Chennai Airport

Chennai International Airport

Chennai International Airport (MAA)

The bustling metropolitan city of Chennai witnesses a deluge of tourists, both domestic and international.. One of the primary points of access to the city is through the sprawling Chennai International Airport situated at Tirisulam.

Interestingly, Chennai Airport was the first to be constructed in India. One of the quick-to-access international airports in the country because of its proximity to the central region, the Chennai International Airport is the third-busiest in terms of international passenger traffic and cargo movement, ranking just after Delhi and Mumbai airports.

Flight Information

Chennai is well- connected to other metros and major cities in India. The most frequent domestic flight routes areChennai-Mumbai and Chennai-Bangalore with more than a 100 weekly flights to both the cities. Air India, Indigo, JetLite and SpiceJet are the operating airlines in the domestic terminal.

Chennai also operates a number of international flights to all major cities of the world, including but not limited to Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Singapore, Frankfurt, Dubai, Paris, Bangkok, London, Colombo and several cities across the Middle East.

A number of international airlines including Air Asia, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines operate here..

Terminals

The Chennai Airport is bifurcated into the Kamaraj Terminal that handles domestic arrivals and departures and the Anna Terminal or the international terminal connecting the city to numerous important cities across the globe. Named after the most influential leaders and Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, the terminals today jointly witness over 15 million passengers a year and over 350 aircraft movements every day.

Traveling in and around

It is relatively easy to access Chennai Airport from the central business district of the city and vice versa through multiple travel options including road, rail and metro.

Many buses ply between the airport and different places in Chennai

Travelers make take a train from the suburban railway station just outside the airport, an option to consider during peak road traffic. The journey from the airport to Egmore, a popular destination in the heart of the city, is about 30 minutes and trains ply between the two stations every 20 to 40 minutes from early morning till late evening.

Pre-paid taxi counters and car rentals at the airport also help travelers reach different destinations in the city quickly and conveniently

The metro is one of the most significant infrastructural projects in Chennai and is in the final stages of test runs. This project is expected to accelerate mobility, reduce road traffic and congestion and provide much easier and quicker access to and from the airport

The airport arranges inter-terminal shuttle services through battery-operated cars within its premises for passengers

Services and Facilities

Chennai International Airport is equipped to handle the requirements and complexities associated with frequent mobility of people, cargo and equipments=. The airport is well-planned and structured to cater to both international and domestic passengers and airport crew.

The airport's lounges are safe and comfortable places to relax while you wait to board your flight. There is free access to Wi-Fi internet while you are at the airport lounges. Medical facilities, first aid and childcare rooms are also available. The airport has a number of ATMs and currency exchange offices in the arrivals and departures wings. Travelers can make use of pay phones and use baggage trolleys at no extra cost.

Things to Do

While you wait to board your flight and when transit times are long, the airport offers a plethora of leisure and recreational options to choose from. These include spas to beat the travel fatigue as well as cafes and restaurants to satiate your hunger round the clock. The airport also offers snack kiosks and vending machines to purchase newspapers, drinks and quick nibbles. Travelers may also indulge in some retail therapy at shops selling selective merchandise, including dutyfree products.

Hotels

There are many hotels and places of accommodation within the vicinity of Chennai International Airport. Tourists can seek a range of options according to their budgets and choice of requirements. Trident, Hyatt Residency and Radisson Blu are some of the luxury hotels in the vicinity while Hotel Mars Classic and Royal Chennai Residency will suit the requirements of budget-conscious travelers.

Helpful Tips

Some international airline operators, like Cathay Pacific, offer self check-in kiosks at Chennai International Airport. These kiosks offer easier and quicker check-in service so passengers may cut down on the time spent in queues

Nearby Attractions

Chennai is a major tourist destination that attracts millions of tourists every year to its beautiful, warm and long beaches. The Marina Beach has the world's second-longest shoreline.

Chennai is also known for its magnificent temples. The Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore and the temples of Kanchipuram must be part of your Chennai itinerary. Mahabalipuram in the outskirts of Chennai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is characterized by the beautiful Shore Temple, rathas or chariots and a number of open air rock sanctuaries and reliefs.

FAQs

  1. What are the top airline brands that operate from Chennai airport frequently?
    The top airline brands that operate from Chennai airport frequently are – SpiceJet, Japan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines.
  2. What is the airport code for Chennai airport?
    The IATA code for the Chennai airport is MAA.
  3. What are the most frequent routes from Chennai airport?
    The most popular sectors from airport are Chennai to Colombo with 1861 weekly flights respectively.
  4. When does the first flight leave from Chennai airport?
    The first flight from Chennai to Colombo is at 12:05 AM, which is SpiceJet airline 1 followed by SpiceJet 1 which leaves at 12:05 AM.
  5. When does the last flight leave from Chennai airport?
    Malaysia Airlines 181 to Colombo is the last flight that departs from airport at 11:55 PM.

Top International Routes from Chennai