Ways to get there from Australia
Into Amritsar
Amritsar is the only Punjab airport with regular flights from the big Asian hubs used on the way from Australia: Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur (about daily), Scoot from Singapore (about four a week), Qatar Airways from Doha, and AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur from 2 December 2026. Journeys take roughly 15 to 21 hours. See our Amritsar page and the route pages from Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
Into Delhi, then on to Punjab
Air India flies non-stop to Delhi from Melbourne and Sydney (about 13 hours), and Qantas adds a seasonal Melbourne–Delhi flight from 26 October 2026 to 27 March 2027. From Delhi you have three ways on:
- Domestic flight to Amritsar, Chandigarh or Halwara (Ludhiana). Keep it on the same ticket, and allow at least three hours at Delhi for immigration, customs and re-checking bags.
- Train from New Delhi station, which the Airport Express metro reaches from Terminal 3 in about 15–20 minutes. Fast trains such as the Amritsar Shatabdi stop at Ambala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar on the way to Amritsar; check current times with Indian Railways.
- Road, several hours to Chandigarh and most of a day to Amritsar, depending on traffic. Hard work after a 13-hour flight, especially in winter fog.
Into Chandigarh
Chandigarh has few international flights, so for most travellers from Australia, Chandigarh means a domestic connection through Delhi. Qantas added Chandigarh to its IndiGo codeshare in January 2023, and we check it is still on sale for your dates.
Nearby cities: which airport for which town
| Airport | Best for | How you usually get there from Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Amritsar (ATQ) | Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Batala, Gurdaspur, Pathankot; Jalandhar (about 90 km), Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur | One stop via Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Doha; or via Delhi |
| Chandigarh (IXC) | Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, Kharar, Ropar, Patiala; road access to Shimla | Domestic flight from Delhi |
| Halwara, Ludhiana | Ludhiana, Jagraon, Moga, Barnala | Air India from Delhi, twice daily since 15 May 2026 |
| Delhi (DEL) | Anywhere, when Punjab airports are full or much dearer | Air India non-stop from Melbourne or Sydney; one stop from elsewhere |
About the airports
- Amritsar (Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International): a compact terminal about 11–13 km from the Golden Temple. Immigration is much quicker than at a big hub. Qatar Airways' flight has been scheduled to land in the middle of the night, so arrange a pick-up.
- Chandigarh (Shaheed Bhagat Singh International): on the Mohali side of the city, sharing its runway with the Indian Air Force.
- Halwara (Ludhiana): a new, small civil terminal that opened to passengers on 15 May 2026, with Air India flights to Delhi. Through-ticketing lets you check bags from Australia to Halwara on one Air India booking.
- Delhi (Indira Gandhi International): all international flights use Terminal 3. See our Delhi page.
Busy seasons and festivals
- Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas: 8 November 2026 and 29 October 2027. See our Diwali guide.
- Gurpurab (Guru Nanak Jayanti): 24 November 2026 in most calendars.
- Wedding season: roughly November to February, the peak for Punjab bookings.
- Lohri: 13 January 2027, with Maghi the next day. See our Lohri guide.
- Vaisakhi: 14 April 2027. See our Vaisakhi guide.
- Fog: December and January fog affects flights and makes long night drives risky.
Tips from our team
- For elderly parents, fewer changes beat fewer hours. One ticket to Amritsar usually means a shorter day on the ground than flying into Delhi and driving.
- Delhi gives you more dates. If Amritsar flights don't suit your dates, Air India to Delhi with a domestic flight on the same ticket is the usual alternative.
- Doaba families: Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala are usually closer to Amritsar than to Chandigarh or Halwara.
- Buy low-cost baggage up front on Scoot and AirAsia, and check allowances in our baggage guide.
- Bringing parents back to Australia? Our transit rules guide covers what Indian passport holders need at each hub.
Talk to a real person about flights to Punjab
Fares and schedules change every day, so we don't publish prices on this page. For live fares on your dates, call or WhatsApp the Travel Care team on 0421 882 733. We're a family-run agency at 222 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville, booking flights since 2010, and we speak English, Hindi and Punjabi. Seen a cheaper fare somewhere else? Send us the screenshot and we'll see what we can do.
Last checked: 20 October 2026 by the Travel Care team.
