ICAO: VIDP | IATA: DEL
Elevation: 777ft / 237m
Abbreviations used in this guide
1. In real life- IRL, irl
2. Infinite Flight- IF
3. Instrument Approach Procedure- IAP.
4. Waypoint- WPT, WPTs
5. Notice To Airmen- NOTAM
6. Air Traffic Control- ATC
7. Union Territory- UT
Welcome to this comprehensive airport guide, your ultimate resource for navigating Indira Gandhi International Airport (VIDP), one of Asia’s busiest and most advanced airports. This guide offers essential information on served destinations, aerodrome charts, terminal facilities, runway details, ground movement, and departure and arrival procedures. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a frequent traveler, our guide aims to make your journey through Delhi Airport as seamless and enjoyable as possible.
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport serving New Delhi, the capital of India, and the National Capital Region (NCR). Named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, it has been the busiest airport in India in terms of passenger traffic since 2009. It is also the busiest airport in the country in terms of cargo traffic. As of 2024, it is ranked as the tenth-busiest airport in the world.
This airport observes a mixture of various types of aircraft movement. Ranging from wide-body aircraft such as A380, 777s, 787s, etc to narrow-body aircrafts such as A320s, 737s, Embraer ERJ 175, ATRs, etc. Although, The airport is mostly occupied with Airbus A320s, as most of the Indian airlines primarily fly these on their short- to medium-haul routes on their domestic as well as international networks.
International Destinations
| Country | City/Airport | Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Kabul | Ariana Afghan Airlines, Kam Air |
| Armenia | Yerevan | Armenia Airways |
| Australia | Melbourne | Air India, Qantas |
| Sydney | Air India | |
| Austria | Vienna | Air India |
| Azerbaijan | Baku | Azerbaijan Airlines, IndiGo |
| Bahrain | Bahrain | Air India, Air India Express, Gulf Air |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Air India, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Belarus | Minsk | Belavia |
| Bhutan | Paro | Bhutan Airlines, Druk Air |
| Cambodia | Phnom Penh | Cambodia Angkor Air |
| Canada | Calgary | Air Canada (begins 28 October 2024) |
| London-Heathrow | Air Canada (resumes 28 October 2024) | |
| Montreal-Trudeau | Air Canada | |
| Toronto-Pearson | Air India, Air Canada | |
| Vancouver | Air India | |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | Air India |
| Egypt | Cairo | Egyptair |
| Ethiopia | Addis Ababa | Ethiopian Airlines |
| Finland | Helsinki | Finnair |
| France | Paris-CDG | Air France, Air India, Vistara |
| Georgia | Tbilisi | IndiGo |
| Germany | Frankfurt | Air India, Lufthansa, Vistara |
| Munich | Lufthansa | |
| Hong Kong SAR | Hong Kong | Air India, Cathay Pacific, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Indonesia | Bali-Denpasar | Vistara |
| Iran | Tehran-Imam Khomeini | Mahan Air |
| Iraq | Baghdad | FlyBaghdad- Seasonal, Iraqi Airways |
| Basra | Iraqi Airways | |
| Najaf | FlyBaghdad- Seasonal | |
| Israel | Tel-Aviv | Air India, EL AL (resumes 27 October 2024) |
| Italy | Milan-Malpensa | Air India |
| Rome | ITA Airways | |
| Japan | Tokyo-Haneda | All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines |
| Tokyo-Narita | Air India | |
| Kazakhstan | Almaty | Air Astana, FlyArystan, IndiGo |
| Shymkent | FlyArystan- Seasonal | |
| Kenya | Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta | Air India |
| Kuwait | Kuwait City | IndiGo, Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways |
| Kyrgyzstan | Bishkek | Aero Nomad Airlines |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur-International | AirAsiaX, Air India (resumes 15 September 2024), Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines |
| Male | Male-Velana | IndiGo, Vistara |
| Mauritius | Mauritius | Air Mauritius |
| Myanmar | Yangon | Air India, Myanmar Airways International |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | Air India, KLM |
| Nepal | Kathmandu | Air India, Bhutan Airlines, IndiGo, Nepal Airlines, Vistara |
| Oman | Muscat | Air India, Oman Air, Salam Air |
| Poland | Warsaw | LOT Polish Airlines |
| Qatar | Doha | Air India, IndiGo, Qatar Airways |
| Russia | Moscow-Sheremetyevo | Aeroflot |
| Saudi Arabia | Dammam | Air India, Air India Express (begins 19 August 2024), IndiGo |
| Jeddah | Air India, IndiGo, Saudia, SpiceJet | |
| Riyadh | Air India, Flynas, IndiGo, Saudia | |
| Singapore | Singapore | Air India, IndiGo, Singapore Airlines, Vistara |
| South Korea | Seoul-Incheon | Air India, Korean Air |
| Sri Lanka | Colombo-Bandaranaike | Air India, IndiGo, SriLankan Airlines |
| Switzerland | Zurich | Air India, Swiss International Air Lines |
| Tajikistan | Dushanbe | Somon Air |
| Thailand | Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Thai Airways, Vistara |
| Phuket | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet | |
| Turkmenistan | Ashgabat | Turkmenistan Airlines |
| Turkmenbasy | Belavia | |
| Turkey | Istanbul | IndiGo, Turkish Airlines |
| UAE | Abu Dhabi | Etihad, IndiGo |
| Dubai-International | Air India, Emirates, flydubai, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara | |
| Sharjah | Air Arabia, Air India Express, IndiGo | |
| UK | Birmingham | Air India |
| London-Heathrow | Air India, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Vistara | |
| USA | Chicago-O’Hare | Air India, United Airlines (resumes 29 March 2025) |
| Newark | Air India, United Airlines | |
| New York-JFK | Air India, American Airlines | |
| San Francisco | Air India | |
| Washington-Dulles | Air India | |
| Uzbekistan | Tashkent | IndiGo, Uzbekistan Airways |
| Vietnam | Da Nang | VietJet Air-Seasonal |
| Hanoi | VietJet Air, Vietnam Airlines | |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Air India, VietJet Air, Vietnam Airlines | |
| Phu Quoc | VietJet Air-Seasonal |
Domestic Destinations
| State/UT | City/Airport | Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair | Air India, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Andhra Pradesh | Tirupati | Air India, IndiGo |
| Vijayawada | Air India | |
| Visakhapatnam | Air India, IndiGo | |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | IndiGo |
| Assam | Guwahati | Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Dibrugarh | IndiGo, Vistara | |
| Jorhat | IndiGo | |
| Silchar | IndiGo | |
| Bihar | Darbhanga | SpiceJet |
| Gaya | IndiGo | |
| Patna | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara | |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh | Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Chhattisgarh | Bilaspur | Alliance Air |
| Jagdalpur | Alliance Air | |
| Raipur | IndiGo, Vistara | |
| Goa | Goa-Dabolim | Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Goa-Mopa | Air India, Akasa Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara | |
| Gujarat | Ahmedabad | Air India, Akasa Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Kandla | SpiceJet | |
| Rajkot | Air India, IndiGo | |
| Surat | Air India Express, IndiGo | |
| Vadodara | Air India, IndiGo | |
| Himachal Pradesh | Dharamshala | Alliance Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet |
| Kullu | Alliance Air | |
| Shimla | Alliance Air | |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu | Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Srinagar | Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara | |
| Jharkhand | Deoghar | IndiGo |
| Ranchi | Air India Express, IndiGo, Vistara | |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru | Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Belgaum | IndiGo | |
| Hubli | IndiGo | |
| Mangalore | IndiGo | |
| Kerala | Kochi | Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Kozhikode | IndiGo | |
| Thiruvananthapuram | Air India, IndiGo, Vistara | |
| Ladakh | Leh | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | Air India, IndiGo |
| Gwalior | Air India Express | |
| Indore | Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo, Vistara | |
| Jabalpur | Alliance Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet | |
| Khajuraho | IndiGo, SpiceJet | |
| Maharashtra | Aurangabad | Air India, IndiGo |
| Mumbai | Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara | |
| Nagpur | IndiGo | |
| Nashik | IndiGo | |
| Pune | Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara | |
| Shirdi | SpiceJet | |
| Manipur | Imphal | Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo |
| Meghalaya | Shillong | SpiceJet |
| Mizoram | Aizwal | IndiGo |
| Nagaland | Dimapur | IndiGo |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar | Air India Express, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Jharsuguda | IndiGo | |
| Punjab | Amritsar | Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Bathinda | Alliance Air | |
| Rajasthan | Bikaner | Alliance Air |
| Jaipur | Air India Express, Alliance Air, IndiGo | |
| Jaisalmer | Alliance Air- Seasonal, IndiGo, SpiceJet (resumes 1 December 2024) | |
| Jodhpur | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet-Seasonal | |
| Udaipur | Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet-Seasonal, Vistara | |
| Sikkim | Pakyong | SpiceJet |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Coimbatore | Air India, IndiGo, Vistara | |
| Madurai | IndiGo | |
| Telangana | Hyderabad | Air India, Akasa Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Tripura | Agartala | IndiGo |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun | Alliance Air, IndiGo, Vistara |
| Pantnagar | IndiGo | |
| Uttar Pradesh | Ayodhya | Air India Express, Akasa Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Zooom Air |
| Bareilly | Alliance Air | |
| Gorakhpur | Akasa Air, Alliance Air, IndiGo | |
| Kanpur | IndiGo | |
| Kushinagar | SpiceJet | |
| Lucknow | Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Vistara | |
| Prayagraj | Alliance Air, IndiGo | |
| Varanasi | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara | |
| West Bengal | Bagdogra-Siliguri | Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
| Durgapur | IndiGo | |
| Kolkata | Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara |
Cargo Destinations
| Country | City/Airport | Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Brisbane | Aerotranscargo |
| Melbourne | Aerotranscargo | |
| Austria | Vienna | Korean Air Cargo |
| Azerbaijan | Baku | Atlas Air, Silk Way West Airlines |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Lufthansa Cargo |
| China | Chengdu-Shuangliu | FedEx Express, SF Airlines |
| Chengdu-Tianfu | Sichuan Airlines Cargo | |
| Chongqing | Ethiopian Cargo | |
| Ezhou | SF Airlines | |
| Guangzhou | FedEx Express, Lufthansa Cargo, YTO Cargo Airlines | |
| Nanning | YTO Cargo Airlines | |
| Shenzhen | SF Airlines | |
| Wuhan | SF Airlines | |
| Ethiopia | Addis Ababa | Ethiopian Cargo |
| France | Paris-CDG | Cathay Cargo |
| Germany | Cologne | UPS Airlines |
| Frankfurt | Lufthansa Cargo | |
| Leipzig/Halle | AeroLogic, DHL Aviation | |
| Hong Kong SAR | Hong Kong | Astral Aviation, Atlas Air, Cathay Cargo, DHL Aviation |
| India | Ahmedabad | Blue Dart Aviation |
| Bengaluru | Amazon Air, Blue Dart Aviation, Cathay Cargo, IndiGo CarGo | |
| Chennai | Blue Dart Aviation, MASkargo | |
| Hyderabad | Amazon Air, Cathay Cargo | |
| Kolkata | Blue Dart Aviation, IndiGo CarGo, SpiceXpress | |
| Leh | SpiceXpress | |
| Mumbai | Amazon Air, Blue Dart Aviation, IndiGo CarGo, SpiceXpress | |
| Indonesia | Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta | Lufthansa Cargo |
| Italy | Milan-Malpensa | Cathay Cargo |
| Kenya | Nairobi-Jomo Kenyatta | Astral Aviation |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg | China Airlines Cargo |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur-International | MASkargo |
| Myanmar | Yangon | Atlas Air |
| Qatar | Doha | Qatar Cargo |
| Russia | Krasnoyarsk | Lufthansa Cargo |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh | Atlas Air |
| Singapore | Singapore | Singapore Airlines Cargo |
| South Korea | Seoul-Incheon | Atlas Air, Korean Air Cargo |
| Spain | Zaragoza | Atlas Air |
| Taiwan | Taipei-Taoyuan | China Airlines Cargo |
| Thailand | Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi | Atlas Air, UPS Airlines |
| Turkey | Istanbul | Turkish Cargo |
| UAE | Dubai-Al Maktoum | Atlas Air |
| Dubai-International | FedEx Express, UPS Airlines | |
| Sharjah | Astral Aviation, IndiGo CarGo | |
| UK | London-Heathrow | Cathay Cargo |
| US | Memphis | FedEx Express |
| Vietnam | Hanoi | Aerotranscargo, Atlas Air, Korean Air Cargo, SpiceXpress, Turkish Cargo |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Aerotranscargo |
I am attaching the latest aerdrome chart of the airport which is documented officially (on the eAIP India website) and map of the airport available in IF.
Passenger Terminals
Terminal 3
This terminal serves both domestic and international flights. All international flights arrive and depart from Terminal 3. Airlines such as Air India, Vistara, Air India Express, AirAsia India, and Alliance Air primarily use this terminal for their domestic operations. Occasionally, other airlines like SpiceJet and Indigo also use this terminal for certain domestic flights; specifically, SpiceJet operates all flights numbered SG 8000-8999, and Indigo operates flights numbered 6E 5000-5899 from this terminal.
International Gates:
All gates starting with the letters A & B are international gates at this terminal.
Domestic Gates:
All gates starting with the letters C, D, & E are domestic gates at this terminal.
Remote stands:
All gates starting with the letter R are remote gates, and these gates do not have a specific purpose. They may be used for domestic, international, or aeroplane storage purposes (in case they have a scheduled departure long after their actual arrival time).
Area within red coloured boundary in the IF ADC attached under ADC section is Terminal 3 at Delhi Airport.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 is exclusively dedicated to domestic flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). Airlines such as Akasa Air and GoFirst (currently grounded) utilise this terminal for their domestic flights. Additionally, IndiGo flights numbered 6E 2000–2999 are also operated from Terminal 2.
Gates:
This terminal has gates ranging from 41 to 49, all of which are used for domestic flight operations (as stated earlier). Although there are a few more gates added irl, they aren’t added in IF as of now.
Area within blue coloured boundary in the IF ADC attached under ADC section is Terminal 2 at Delhi Airport.
Terminal 1
This terminal is also used primarily by domestic flights. As mentioned earlier, Indigo operates all the flights with numbers ranging from 2000–2999 from Terminal 2 and 5000–5899 from terminal 3. All other Indigo flights, except those within these ranges, operate from Terminal 1. Additionally, SpiceJet flights (except flight number SG 8000–8999) and GoFirst flights (currently grounded) are operated from Terminal 1.
Gates:
All the gates have same purpose, i.e., domestic flight operations. An image below encircles the gates available in Terminal 1. However, there is a major change in the orientation and location of these gates irl. Additionally, more gates have been added to this terminal irl and are not in IF as of now. So, for now, let’s stick with what is available to us in IF.
Area within orange coloured boundary in the IF ADC attached under ADC section is Terminal 1 at Delhi Airport.
General Aviation Terminal
The terminal caters to support the movement and processing of passengers flying through chartered flights or private jets from the airport. This terminal has been shifted from its older position (the one available to us in IF) to a newer position irl, which is next to the E gates of Terminal 3.
Area within brown coloured boundary is the current location of the general aviation apron in IF and area within yellow coloured boundary is new location of the general aviation terminal as shown in the IF ADC attached under ADC section.
Cargo Terminals
Air Cargo Complex
As the name suggests, this terminal is meant for all domestic and international cargo operations from and to Delhi. However, sometimes, due to the heavy traffic load at the passenger terminals, it is seen that some passenger flights are operated from stands available at this terminal, but instances of such cases are quite rare. Similar to other terminals, this terminal also underwent the addition and renaming of gates irl. Images of actual and available gates irl and IF, respectively, can be found below.
Area within pink coloured boundary in the IF ADC attached under ADC section is cargo terminal at Delhi Airport.
Military &VIP Flight Operations
Military Apron
All military and VIP flight operations take place at the northern apron. Similar to Terminal 1, this apron has also undergone some major changes irl, such as the addition of new parking stands and the renaming and relocation of existing gates. For now, let’s focus on what is available to us in IF. I’ll attach an image of the gates in IF.
Area within dark green coloured boundary in the IF ADC attached under ADC section is military apron at Delhi Airport.
There are no specific documents related to military apron released in the eAIP India website. Although we’ve latest satellite imagery available on google maps but the reason I’m not attaching an image of the imagery is that sharing it publicly may be prohibited by the authorities.
There are four runways at Delhi Airport, each with a specific usage pattern. Below is a detailed description of their usage based on my analysis to date. Although runway 11L-29R is not available in IF and is currently under construction, I have included basic information about it. Please review the descriptions and try to follow them as closely as possible to mimic real-world runway operations at the airport.
09-27
Located between the military apron and Terminal 1 apron on the northern side of the airport, this runway is primarily used by narrow-body domestic flights departing from or arriving at Terminals 1 and 2, as well as by military and VIP flights. However, while controlling this airport, I’ve noticed some IF users operating jumbo jets on this runway for arrivals or departures. It’s important to note that this runway is only 9,239 feet long. Unless your aircraft is very light (only applicable to aircraft like the B77W, B788, or similar-sized or smaller aircraft), this runway isn’t suitable for your departures or arrivals. Additionally, it is quite rare to see jumbo jets using this runway irl. Furthermore, there are restrictions on the runway’s use at both ends: RWY 09 is only used for departures, while RWY 27 is only used for arrivals. Details related to this runway can be found below:
Surface: Asphalt
Headings/True Bearings: 91.25 DEG (For RWY 09) and 271.25 DEG (For RWY 27)
ILS Support: Affirmative, Y (Both ends)
Runway Dimensions: 2816m x 45m / 9239ft x 148ft
10-28
Located centrally between Terminal 1 apron and the main airport block, this runway is primarily used by narrow-body domestic and international flights, wide-body VIP flights, and occasionally by wide-body international flights (Indian local time). Regarding usage of this runway, I’ve observed a trend on Flightradar24. Please note, this trend isn’t officially documented, but it seems applicable in most scenarios:
- When runway 09 is used for departures, runway 10 is open for arrivals (of all* types) but closed for departures.
- When runway 09 is not operational, runway 10 is open for both arrivals and departures (of all* types).
- When runway 27 is operational for arrivals, runway 28 is open for departures (of narrow-body aircraft) only.
- When runway 27 is not operational, runway 28 is open for both, arrivals (of all* types) and departures (narrow-body aircraft only).
all*- include all types of passenger and cargo aircraft on domestic and international operations.
Additional details about the runway can be found below:
Surface: Asphalt
Headings/True Bearings: 104.25 DEG (For RWY 10) and 284.25 DEG (For RWY 28)
ILS Support: Affirmative, Y (Both ends)
Runway Dimensions: 3813m x 45m / 12510ft x 148ft
11L-29R (Currently under construction in IF)
Located on the southern side of the airport, parallel to 11R-29L, this runway serves most of the departing traffic at this airport. This runway is always and only used for departures of all types irl, irrespective of whichever end (11L or 29R) is being used. It is very rare to see arrivals on this runway. Instances of arrivals on this runway are negligible. Since this airport isn’t available for use in IF, there isn’t much that can be said about using this runway in IF. Additional details about this runway can be found below.
Surface: Concrete on both ends and Asphalt on the rest
Headings/True Bearings: 103.65 DEG (For RWY 11L irl) and 283.65 DEG (For RWY 29R irl)
ILS Support: Affirmative, Y (Both ends)
Runway Dimensions: 4400m x 45m / 14436ft x 148ft
11R-29L ('11-29' in IF)
Located on the bottom side of the airport, parallel to 11L-29R, this runway serves most of the arriving traffic at this airport. This runway is always and only used for arrivals of all types irl, irrespective of whichever end (11R or 29L, 11 or 29 in IF) is being used. It is very rare to see departures on this runway. Instances of departures on this runway occur only after midnight if 11L-29R becomes un-operational. As far as usage in IF is concerned, since we do not have rwy 11L-29R for departing, this runway should be used both for departures and arrivals that are international, domestic (arrivals in Terminal 2 or 3) and international cargo. Additional details about this runway can be found below.
Surface: Concrete on both ends and Asphalt on the rest
Headings/True Bearings: 103.25 DEG (For RWY 11R irl, RWY 11 in IF) and 283.25 DEG (For RWY 29L irl, RWY 29 in IF)
ILS Support: Affirmative, Y (Both ends)
Runway Dimensions: 4430m x 60m / 14534ft x 197ft
Departure Taxi Routes
Please note that both taxiways between the red intersections may be used for taxiing, as shown in the images under various sections. Additionally, arrows indicate the taxi direction, with each arrow coloured to specify the direction for the runway it represents. There is also a marking on the military apron indicating ‘VIP Gates,’ demonstrating the usual locations from where VIP jumbos depart and how they taxi. Taxi routes for reaching runway 27 for departure have been omitted due to its restrictions for departure as stated above in its description.
Arrival Taxi Routes
Please note that both taxiways between the red intersections may be used for taxiing, as shown in the images under various sections. Additionally, arrows indicate the taxi direction, with each arrow coloured to specify the direction for the runway it represents. There is also a marking on the military apron indicating ‘VIP Gates,’ demonstrating the usual locations from where VIP jumbos depart and how they taxi. Taxi routes for exiting runway 09 for taxing to the gates have been omitted due to its restrictions for arrival as stated above in its description.
There have been several changes, ranging from minor to major, in both the departure (SIDs) and arrival (STARs) procedures at Delhi airport. I have included the latest versions of these procedures as prescribed by the official eAIP India website. However, due to the AIRAC cycle in IF not being the latest, many waypoints are unavailable. To compensate for these missing waypoints, I have added their GPS coordinates so that we can follow these procedures realistically. While there are some slight positional differences between the actual waypoints and their GPS coordinates, these discrepancies are negligible. Additionally, some waypoints have been renamed irl. Considering all these factors, I have included both the real-world tracks and the tracks that can be used in IF. Furthermore, I’ve obmitted all the departure procedures starting from runway 27 and arrival procedures ending at runway 09 due to its limitaions of usage as mentioned above in their description. Also, I have added notes to a few procedures, especially those beginning from runways 11-29. Please read those notes carefully and follow the procedures accordingly to mimic the real-world operations.
Standard Instrument Departures
https://vidp.my.canva.site/sid
Standard Terminal Arrival Routes
https://vidp.my.canva.site/star
There are few other arrival procedures which I’ve not included in the website but are documented officially. The arrival procedures that are not included above originates from WPTs- APUDI, UPTEX and MUPID. These procedures are rarely used irl. Additionally, these are conditional STARs that are valid only when NOTAMs lift the restrictions on the usage of the airways they are present in, which happens quite rarely.
IAP and Missed Approach Procedures
There are no specific IAP and missed approach procedure opted at Delhi airport. Everything after the end of STAR procedures is radar vectored. Still, in absence of ATC, there are few points to be remembered specifically for executing missed approach:
- If you are executing missed approach from the runways 27/28/29 then do not make right traffic due to the presence of no-fly zone (VIP-89) located just above runway 27, instead make left traffic.
- If you are executing missed approach from the runways 10/11 then do not make left traffic due to the same reason mentioned in the first point, instead make right traffic.
Above two points are also applicable for doing pattern work at the airport.
There are two main airspaces that should either be avoided or can be flown over depending on the level of restrictions imposed by the authorities and NOTAMs, as follows:
Hindan Airspace (VIR-155A)
In the image above, the area within the red-colored boundary represents Hindan Airspace. This airspace is used specifically for military purposes and scheduled local flights (inbound and outbound to/from Hindan Airport, VIDX). Most of the time, this airspace accepts civilian flights bound for both Hindan and Delhi. However, there are occasions when it is restricted exclusively to military flights.
Whenever this airspace is marked for military use by NOTAMs, all civilian flights, regardless of their altitude or destination, must deviate and avoid it. Local flights will either be rescheduled or canceled depending on the duration of the military usage.
Typically, this airspace is used for both military and civilian flights, which is why you usually do not see flights deviating to avoid it. However, there are significant instances when the airspace is restricted for military use, especially during Air Force Day on October 8, Independence Day on August 15, and Republic Day on January 26. You can expect such restrictions to apply on these dates. Additionally, there are a few departure and arrival procedures that are conditional, depending on the activity status of this airspace.
For IF usage, it is entirely up to you whether you want to avoid this airspace or not. In my opinion, you should not avoid it because, as mentioned earlier, it is often restriction-free. Avoiding this airspace can increase the burden on ATC due to the heavy load of inbound flights to the airport. As a result, restrictions are unlikely to be imposed during high traffic periods. However, this is just my speculation. My main goal is to familiarise readers with the airspace and present the information as officially prescribed.
VIP-89 (No-Fly Zone)
In the image above, the area within the red-colored boundary represents VIP-89 airspace, which includes the Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s House) and is a No-Fly Zone (NFZ). Due to its significance, this airspace is highly monitored, and ATC will never direct pilots to fly over it. Without special purpose and permissions granted by both government and aviation authorities, no flights are allowed to enter this region. Therefore, this airspace must be avoided by all types of flights unless explicitly permitted by the authorities and directed by ATC.
For IF purposes, I highly advise avoiding this airspace to match real-world scenarios. Although you will rarely need to fly through this airspace, there are instances where you might potentially enter this region as mentioned above.
Thank you for taking the time to review this comprehensive guide to the procedures and operational nuances of Delhi Airport. Navigating an airport of this magnitude requires attention to detail and adherence to the established protocols, both for safety and efficiency.
Remember, while real-world operations at Delhi Airport involve a high level of coordination with ATC, this guide is designed to help you simulate these procedures accurately in Infinite Flight (IF) or any other flight simulation platform. Always refer to the most current official AIP India publications and NOTAMs for the latest information.
Safe travels and smooth flying!
Best regards,
