Card access changed across India in late 2025 — confirm your card still qualifies rather than assuming.

Money on the islands

• Carry more cash than you would on the mainland. ATMs exist on Havelock and Neil but are few, and they run out.
• Connectivity is patchy, so card machines and UPI fail more often than you’d expect — including at resorts.
• Draw cash in Port Blair before taking the ferry. This is the single most repeated piece of Andaman advice for a reason.

Shopping

Modest convenience retail and souvenirs. Do not buy coral, shells or marine curios — removing them is restricted, and carrying them can cause you problems at either end of the journey.

Food

Snack counters and cafés rather than restaurants. Budget ₹150–400 for something light. Options are limited, so eat in town if you have time before an evening flight.

Restrooms & essentials

The new terminal is clean, modern and accessible, with drinking-water points and charging facilities. Wi-Fi typically needs an SMS code — worth setting up while you still have mainland connectivity.

Wheelchairs & reduced mobility

Free wheelchair assistance is a regulatory requirement at Indian airports. Request it when booking, at least 48 hours ahead. Note that the terminal is accessible but ferries, jetties and beaches largely are not — plan the island legs carefully.

Divers

If you’re diving, observe the standard no-fly interval after your last dive — generally at least 18–24 hours before a flight. With only one airport and infrequent flights, getting this wrong is expensive as well as dangerous.

Families

Baby-care facilities are available. The ferry crossings are the demanding part with small children, especially in choppy conditions — build in rest days rather than island-hopping daily.

In Port Blair

• Taxis are the standard option; fares are negotiated or fixed by local rates rather than meters.
• App cabs have limited presence compared with the mainland — don’t count on them.
• Autos and local buses operate around town, and hotel transfers are widely offered.

Getting to the jetty

• Ferries leave from the Port Blair jetty, a short drive from the airport.
• Allow real time between a landing and a ferry departure — the connection is tighter than it looks on paper.
• Many visitors spend their first night in Port Blair and sail the next morning.

Around the islands

• Havelock and Neil — by ferry only; scooters and autos once you’re there.
• Baratang and North Andaman — by road convoy through the tribal reserve, with the restrictions described above.
• Distances feel small on a map and take much longer in reality.

In town

• Cellular Jail — the colonial prison where Indian independence activists were held, and the reason many Indians visit. The evening sound-and-light show is the standard experience.
• Samudrika Naval Marine Museum — a genuinely good introduction to the islands’ ecology.
• Corbyn’s Cove — the closest beach to town, ~10 minutes from the airport.
• Anthropological Museum — context on the islands’ indigenous communities, done respectfully.

Beyond Port Blair

• Radhanagar Beach, Havelock — regularly ranked among Asia’s best beaches.
• Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep) — colonial ruins reclaimed by roots, a short boat ride.
• Neil Island — quieter beaches and the natural rock bridge.
• Diving and snorkelling — the Andamans are among India’s best sites, mostly run out of Havelock.

Lost something at the airport?

• Port Blair Airport is run by the Airports Authority of India. Report losses at the airport information desk or to the AAI duty manager.
• Left something on the plane? That’s the airline’s responsibility — go to their counter before you leave the building.
• Missing checked baggage: file a Property Irregularity Report in arrivals before exiting. On an island with one or two flights a day from your origin, delayed bags can take a while.
• Pack essentials, medication and dive certification in your cabin bag.

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:

• IndiGo — goindigo.in → Contact Us (24/7 in-app chat)
• Air India — airindia.com → Contact Us
• Air India Express — airindiaexpress.com → Support
• SpiceJet — spicejet.com → Contact Us

At the airport

The terminal has a medical room and ambulance access — ask any airport staff member or CISF officer. India’s all-in-one emergency number is 112; ambulances can also be called on 102 or 108.

The honest picture

• GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair is the main referral hospital for the entire territory.
• Facilities on Havelock and Neil are basic — a health centre, not a hospital.
• Serious cases are evacuated to the mainland by air, which takes time and money.
• There is no hyperbaric chamber on every island. If you dive, confirm with your operator what the local arrangements are before you get in the water.

In town

Restaurants cluster around Aberdeen Bazaar and the Marine Hill and South Point hotels. Portions are generous and prices reasonable by island standards.

What to eat

Seafood, obviously — grilled fish, crab and prawns, often cooked to Bengali or South Indian recipes reflecting where the islands’ settlers came from. Coconut features heavily.

Practical notes

Much of the food supply arrives by ship, so choice narrows and prices rise when the weather is bad. Vegetarian options are widely available but less varied than on the mainland.