Star Alliance member LOT Polish Airlines surprises us with a set of decent fares from Stockholm and Oslo to India’s capital Delhi. With a change of planes is Warsaw, you can reach the ten million metropolis for as little as €347 (~SEK 4,014) – a fare that includes food and beverage service, but no checked bags. The cheapest fare including a checked bag is available at SEK 4,460 (~€385) on LOT’s website.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to our flight search with your preselected flight dates. You can buy your tickets directly from LOT via Google Flights, but you can also check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €10 cheaper.
A LOT Boeing 737 or Embraerjet will first take you from Stockholm or Oslo to Warsaw. From there, a Boeing 787-8 with a 3-3-3 seating pattern in economy class takes you to Delhi. Though the direct route traverses Russian airspace, LOT will avoid both Russian and Ukrainian airspace during your flight.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, tickets are on sale at this price until September 6, 2022. You need to stay at least six days or one night from Saturday to Sunday at your destination to get the lowest fare. The travel period is limited from September 2022 through February 2023, but we have only been able to find 2023 flight dates.
Google Flights will help you find additional flight dates. Since you can only get the cheapest flights via Google, you can let them forward you to LOT’s website.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Mileage
LOT issues tickets for all flight segments in booking class O. Star Alliance frequent flyers can only earn limited mileage on their way to India and back:
- 2,280 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 2,136 Miles on Asiana Club
- 1,936 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 1,902 Award Miles + 316 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 1,902 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 1,902 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 1,902 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 1,902 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 1,902 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 1,902 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 1,902 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 1,902 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 1,902 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 1,902 Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 1,902 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- 1,886 Award Miles + 160 Points on Miles&More
Destination
Hotel prices in Delhi usually start at roughly €20 for surprisingly good and clean hotels. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:
Information & Tips for India
India is billed as a “subcontinent” not only for geographical reasons. The argument can be made that there is no region on the entire planet as culturally different as India. For example, it is home to as many vegetarians as the rest of the world. But its unique cuisine is just one of reasons to go there – India has a lot to offer. You can finde paradise like beaches in Goa and Kerala. Buzzing metropoles like Delhi and Mumbai invite you as well as and extravagant buildings and palaces like the world famous Taj Mahal. In conclusion, a country as huge as India is full of possibilities.
Visa & Entry
EU citizens need a visa and a passport to enter India. The easiest way is to apply for an eVisa, that will grant you two entries and a stay up to 60 days. It costs around 30€ on the government’s official site. With it, you can enter the country at almost any international airport.
Transport infrastructure
Flag carrier Air India and a bunch of smaller LCCs connect the airports of Delhi and Mumbai to almost any noteworthy city in the country. For a country its size, India has an excellent railway network. This allows for extremely cheap ground transportation. Renting a car is possible, but incredibly dangerous due to poor road conditions and reckless driving habits.
Currency
Official currency is the Indian rupee. €1 buys roughly ₹89.
→ All Dealz for India
Information & Tips for Delhi
Delhi or New Delhi is the capital of India, the world’s second most popoulos country. The city combines architectural elements from more than 1,000 years. Therefore it appears as a timeless conflux of several cultures. From Hinduism, Moghul India through British colonial influences, the poeple of Delhi inhabited and preserved what they got from whomever ruled the city.
The result is a city full of sights like pompous temples and mosques, regal colonial buildings and buzzing shopping districts. One of India’s best public transport systems and a steady flow of taxis and rickshaws help you get around. With its undeniable contemporary influences, Delhi is the best gateway to enter the culturally vastly different country of India.
Best Time to Travel
Delhi is hot – from May through August, the average daily temperature is above 30 degrees, making this an unpleasant time to visit the city. From mid-september, when monsoon season is finished, to November is a great time go. While December and January can be cold and unpleasant, from February to April is another good time frame for a trip to India’s capital.
From the Airport to the City
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Int’l Airport serves as hub for Air India. Delhi’s excellent subway connects it to the city. A ride to the city center takes around 20 minutes and costs less than €1. Furthermore, al large number of air conditioned buses are available, charging an ever lower fare. Taking a taxi can take up to an hour, due to heavy traffic. Prices are around €5.
→ All Dealz for Delhi
Cover Picture: © Kriangkrai