Overview
Port Blair, the capital of India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, sits in the Bay of Bengal roughly 850 miles east of the Indian mainland. For UK travellers, it's a genuinely off-the-beaten-track escape — turquoise water, colonial-era history and some of Asia's finest beaches, reached via a domestic connection through a major Indian hub.
Best time to fly to Port Blair
The dry season, from November to April, is by far the best time to fly to Port Blair, with sunny skies, calm seas and comfortable temperatures around 30°C — ideal for diving, snorkelling and island-hopping. December and January are the busiest and driest months, so book early if you're travelling then. The south-west monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas from June to September, when ferry services to the outer islands can be disrupted, so it's worth checking the price charts on this page for better-value fares in the shoulder months of October and May.
Airlines and routes
There are no direct flights from the UK to Port Blair. The usual route is a long-haul flight to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru or Chennai with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic or Air India, or a one-stop option via the Gulf with Emirates, Qatar Airways or Etihad, followed by a domestic connection to Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ). IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet operate that final leg, with the most frequent departures from Chennai and Kolkata (both around 2 hours). Door-to-door, journey times from the UK typically run 15–20 hours including the layover.
Things to do in Port Blair
Once you land, Port Blair rewards a couple of days' exploring before heading to the outer islands. Highlights include:
- Cellular Jail National Memorial: the haunting former colonial prison, with an evening light and sound show telling its history.
- Corbyn's Cove Beach: a palm-fringed stretch just outside town, perfect for an easy first swim.
- Ross Island (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep): ruined British-era buildings reclaimed by jungle, reached by a short ferry hop.
- Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Wandoor: glass-bottom boat trips over vivid coral reefs.
- Chidiya Tapu: known locally as sunset point, with birdwatching and forest walks.
At Veer Savarkar International Airport (IXZ)
Port Blair's compact airport sits only around 2 miles (4km) from the city centre, so transfers are quick and easy. Pre-paid taxis and metered autos wait outside arrivals and take roughly 15–20 minutes into town, and hotel pick-ups are widely available too. There's no metro or rail link, but Port Blair itself is easy to explore on foot or by auto-rickshaw once you've settled in.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Port Blair
- Book your international leg 3–4 months ahead and the domestic connection as soon as your dates are fixed, since seats to IXZ sell out quickly in peak season.
- Flying midweek and avoiding the Christmas–New Year peak usually brings noticeably lower fares — see the when to book chart above.
- Stay flexible on your Indian hub city; Chennai and Kolkata connections are often cheaper and more frequent than routing via Delhi or Mumbai.
- Compare full-service and low-cost carriers separately, as baggage allowances on the domestic leg can vary considerably.
Travel essentials
UK passport holders need a visa for India; an e-Visa is the simplest option and should be arranged before you travel. No separate permit is required for Port Blair itself — foreign nationals are granted permit-free entry to South Andaman for up to 30 days on arrival. The currency is the Indian Rupee (INR); pounds and cards aren't widely accepted outside hotels, so carry cash. Tap water isn't safe to drink, so stick to bottled or filtered water and pack mosquito repellent.
