Find the cheapest Delhi to Varanasi flights — live fares on IndiGo, Air India & Akasa. Daily DEL-VNS schedule, discounted deals for 2026.
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Quick answer: Delhi to Varanasi non-stop flights take about ≈ 1h 20m non-stop, operated by IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Roughly 6-8 non-stop departures a day, spread from the early morning to late evening.. This is a domestic route within India, so no visa is required. Use the live search above to compare today's cheapest DEL–VNS fare across every airline, OTA and travel agent in one place.
Last reviewed July 2026 by the FlightGPT flights desk · route facts cross-checked against DGCA and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) · how we collect fares · editorial policy · fact-checking · fares are live — verify the final price in search before booking.
Looking for cheap flights from Delhi to Varanasi? FlightGPT compares live DEL to VNS fares across every connected source — Indian carriers, OTAs and trusted travel agents — and shows the cheapest options side by side. Whether you want a Delhi to Varanasi non-stop tomorrow, a last-minute weekend deal or the lowest price three months out, every active Delhi-Varanasi fare is one search away.
| Airline | Cabin bag | Checked (economy) | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndiGo | 7 kg | 15 kg | Largest network; strong on-time record |
| Air India Express | 7 kg | 15 kg | Low-cost, Air India group |
| Air India | 7 kg | 15-25 kg | Full-service; meals included |
Standard domestic economy allowance; premium fares and elite tiers may include more. Confirm against your fare — each airline's baggage page is linked above.
Delhi to Varanasi is a short, popular pilgrimage and tourist sector, and it is well served by direct flights. The carriers flying non-stop on this route in 2026 are IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express. IndiGo runs the most departures; Air India and Air India Express fill out the rest of the day.
You may also see SpiceJet or Akasa Air listed on aggregator sites from time to time as schedules change, but IndiGo and the Air India group carry the bulk of seats here. Ignore any result that shows Go First or Jet Airways — both airlines have ceased operations and no longer fly.
Because the flight is barely over an hour, almost every option is a single hop with no change of plane. If a fare looks unusually cheap, check whether it is actually routed via Lucknow or another city, which can stretch a 1h 20m trip into half a day.
The straight-line distance is about 765 km and the scheduled non-stop block time is roughly 1h 20m. Allowing for taxi, holding and the descent into Babatpur, gate-to-gate is usually around 1h 25m-1h 35m.
This is a domestic sector flown entirely within India, so there is no time-zone change — both cities run on IST. A flight that leaves Delhi at, say, 7:00 am lands in Varanasi at roughly 8:25 am local time. Most flights take a direct easterly track across Uttar Pradesh; weather permitting, you will be on the ground inside 90 minutes.
Varanasi is a year-round draw for pilgrims and tourists, so demand rarely collapses, but it does spike sharply around festivals. We do not quote exact rupee fares (they move constantly), but here is the broad demand pattern to plan around.
| Period | Demand | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Oct-Mar (cool season) | High | Peak tourist and pilgrimage months; book well ahead |
| Dev Deepawali / Kartik Purnima (Nov) | Very high | Ghats are packed; fares and hotels surge |
| Apr-Jun (summer) | Lower | Hot and humid; softer fares but harsh sightseeing weather |
| Jul-Sep (monsoon) | Moderate | Rain and possible Ganga flooding; cheaper but check ghat access |
As a rule, booking two to four weeks out lands a reasonable fare on this sector. For festival travel, aim for six weeks or more.
A few honest levers that genuinely move the price on Delhi-Varanasi:
Always compare the all-in price including baggage and seat selection, not just the lead-in fare.
For sightseeing in Varanasi, an early-morning departure from Delhi is ideal — you land by mid-morning with the whole day ahead, useful if you want an evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat on day one. Pilgrims heading for a sunrise boat ride the next day often prefer this too.
If you are price-led, the last evening flight tends to be the cheapest, though it leaves you arriving after dark; pre-book a cab as the airport is about 25 km from the ghats. Midday departures are the least crowded but can be marginally pricier than the early or late slots.
Business travellers: there are fewer corporate flyers on this sector than on metro-to-metro routes, but morning departures still fill first. Pick a full-service Air India fare if you want lounge access at Delhi T3 and a check-in bag included.
Families and pilgrims: the short flight suits children and elderly relatives well. Book seats together in advance, carry essential medicines in your cabin bag, and arrange a pre-paid taxi or hotel pickup since Babatpur is a fair drive from the city.
Students and budget travellers: IndiGo and Air India Express usually offer the lowest cabin-bag-only fares. Skip seat selection, travel light, and pick a mid-week flight to keep the cost down.
Delhi (DEL): Indira Gandhi International has three terminals. IndiGo uses Terminal 1 (with some flights from T2), Air India domestic mainline flies from Terminal 3, and Air India Express operates from Terminal 2. Always check the terminal printed on your boarding pass, as the Air India group has been consolidating operations.
Varanasi (VNS): Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Babatpur is a single-terminal airport about 25-26 km north-west of the ghats. It is compact and easy to navigate, with a pre-paid taxi counter for the run into the city.
At Delhi: the Airport Express Metro links New Delhi station to T3 in around 20 minutes; for T1 use the Magenta Line (Terminal 1-IGI Airport station) or a cab. Build in extra time if you land at one terminal and depart from another, as the inter-terminal shuttle can be slow at peak hours.
At Varanasi: Babatpur airport is roughly 25 km from the city centre and the ghats — allow 45 minutes to over an hour depending on traffic through Varanasi's narrow lanes. Use the pre-paid taxi counter or an app cab. Many hotels near the ghats offer pickups, which is worth arranging in advance as vehicles cannot reach the ghats directly.
On a domestic Indian sector the standard free check-in allowance is 15 kg on most fares, plus one cabin bag of up to 7 kg. The lowest IndiGo and Air India Express fares are often cabin-bag-only, so confirm whether check-in baggage is included before you pay.
For full carrier-specific rules, see the IndiGo baggage guide. Pilgrims carrying Ganga-jal containers, brass items or prasad should keep liquids within cabin limits or check them in; oversized or extra bags cost far less when added online than at the airport counter.
Varanasi's best weather is October to March, when mornings are cool and the ghats are at their most atmospheric — ideal for sunrise boat rides and evening aarti. Winter mornings can bring fog, which occasionally delays the early Delhi departures, so keep your onward plans flexible.
Summer (Apr-Jun) is intensely hot; carry water and avoid midday sightseeing. The monsoon (Jul-Sep) can raise the Ganga's level and submerge lower ghats, sometimes affecting boat rides. Whatever the season, dress modestly for temple visits and keep some cash handy, as many lanes and small shops are cash-only.
The single best move on Delhi-Varanasi is to book the early-morning non-stop and arrange your Varanasi pickup in advance. Landing by mid-morning gives you a full day plus an evening at the Dashashwamedh aarti, and a pre-booked cab spares you haggling at Babatpur after a 1h 20m flight. In winter, choose a slightly later morning flight rather than the very first one to dodge fog delays — and always price IndiGo against the Air India group on your exact date, since the cheaper carrier flips depending on the day.
The non-stop flight takes about 1 hour 20 minutes in the air, covering roughly 765 km. Gate-to-gate, allow around 1h 25m-1h 35m once taxiing and descent are included.
In 2026 the main non-stop operators are IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express. IndiGo runs the most frequencies. Ignore any listing for Go First or Jet Airways, as both have ceased operations.
There are roughly 6 to 8 non-stop departures a day, spread from early morning to late evening, so you usually have a choice of timings.
At Delhi, IndiGo departs from Terminal 1 (some flights from T2), Air India mainline from Terminal 3, and Air India Express from Terminal 2. Varanasi has a single terminal at Babatpur. Always check your boarding pass.
Yes. Under DGCA rules, if the airline cancels your flight or you cancel within 24 hours of booking (for a flight at least 7 days away), you are entitled to a full refund. For airline-caused cancellations you may also be offered an alternative flight or compensation. Refunds must be processed to the original payment method.
Most domestic fares include 15 kg of check-in baggage plus a 7 kg cabin bag. The cheapest IndiGo and Air India Express fares can be cabin-bag-only, so confirm before booking. See the IndiGo baggage guide for details.
Yes. Web check-in typically opens 48 hours before departure and closes 1-2 hours before, depending on the airline. It lets you pick a seat and skip the airport check-in queue; arrive at least 2 hours early for a domestic flight regardless.
It can. Delhi and parts of Uttar Pradesh see dense fog on winter mornings (December-January), which can delay early departures. If travelling then, prefer a slightly later morning flight and keep onward plans flexible.
Flights generally operate through the monsoon (July-September), though heavy rain can cause delays. On the ground, a high Ganga can submerge lower ghats and affect boat rides, so check conditions if a sunrise boat trip is the goal.
Yes, within liquid limits. Containers of Ganga-jal must respect cabin liquid rules (generally up to 100 ml per container in hand baggage) or be placed in check-in. Brass items and prasad are fine; large quantities are best checked in.
Yes. Infants under 2 travel on an adult's lap at a nominal fare and do not get a separate seat. Carry the child's date-of-birth proof, and you are allowed a small amount of baby food and one stroller, usually checked in at the gate.
Some carriers permit pets in the cabin or as cargo with advance booking, a health certificate and an approved carrier; policies vary and seats are limited. Confirm directly with the airline well before travel, as not every flight accepts pets.
Prices are usually similar. Booking direct can make changes, refunds and add-ons simpler, while OTAs let you compare carriers side by side. FlightGPT shows live fares across airlines so you can pick the cheapest genuine non-stop on your date.
Babatpur airport is about 25-26 km from the city centre and ghats, a drive of 45 minutes to over an hour through traffic. Use the pre-paid taxi counter or a hotel pickup, as vehicles cannot reach the ghats themselves.
October to March is ideal, with cool, pleasant weather for the ghats and boat rides. Dev Deepawali in November is spectacular but very crowded. Summer is harsh and the monsoon can disrupt ghat access.
FlightGPT is a natural-language flight search: ask the way you'd ask a friend, and it compares live DEL–VNS fares across every airline, OTA and travel agent. Try one:
There is no single "cheapest day" to fly Delhi to Varanasi — the lowest fare is the one you find by comparing live. Open the search above to line up Delhi–Varanasi prices across IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express; booking ahead and avoiding peak weekends typically trims 25–40 percent off the walk-up fare.
Flying Delhi to Varanasi at short notice doesn't always mean overpaying. Off-peak departures and unsold seats on IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express can surface real same-week deals. Put your date into the FlightGPT search above and we'll show every available DEL–VNS fare side by side in seconds.
Most travellers prefer the Delhi to Varanasi non-stop option. The direct Delhi-Varanasi flight time is ≈ 1h 20m non-stop. If you are flexible, 1-stop alternatives through major hubs can be 15-30 percent cheaper. FlightGPT lets you filter by "Direct only" or compare both side by side — useful when you want the cheapest Delhi Varanasi ticket but are open to a layover.
Delhi–Varanasi pricing rewards comparison over loyalty: the best value rotates between low-cost and full-service carriers depending on the date. FlightGPT's grid surfaces every Delhi Varanasi fare with baggage and meals counted in, so the genuinely cheapest all-in ticket is the one that rises to the top.