The cheapest airlines that fly from the U.S. to India are Air India and Continental. Air India flies out of major cities in the west and east coast to cities all over India. Continental has flights out of several cities on both coasts. Both airlines have fares ranging from $1,200 to $1,600 round trip, as of October 2010. Air India offers "Happy Hour" discounts: When passengers book their flights online between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. PST, they receive a 5 percent discount on top of the discounted web fare. Air India also regularly offers free companion fares on travel from the United States to select countries, including India.
British Airways is the most inexpensive way to fly from Canada to India. Flights leave five to six times a day and there is one flight that has a single connection in London before continuing on to a number of different airports. The least expensive trips are from one large international airport to another, like Montreal to Delhi. Prices for round-trip tickets vary by season and how well in advance you purchase them before the travel date. But you can expect a round-trip flight to cost between $1,700 and $2,200, as of October 2010. This is a significant savings over Air Canada, where most flights to India cost $2,700 to $3,300 round trip. After arrival at one of the major Indian airports, you can travel to other parts of the country are by domestic airline. Inclusive travel arrangements can be made through a travel agent or one of several travel websites.
SpiceJet and Go Air airlines fly to cities throughout India. SpiceJet is a no-frills airline, which means they do not have drink, food or entertainment service, and the flight attendants don't offer pillows or blankets. This no-frills policy allows them to keep rates low. A round-trip ticket from Delhi to Goa costs around $150, as of October 2010. Go Airlines charges a bit more than SpiceJet with the same trip costing $179, but they also run many promotions throughout the year that can save travelers up to 50 percent on their trips. Fares can change dramatically near Indian holidays, so check a calendar before booking airfare.
