GOOD NEWS for Indians planning a trip to Dubai or looking to explore Dubai City during a layover en route to the United States! Emirates Airlines, one of our partners for best flight deals to USA/India, has introduced pre-approved visa-on-arrival service exclusively for Indian nationals, with effect from January 2024. With pre-arrival approval, Indian passport holders can skip queues for visa-on-arrival formalities at Dubai International Airport.

Difference between visa on arrival in Dubai and the newly launched pre-approved visa on arrival: 

Emirates Airlines’ visa-on-arrival service in Dubai is not new for Indians having a valid US visa or Green Card. It has been in place for them for months. However, the newly launched pre-approved visa on arrival facility is more efficient and convenient. It simplifies and quickens the visa formalities on arrival at DXB Airport. If the Dubai airport layover in your itinerary permits only a short city sightseeing tour, Emirates Airlines’ new initiative will enable faster visa processing so that you can spend more time in the city.

How to get Emirates’ pre-approved visa on arrival in Dubai? 

It is easy and simple. You can apply for it online only after booking Emirates flight tickets through Indian Eagle or any other travel agency. Emirates Airlines’ partnership with VFS Global Services facilitates the pre-approval process for eligible Indian passport holders. The UAE visa platform linked to Emirates.com outlines the requirements and clauses for you to obtain a 14-day single-entry visa on arrival.

• Log on to Emirates.com and navigate to “Manage an existing booking” on the portal.
• Enter your last name and booking reference number or e-ticket number to retrieve your booking details.
• Click the “Apply for a UAE Visa” link
• You will be redirected to the UAE Visa application portal powered by VFS Global Services
• Fill out the application form and pay the visa fee online.
• Go to the pre-approved visa on arrival counter at Dubai Airport

What is the cost of Emirates’ visa on arrival service for Indians? 

A single-entry, 14-day visa on arrival costs USD 63 per traveler, as per the official website of Emirates Airlines. Eligible Indian nationals have to pay this UAE visa fee during the online pre-approval process (mentioned above).

Emirates’ visa on arrival eligibility norms for Indians

Among passengers of Emirates flights, normal Indian passport holders with a valid US visa or Green Card are eligible for a pre-approved visa on arrival in Dubai. Both the passport and the US visa/Green Card must be valid for 6 months from the date of departure for the UAE. Emirates Airlines extends this facility to Indian nationals holding an EU or UK residence card with 6-month validity.

The post Emirates’ Newly Launched Pre-approved Visa on Arrival for Indians: Eligibility Norms, How to Apply, Visa Fee appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Of late, a woman traveler’s voice in the New York Times’ ethics column took everyone aback. She wrote about her ordeal of traveling in economy with kids, while her husband takes to the fancy of flying in luxury as he pays for his First Class travel or gets an upgrade from Business Class for himself though they travel together. It is primarily because he finds business class flight tickets too expensive to afford for the entire family. Netizens called this strange, unfair, and iniquitous.

Premium Economy comes into play where long-haul business class travel breaks the bank. It is the middle-of-the-road travel class between Economy and Business. It suits both, business travelers on a budget and economy travelers willing to pay a little more for added comfort. Premium Economy tickets cost a little more than economy class airfares and less than business class flight deals online.

PC: Emirates Airlines

What are Emirates’ Premium Economy destinations in India and USA?

Finally, Emirates raised the curtain over its Premium Economy flights to India. Emirates’ flagship double-decker A380 will offer Premium Economy service on flights to Mumbai and Bengaluru starting October 29 this year. Currently, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Paris, London, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland are the destinations of Emirates’ A380 flights with Premium Economy. This brand new service with competitive edges over other airlines, will be available to Houston and Los Angeles starting in July 2023.

Interestingly, Emirates itineraries for Premium Economy flights between USA and India are similar to Air India’s Premium Economy flights between SFO and Bengaluru, SFO and Mumbai, and New York JFK and Mumbai. Come November 2023, you will be able to travel on Emirates flights with Premium Economy service on the following US to India routes:

• San Francisco to Mumbai and Bengaluru
• Los Angeles to Mumbai and Bengaluru
• New York to Mumbai and Bengaluru
• Houston to Mumbai and Bengaluru

Emirates Premium Economy Seats

Premium Economy on Emirates’ A380s is said to be a game changer in the international market, with luxurious seats, quality inflight food, and award-winning inflight entertainment. This travel cabin is being rolled out on about 130 aircraft in Emirates’ fleet of A380s and B777s. Sophisticated interiors, highly aesthetic design, leather seating, and business-class-like inflight service make Emirates Airlines’ Premium Economy a class apart from that of American and European airlines.

What’s the difference between Emirates’ Standard Economy and Premium Economy? The main difference is the comfort of seating long hours on 19.5-inch wide, cushioned seats with adjustable headrests and greater recline in Premium Economy.  The seats offer a 40-inch legroom pitch, thereby providing enough cozy space for you to stretch out on raised leg rests. On the other hand, Emirates’ 17.5-in wide economy seats have a shorter legroom pitch up to 34 inches.

The cream-toned leather seats are accessorized with fluffier pillows to comfort your back when you recline the body during a long-haul flight. A signature motif of the ghaf tree (the UAE’s national tree) in gold is one of the salient features of the exclusively designed interior.

Can I sleep on Emirates Premium Economy flights? 

Unlike the Business Class of Emirates, Premium Economy seats are not lie-flat beds. However, you can lounge your body from head to toe to catch a good sleep on the seat with a greater recline and an adjustable leg rest. If uncompromised comfort is a prerequisite for you to get sound sleep while flying, the spacious leather seats are designed to suit your needs.

Perks of Flying in Emirates Premium Economy

Is Emirates’ Premium Economy worth upgrading from regular economy? Yes, it is not only for spacious, luxury seating, but also personalized attention and service that travelers are lavished with on board. Separate check-in, priority boarding, and generous check-in baggage allowance are among the perks of flying in Premium Economy on Emirates flights to/from USA. Emirates’ A380s without First Class have Premium Economy with its own lavatory on the front of the upper deck. A380s with First Class have Premium Economy seats on the front of the lower deck. The front location makes it possible for guests to exit the aircraft before economy travelers, thereby facilitating their connection to the next flight (if they have any) in case of a short layover.

Does Emirates offer complimentary lounge access with Premium Economy?    

Like most airlines with premium economy, Emirates does not provide complimentary lounge access to its premium economy guests. Not even Emirates’ best flight deals for premium economy travel to/from USA come with this facility. Instead, you can buy Emirates’ lounge service at the origin/connection/destination airport for a discounted price. You can buy the best deal for Dubai Airport’s Plaza Premium Lounge while booking cheap Emirates flight tickets from IndianEagle.com.

Is Wi-Fi available in Emirates Premium Economy?

Seamless access to inflight WiFi is available for Emirates’ Skywards members, regardless of their travel class and itineraries. If you are among the Skywards Gold/Silver/Blue members, you can make the most of Emirates’ free WiFi service in Premium Economy.

Dining on Emirates Premium Economy flights

Quality inflight dining is a hallmark of Emirates’ Premium Economy service to New York, San Francisco and other destinations. Global dishes with seasonal flavors that Emirates’ cosmopolitan chefs cook for Premium Economy guests are elegantly served on Royal Doulton China tableware with stainless steel cutlery wrapped in linen, emulating the sophistication of a fine-dining restaurant. “Be it a continental breakfast or a multicourse lunch/dinner, you are sure to discover a meal to suit your taste from our regional monthly menus,” said Emirates. Lunch and dinner are complemented with fruit salad and delectable desserts.

“What elevates your ‘Premium Economy’ experience with Emirates is that you can celebrate a special occasion on board if it coincides with your flight. You can contact the airline and order a celebration cake of vanilla or chocolate flavor 48 hours before your scheduled departure,” said the chief travel economist of Indian Eagle Travel. Emirates Premium Economy reviews that we have received from our customers are positive about the range of inflight beverages, including wines and vintages from Business Class,” he added.

Where is Emirates Premium Economy flying to and from?

Currently, Emirates is operating Premium Economy flights on double-decker A380s to New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Paris, London, Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. This beautiful cabins with competitive edges over other airlines, will be available to Houston starting June and to Los Angeles starting July 2023. In our knowledge, Emirates Premium Economy will enter Indian skies later this year.

We are thrilled to see our partner’s premium economy class in service after three years of the pandemic-induced hiccups to its launch. As a leading air-ticketing partner of Emirates Airlines, we will offer our customers and newsletter subscribers cheap flights tickets to India for Premium Economy travel from USA once this brand new cabin is fully available in the US-India corridor.

The post Emirates Launches Much-awaited Premium Economy to Make Travel Cheaper than Business, Better than Economy appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Emirates Airlines is in the world’s top 10 safest airlines for 2023, according to AirlineRatings.com that rates airlines against various parameters of safety in the sky every year. Other than a good safety rating and highly competitive fare deals, Emirates flights have other reasons to woo you on board during a long-haul international flight between USA and India.

IndianEagle.com, a most trusted USA-India travel booking portal, handpicked five best experiences as compelling reasons to book Emirates Airlines flight tickets for your upcoming travel. In September 2022, Emirates received three Skytrax World Airline Awards, including World’s Best Economy Class for its steadfast commitment to making international economy flights comfortable and enjoyable through periodic upgrades in seating, service, catering and technology.

PC: Emirates Airlines

Let your kids be pampered on board

Inarguably, Emirates is one of the best family-friendly airlines for catering to kids’ needs on board. Be it dietary care to or infight entertainment of children, Emirates goes an extra mile to ensure parents travel in comfort. Children’s meals available on Emirates Airlines flights to India from USA are served to young travelers aged between two and 12. If your child has specific diet requirements, you can make a choice from Emirates’ children-only inflight meals during or after booking your travel.

The availability of organic baby food on board makes Emirates flights the first preference of family travelers with kids younger than 2 years. The airline assures, “You can rest easy knowing your little one is properly nourished on board”. If you carry home-made baby food or milk, you can get it reheated on the aircraft. Also, Emirates’ flight attendants provide bottle-warming service. Those not carrying baby food from home can request it as baby-feeding bottles and milk formula loaded with essential nutrients are available for free on Emirates flights from Boston to Chennai, Emirates flights from San Francisco to Kolkata, and on other routes between USA and India.

Among the top kids-friendly airlines, Emirates loves to keep young travelers entertained and occupied on board. The airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment comprises children-specific programs including 50 Disney classic films that leave little room for your child to throw tantrums. Flight attendants provide funky headphones that children can put on comfortably to tune to their favorite channel or program. Apart from that, older children are provided with age-appropriate activity packs so that they don’t get bored during such long-haul Emirates flights from Seattle to Delhi, and on other routes from India to USA.

“Emirates Airlines makes traveling with kids easier by providing complimentary strollers in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. With your baby cruising in a stroller, you can easily get around the terminal and experience various facilities during a layover at Dubai Airport. Some of our customers flying with Emirates described this as an ‘incredible service’”, said the chief travel advisor of IndianEagle.com. The strollers are sanitized and disinfected for the safety of kids, as assured by the airline.

Let your taste buds relish regional delights  

Regionally inspired inflight dining is one of the reasons to grab the best deals for Emirates flights between USA and India. Dubai’s flag carrier is known for treating India-bound passengers to a selection of festive dishes when an Indian festival like Navaratri or Diwali is around. Even cheap Emirates economy flights to India offer a fulfilling infight dining experience.

There are two onboard menus – one for the first international leg from USA to Dubai, and the other for the connecting leg from Dubai to India. Likewise, Emirates Airlines’ India to USA flights have two different menus. You will be served Greek yoghurt with berry compote, Kanchipuram idlis and uthappam with sambar, Pav with Akuri (a spicy scrambled egg dish in the Paris cuisine of India), Sevaiyan topped with roasted almonds and pistachios, and Breakfast cake with a selection of tea, coffee and juices during the first leg of Emirates flights from Hyderabad to Dallas, from Bangalore to Chicago ORD, from Kolkata to New York JFK, and on other routes from India to USA.

Economy travelers are literally pampered on the connecting flight from Dubai to New York, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, Newark, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, and D.C. The menu has grilled chicken (served with baked beans, creamed spinach, potato croquette), braised chicken with steamed basmati rice, grilled vegetable crepes (served with potato hash, sautéed spinach and mushrooms), and mutter paneer with jeera rice in the main course. Emirates Pizza and Toasted smoked turkey sandwich are the vegetarian snacks on the menu. Desserts include fresh seasonal fruit and chocolate mousse cake. Chickpea salad with potatoes and wild rice is served as an appetizer.

Travel in comfort on Emirates A380 flights

Emirates Airlines’ fleet primarily consists of Airbus 380s and Boeing 777s. Both the aircraft types are deployed for Emirates flights between USA and India via Dubai. In India, only Mumbai and Bangalore are the destinations for Emirates’ A380 flights from Houston and New York JFK. The world’s largest double-decker A380 with top-notch cabin interiors, cushioned seating with plenty of legroom, bigger entertainment screens, and attentive flight attendants makes a compelling reason to book Emirates flight tickets from Houston IAH to Bengaluru, and New York JFK to Mumbai, India. Starting in mid-February 2023, A380s will be deployed for Emirates flights from SFO to Mumbai (BOM) and Bengaluru (BLR).

Interestingly, Emirates’ Premium Economy is being rolled out across the fleet of more than 120 Airbus 380s. Emirates Premium Economy flights to India from USA and other countries are expected to take off in 2024. Fully-flat beds, complimentary Wi-Fi, and onboard lounge are the flagship features of Emirates A380 business class flights from Houston IAH to Mumbai, and New York to Bengaluru. Even economy cabins of Emirates A380s are worth a mention for spacious seats with adjustable headrests, multicourse regional meals, and seamless access to hundreds of entertainment programs on the seat-back HD TV. Economy seats are 18-inch wide and come with 32-inch legroom on A380s – which make you travel in comfort and at ease.

Fly entertained on Emirates

Emirates Airlines has received Skytrax Awards in the ‘Best Inflight Entertainment’ category for more than 12 years. Traveling alone on one-stop Emirates flights between USA and India? The huge content lot of 5000 movies, music, sports videos, TV shows, and web series will keep your company throughout your solo flight. There is unlimited Indian regional content that may leave you spoilt for choice.

Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system (ICE) offers a good selection of Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Gujarati and Marathi movies as well as TV shows. You can binge watch Joji, Marakkar, The Priest, Drishyam 2, and Gold Case in Malayalam; Jai Bhim, Kobra, Kaadan, and Karnan in Tamil; Radhe Shyam, Bangarraju, Konda Polam, and Aranya in Telugu; Jhara Palak, Kuler Achar, Pratidwandi, and Kakababur Protyaborton in Bengali; Chandramukhi, Jivan Sandhya, and Pawankhind in Marathi; KGF, Physics Teacher, Four Walls, and Amruth Apartments in Kannada.

Get Emirates’ free Dubai stopover program   

One of the reasons to book low-fare Emirates flights between India and USA is Dubai Connect, a Dubai stopover program for international transit passengers with a minimum 8-hour layover. Depending on the transit time in your itinerary, you can apply for a “Dubai Connect” package that includes complimentary hotel stay, meals, airport transfers, and a complimentary transit visa to Dubai. Having a US visitor visa (B1/B2) or a Green Card valid for 6 months is key to establishing your eligibility for a visa on arrival in Dubai. Or else, you need to pre-arrange a transit visa to Dubai. Only US nationals and citizens are eligible for the UAE’s free visa on arrival.

Dubai City sightseeing is one of the best perks of flying on Emirates between USA and India. Unlike Abu Dhabi International Airport, Dubai DXB Airport lets you go out to explore the city even during a layover shorter than 8 hours. Interestingly, until 31 March 2023, you can use your boarding pass as “My Emirates Pass” to unlock special deals and grab discount offers at tourist spots, restaurants, museums, theme parks and brand stores in Dubai. We recommend checking our exclusive Dubai Layover Guide for further information.

Disclaimer: Emirates Airlines’ inflight services and amenities may vary depending on routes, aircraft types deployed across the network, and fare types. The information that this article provides is mostly obtained from the airline website, the accuracy or authenticity of which is not guaranteed by Indian Eagle.

The post Why You Should Book Emirates Flights between USA and India; 5 Things to Check Other than Best Fare Deals appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The regular or normal international flight operations, which was supposed to resume on December 15, 2021 will be back in March 2022. Unlike before, the continued suspension of scheduled (regular/normal) international flights is extended until further notice, not for another 30 days, indicating that the preparation is underway for the much-awaited resumption. Since May 2020, Air India and United Airlines have been the principal carriers in the US-India air bubble corridor. Later Europe and Gulf airlines joined the green corridor and started catering to the demand for air bubble flights between USA and India. Below is the updated list of the airlines operating multi-stop, one-stop, direct and nonstop flights between USA and India through the air bubble corridor.

US-India nonstop air bubble flights: Air India and United Airlines 

Since the inception of Vande Bharat Mission that eventually expanded into air bubble travel corridors, Air India and United Airlines have been operating in compliance with the US-India air bubble agreement. Since May 2020, more than 10 million people have travelled on VBM and air bubble flights between the two countries. Whoever is permitted to enter India and the US during the pandemic, according to the respective governments, can travel on Air India and United Airlines between USA and India. There is no visa-specific restriction. US citizens with/without an OCI card or a valid visa to India, and lawful permanent residents/green card holders are traveling to India. Indian citizens with a valid US visa, such as B1/B2, can travel on USA-bound air bubble flights operated by Air India and United Airlines.

You can book nonstop United flights between Newark and Mumbai, Newark and Delhi, San Francisco and Delhi, and Chicago and Delhi. Air India operates a maximum number of nonstop flights between India and USA. IndianEagle.com, a leading air-ticketing partner of the Indian-origin community in America, is booking cheap Air India flights and cheap United flights tickets for air bubble travel scheduled till March 2022.

Emirates Airlines’ US-India Air Bubble Flights

Emirates joined the US-India air bubble travel corridor in August 2020. You can book cheap Emirates flights between USA and India online at Indian Eagle or by calling the toll-free 1-800-615-3969. These days, Emirates Airlines is serving these US cities: New York JFK, Los Angeles, Chicago ORD, Houston IAH, Washington IAD, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, and Dallas. Currently, you can book Emirates’ air bubble flights to India for Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram.

All Indian nationals, irrespective of their US visas (B1/B2, H1, H4, F1 and likes), and US citizens with/without an OCI card can travel on one-stop Emirates flights between USA and India. US citizens having no OCI card need a regular entry X visa or a tourist visa to travel to India. Can Indian citizens with a US visitor visa (B2) fly on Emirates from India to USA? Yes, they can travel both ways – the US to India and India to the US.

Different rules apply to over 10 hours of transit in Dubai for travelers from India 

Travelers from India, among the restricted countries, are required to leave Dubai Airport’ terminal if the transit time or layover is over 10 hours in Dubai. In this case, you can apply for Dubai Connect online at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled departure from India. A request for Dubai Connect is subject to the UAE immigration approval. If approved, you will get complimentary accommodation outside the airport, complimentary visa on arrival and free airport transfer service.

If denied, you will have to arrange accommodation outside the airport and must apply for a visa on arrival or have a pre-approved Dubai transit visa. In case you are unable to provide evidence of accommodation (hotel or a friend/relative’s residence in Dubai) outside Dubai Airport (DXB), you are likely to be denied boarding at the departure airport in India.

As per the UAE’s current regulations, travelers from India with the transit time/layover more than 10 hours at Dubai Airport must take a COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours prior to scheduled departure from India and a (additional) Rapid PCR test at the departure airport within 6 hours of scheduled boarding. These two test reports must be negative and have a QR code.

Qatar Airways’ US-India Air Bubble Flights

Qatar Airways is one of the best airlines operating USA to India flights in the air bubble corridor. Other than Air India, United Airlines, and Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways is flying all Indian nationals, irrespective of their US visas, and US citizens with an OCI card or a valid India visa via Doha. B1/B2, H1B, H4, F1 and other US visa holders can travel on Qatar Airways’ US-bound flights from India.

Please check all you should know about traveling on Qatar Airways to/from India and transiting in Doha.

Qatar Airways is connecting travelers from the US on its air bubble flights to India at Doha Hamad International Airport. Available on IndianEagle.com for cheap airfares, Qatar Airways flights to India are operated from New York JFK, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami, Washington DC, Seattle and San Francisco. Qatar Airways flies to New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmadabad, Kochi, Kozhikode and Trivandrum via Doha.

Lufthansa Flights to India from USA  

This August 13, Lufthansa flights resumed to India from Frankfurt and Munich under the bilateral air bubble agreement between Germany and India. We booked Lufthansa flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru for some of our customers, including Indian passport holders and foreign nationals of Indian origin from the USA until Lufthansa’s revised travel eligibility criteria for passengers took effect on October 21, 2020. Currently, Lufthansa is operating to and from New Delhi 5 days in a week, Mumbai 3 days in a week, and Bengaluru 2 days in a week.

Who can take air bubble flights on Lufthansa?

Only US citizens can travel on Lufthansa flights between USA and India as per the most recent revision of travel eligibility criteria. To be precise, US nationals holding an OCI card, and Indian passport holders from the US are barred from traveling on Lufthansa’s inbound flights to India. Lufthansa flights from India to USA can board only foreign nationals including US citizens (without OCI cards) and their spouses with a valid US visa.

India’s travel bubble corridor with the US and Germany has made way for Lufthansa’s flights to India from Seattle, Miami, Philadelphia, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Detroit, San Diego, Chicago, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Orlando, Tampa, San Francisco, and Washington Dulles Airport.

Please note you are required to obey the government of Germany’s rule for international transit travelers. You must take an Antigen/PCR/LAMP/TMA test not more than 48 hours before your transit in Frankfurt or Munich, apart from taking an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of undertaking the journey from the US for safe entry to India. Germany’s mandate for international transit travelers aged 6 and above took effect on March 30, 2021.

British Airways: Air Bubble Flights to and from India

British Airways resumed flights to and from India on August 17, 2020. Part of the India-UK bilateral air travel bubble agreement, British Airways flights to India are currently serving New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai from the United States with one-stop connection in London Heathrow. 

According to British Airways’ current travel eligibility criteria for inbound flights to India, Indian nationals, OCI/PIO cardholders with passports of any country, and foreign nationals including US citizens and their dependents holding a valid visa to India can travel to India on British Airways’ air bubble flights through London Heathrow (LHR).

Only foreign nationals including US citizens and their spouses can take BA flights from India to USA and transit in London without restrictions. Please note British Airways is not permitted to fly Indian Nationals beyond the UK, Ireland and Cayman Islands unless their spouse is a foreign national.

Delta Airlines Flights between USA and India

The list of airlines operating air bubble flights between USA and India includes Delta Airlines. Delta is currently operating Air France and KLM Airlines’ codeshare flights via Paris and Amsterdam respectively. Though both Air France and KLM Airlines are flying to and from India, they do not have the permission to carry Indian nationals beyond their hub airports in the EU region. Please note Delta Airlines’ nonstop flights to Mumbai from USA continue to remain suspended.

Indian passport holders, lawful permanent residents, B2/B1 visa holders, US citizens with/without OCI/PIO cards, and foreign nationals with a valid visa can travel on Delta flights to India from USA and from India to USA.

Virgin Atlantic Flights to India from USA

Since September 2020, Virgin Atlantic flights between USA and India have been operational. The airline provides connection from the USA on its flights to New Delhi and Mumbai from London Heathrow under the UK-India air bubble travel arrangement. Indians in USA can travel on Virgin Atlantic flights to India from New York JFK, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. Delta Airlines connects Boston, Miami, Seattle, Orlando, San Francisco, and Washington IAD on Virgin Atlantic flights from New York to India.

On Virgin Atlantic flights from USA to India, Indian nationals, OCI/PIO cardholders holding passports of any country, and foreign nationals including US citizens with a valid visa to India can travel. Indian citizens, unless their spouse is a US national, can’t board Virgin Atlantic flights from India if they are destined for USA. Please note all tourist visas (both paper and electronic) issued before October 6, 2021, are currently invalid for entry into India.

Also Check: Things to Know if You’re Traveling to or from India

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What Emirates Airlines thinks today, other airlines think tomorrow. Several major international airlines that have resumed flying have brought in various policies to make travel safe amid the pandemic, but Emirates has gone the extra mile. Among the international carriers, United Airlines has made it mandatory for flight attendants to carry thermometers for their personal temperature check and self-health screening in adherence to the WHO and CDC guidelines. However, the way Emirates is trying to revive travelers’ confidence in flying before the pandemic subsides does simply stand out in aviation.

Picture Credit: Airwaysmag.com

Dubai-based Emirates has announced to insure passengers against COVID19. With immediate effect, the airline will cover travelers’ medical expenses and quarantine costs if they happen to contract the virus aboard a flight. One of the perks of traveling on Emirates flights, the special insurance will be available till October 30 this year regardless of flyers’ origin, destination and travel class. Emirates Airlines’ COVID19 insurance will be valid for 31 days from the time and place a flyer’s itinerary begins. Hence, we wish Emirates were operating US-India air bubble flights.

Emirates’ COVID19 insurance policy for flyers will cover medical bills up to $173,000 and 14-day quarantine costs up to $116. There are neither restrictions nor specific eligibility criteria with regards to availing the policy. There is no additional registration form to be filled out for the policy. The COVID19 will automatically apply to booking Emirates flights.

Qualifying for Emirates’ COVID19 insurance policy has only one condition. Passengers need to present a COVID19 negative certificate at the time of boarding ascertaining that they are not infected with the virus before they board Emirates flights. Emirates is the world’s first and only airline to have rolled out a first-of-its-kind initiative to woo travelers back to flying.

Both United Airlines and Air India are currently operating special flights between USA and India, but neither of them is insuring the lives of their passengers against COVID19. Emirates is offering not only COVID19 protection to mitigate travel risks, but also flexible booking policies for travelers. Emirates Airlines’ booking policies are allowing passengers to rebook their flights, without paying the airline’s rescheduling fee, within 24 months of their original travel date if their travel is affected due to flight suspension or the destination country’s entry restrictions.

“Emirates Airlines is proud to lead the way in boosting confidence for international travel. We know people are yearning to fly as boarders around the world are gradually re-opening, but they are seeking flexibility and protection if something unforeseen happens during their travel,” said Emirates Group’s Chairman and Chief Executive. “It is an investment on our part, but we are putting our customers first, and we believe they will welcome this initiative,” he added.

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Emirates Airlines is gearing up for resumption of flights to India and other countries mostly in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sudan and Egypt. Emirates flights booking, India apart, is also open for Manila and Colombo with effect from July 2020. Travelers wonder whether the opening up of Emirates flights to India from USA indicates at resumption of US-India flight operations in July.

There are ample hints latent in the tweets that India’s civil aviation minister posted, today (June 1), indicating when India is likely to restart international passenger flights. One of his latest tweets reads,

“MHA guidelines for lockdown 5.0 have further opened up inter & intra-state travel, facilitating calibrated reopening of the sector. As we move towards the critical mass of 50-60% operation of domestic flights, our ability to resume international operations will also improve.”

Picture Credit: Businessworld.in

During a live Facebook session two days before the reopening of the country’s domestic aviation sector, a journalist asked the civil aviation minister whether the government was planning to lift the restrictions on international travel in August. Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri replied optimistically that they could do before August, even in July.

Just as charity begins at home, the domestic aviation sector needs to be restored to normalcy before India opens up for international flights. Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad, which are still under various degrees of lockdown due to COVID19, have put a cap on the daily number of inbound domestic flights. With the increasing numbers of domestic flights, these airports will be gearing up for regular international commercial flight operations, both inbound and outbound.

This morning, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted, “Many international destinations are not allowing incoming passenger traffic, except for their own citizens and diplomats.” However, the gradual opening up of countries across the world hints at chances for resumption of international travel in July. Hong Kong and Singapore restarted allowing international travelers to transit through their respective airports beginning in June 2020. This will facilitate resumption of flights between USA and India in July.

Moreover, United Airlines is pacing up towards resuming long-haul services to Asia, including direct flights to Delhi from San Francisco and Newark Liberty airports in July 2020.

Another positive indication at when regular international flights will be resumed to India is that the Vande Bharat Mission for evacuation of distressed, stranded Indians from abroad will end on June 30. The end of special Air India flights for NRIs stranded at home and abroad will make the beginning of normal international operations.

Travel Beats, an overseas Indian community portal, is a subsidiary of Indian Eagle, a leading air-ticketing partner of Indians in USA. This is part of our continued effort to report on the latest developments of air travel to and from India amid the COVID19 pandemic. Subscribe to Travel Beats’ free newsletter and like our Facebook page for latest travel updates, immigration news, OCI news and NRI community stories.

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Post the COVID19 pandemic, the future of air travel may not be pleasant for some time. But it won’t be bleak either. While the world is wondering when and how to travel safely by air, Emirates resumed operations with limited passenger flights. The health of travelers being the first and foremost need of the COVID19 hours, Emirates Airlines has started testing passengers for COVID19 before boarding them on to flights from Dubai. Notably, Emirates is the first major international airline to carry out pre-boarding COVID19 blood tests on passengers, and thereby leaving a trail for other airlines.

In coordination with Dubai Health Authority, the first round of rapid COVID19 tests was conducted on the passengers of Emirates flights that departed to Tunisia and few other destinations from Dubai Airport on April 15, 2020. Results of the tests were available within no more than 10 minutes. “We are working on plans to scale up testing capabilities in the future and extend it to flights for other routes,” said Adel Al Redha, the chief operation officer of Emirates.

“The step taken by Emirates towards facilitating travel to countries where passengers will be required to produce COVID19 test certificates upon arrival is laudable, indeed. The airline has also revised its check-in and boarding process with social distancing norms in place. Emirates in-flight services have also been modified to mitigate health and safety concerns on board. Travelers are required to put on masks and obey social distancing guidelines right from checking in to boarding to landing. We hope all these COVID19 precautions will be strictly put in place for Emirates flights to India from USA once the travel restrictions are lifted,” said the chief travel economist of Indian Eagle, a leading air travel booking organization in the US.

Magazine, newspapers, and other reading material in print have been taken off the aircraft in service. Emirates will continue to serve food and beverages during long haul flights in such a way so as to reduce physical contact during the service on board. Emirates has mandated the use of hand sanitizers, masks and gloves for all employees from baggage handlers to cabin crew, and third party service providers including caterers. Emirates’ check-in kiosks at Dubai Airport have been equipped with protective barriers to ensure additional safety for both passengers and employees.

Also Check: Details of India’s Flight Resumption Plans post Lockdown

Restriction on carrying cabin baggage onto Emirates flights is among the stringent safety measures that other airlines should take a note of. Emirates Airlines has cut down the list of carry-on items to such essentials as laptop, certain baby items, and briefcase or handbag. Passengers can check in all other items of cabin baggage up to the permissible weight. Hence, it has been decided that cabin baggage allowance will be clubbed with Emirates’ check-in baggage allowance.

Etihad Airways, another major airline of the UAE, is gearing up to install new self-service kiosks on a pilot basis at Abu Dhabi International Airport by the end of April. Dubbed as a fool-proof safety measure, the new technology is designed to identify flyers with potential COVID19 risks by monitoring their body temperature, breathing pattern, and heartbeats.

Currently, Emirates flights are operating to and from Chicago, London Heathrow, Manila, and Frankfurt. It is highly recommended that travelers check the entry restrictions at these destinations before deciding to travel. Needless to say, Emirates aircraft is intensively cleaned and disinfected on completion of each flight.

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The downfall of Jet Airways seems to give rise to the expansion of SpiceJet’s network across India and beyond. Emirates Airlines is all set to cash in on the changing scenario of Indian aviation. Emirates and SpiceJet have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be each other’s codeshare partner. The booking window for Emirates-SpiceJet codeshare flights is open from today for travel on and after December 15, 2019.

The codeshare agreement with SpiceJet will give Emirates Airlines’ seamless access to SpiceJet’s vast domestic network in India, and that in turn will boost Emirates’ connectivity to India via or from Dubai. To be precise, those traveling on Emirates flights from the United States will get connected to several new Indian destinations other than 9 cities: Ahmadabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.

SpiceJet’s new domestic routes from two of its hubs – Delhi IGI and Mumbai CSI airports – will add prominent destinations to Emirates Airlines’ Indian network. With SpiceJet’s new flights from Mumbai, Emirates will connect its passengers to Jaipur, Amritsar, Varanasi, Mangalore, Coimbatore and Calicut. It means that Indians from Emirates’ destinations in the US will be able to seamlessly travel to Jaipur, Amritsar, Varanasi, Mangalore, Coimbatore and Calicut via Mumbai, without having a separate itinerary for a domestic leg.

“In March 2019, SpiceJet announced to operate four daily direct flights from Chennai to Surat in Gujarat and Patna in Bihar. Emirates’ passengers will be able to connect on SpiceJet’s flights to Surat and Patna from Chennai,” said the chief travel economist of IndianEagle.com, a leading air-ticketing agency in the United States.

As a codeshare partner, SpiceJet will connect Emirates’ passengers to some of the most popular Indian tourist destinations, which include Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan; Tirupati and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh; Bhopal and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh; Gangtok and Guwahati in the Northeast; Leh in Jammu and Kashmir; Chandigarh and Jalandhar in Punjab; Goa and Port Blair.

Founded in 2005, SpiceJet is the second largest Indian airline in terms of its share of the domestic market. Currently, it flies to 51 cities in India and serves nine international destinations. Those taking Emirates flights to India from USA or any other country will get access to 51 destinations in SpiceJet’s domestic network. SpiceJet’s passengers from all over India will also be able to leverage Emirates’ global network including the US destinations.

Also Check: Etihad Airways’ New Abu Dhabi Stopover Program

Those traveling to India from USA via Dubai can make the most of Emirates-SpiceJet’s codeshare agreement. Since Emirates’ passengers (including Indian passport holders from the US) are eligible for free 48-hour transit visa to Dubai, they can board SpiceJet flights from Dubai to India after a short transit stay in Dubai City.

One of the low-cost Indian carriers, SpiceJet operates daily nonstop flights between Dubai and Mumbai. The airline announced to up its daily service between Mumbai and Dubai with two additional flights.

SpiceJet’s nonstop 68 weekly flights between Dubai and India will be within the purview of the SpiceJet-Emirates codeshare partnership. As a result, SpiceJet’s domestic flights across India will feature Emirates Airlines’ EK code. The Emirates-SpiceJet codeshare agreement is awaiting Indian government’s approval.

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With the temperature of Dubai to drop starting from October, Emirates Airlines is all set to woo its passengers with an opportunity to experience the Emirati hospitality for free during a transit layover. Like Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, Emirates has announced to offer a free luxury stay in Dubai for a short period of time.

The free stay in Dubai at two of the city’s most luxurious hotels – The Address Downtown and Address Dubai Mall – is valid for all Emirates flights from India to the USA and the UK in October, November and early December, except the third week of November (15-22).

Emirates Airlines’ passengers from Ahmadabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram, traveling to USA or Europe via Dubai, can avail the offer. As usual, the free luxury stay in Dubai for Emirates Airlines’ travelers comes with certain conditions.

“The free stay in Dubai” offer is clubbed with Emirates flight tickets for business class and first class bookings made from September 24 until October 3, 2019. It must be availed during travel anytime between October 1 and December 10, 2019, except November 15-22.

The offer is not available to those planning to book Emirates economy flights from India to North America or Europe during the above-mentioned period for travel in October, November and December.

There is another condition to Emirates Airlines’ “free stay in Dubai” offer. Travelers with confirmed first class reservation or business class flight tickets will receive free luxury accommodation for two nights in Dubai provided the transit layover is 10 hours of more.

The offer entitles travelers to a single room per ticket. Two adult passengers traveling together may be given a double room, based on availability. One child below 12 can share the room with parents. Notably, Emirates Airlines’ offer does not include free transit visa to Dubai, unlike free transit visa to Qatar, 4-day free transit visa to Singapore, and Beijing’s 6-day transit visa-free policy.

“It is highly recommended that travelers check whether the offer is valid for Emirates’ basic business class fares. Also, those who upgrade from economy to business on Emirates flights need to check whether they are eligible for the offer,” said the chief travel economist of Indian Eagle, a leading online travel booking portal in the US.

Notably, Emirates became the first non-US airline to have got approval for biometric boarding from the US Customs Border Protection. Emirates’ passengers from any of the twelve US cities, that Emirates caters to, will be able to go through the fastest check-in process because of facial recognition technology at the airport departure gates.

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While Air India has just started operating flights over the North Pole, Emirates Airlines is all set to take a big step ahead of the national carrier of India. In the latest announcement, Emirates revealed plans to make its flights to and from the USA, over the North Pole, more entertaining and interesting than ever.

Emirates flights between the US and Dubai experience a blackout period while making their way over the polar region, leaving passengers without Wi-Fi connectivity for several hours. The hours-long disruption of inflight connectivity on Emirates’ polar flights will be a thing of the past in the near future. If things go as planned by 2022, travelers on Emirates flights from USA will be able to make phone calls, watch live TV shows and use Wi-Fi while flying 40,000 feet over the North Pole and Arctic Circle.

The blackout phenomenon on Emirates polar flights is attributed to the flying of the aircraft in the far north of the planet, which makes the aircraft go out of the geostationary ambit of the satellites at a distance of 35,800 kilometers over the Equator.

Emirates Airlines is working with Inmarsat to put an end to the problem by launching two elliptical orbit satellites into space. The new satellites will not only facilitate Wi-Fi availability but also make it possible to watch live TV broadcasting of events or sports on Emirates flights over the North Pole. This will be a momentous achievement to Emirates.

Dubai-based Emirates is a global aviation leader in offering free inflight Wi-Fi connectivity (though with data limits). Emirates’ Live TV is available on all of the Boeing 777 jets and most of the Airbus 380 jets in the fleet, which are deployed for flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Orlando, New York, Seattle and other US cities. Emirates’ passengers make more than one million Wi-Fi connections aboard every month.

“It was 2008 when Emirates started operating nonstop flights between Dubai and SFO, which was the “world’s first cross-polar green flight” according to the airline. The route over the North Pole is the quickest and most fuel efficient route for long-haul flights to and from the United States,” recalled a senior official of IndianEagle.com, a most trusted portal for cheap airline tickets to India.

With more and more airlines taking to the polar routes for saving time and fuel, connectivity in the Arctic region is a more important need of the hour for flyers.

Also Check: How to Upgrade from Economy to Business on Emirates Flights for Less

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