Does your US-India itinerary have a significant layover in a third country? Turning it into a pleasant sightseeing spree is easier and better than lazing around at a transit airport. With airlines offering transit stopovers and city tours, you can gift a mini vacation to yourself or your family during your upcoming trip to India this summer. While stopovers extend over 24 hours or more, transit city tours come in various packages at subsidized rates during a layover of 5 to 10 hours.

Some airlines like Turkish Airlines offer it as a free add-on, whereas some airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways offer it for less. Some airlines like Singapore Airlines offer guided trips to popular tourist sites within the easily commutable radius of transit airports. What makes major airlines’ transit city tours more tempting to Indians and US citizens is the visa-free entry or visa waiver or visa on arrival or easy-to-obtain e-visa to the countries that US-India flights of those airlines transit through.

Fly Emirates and Explore Dubai during a layover   

Dubai International Airport is the best of all transit hubs with layover tours for Indians booking Emirates flights tickets to India/USA. Dubai, a most happening city offering the Arabian hospitality, luxury activities, and desert safaris, can best be explored during a stopover of up to 48 hours. With a customized tour package of Dubai Experience from Emirates Airlines or its air-ticketing partners including IndianEagle.com, you can turn your stopover into an amazing mini holiday en route to India or USA. A stopover package offers hotel accommodation with 24-hr check-in and check-out, and exclusive deals for theme parks, water parks, desert safari, etc.

If a Dubai stopover does not fit into your US-India travel plans, you can go out for a short sightseeing tour given minimum 8 hours of connection time at Dubai Airport in your itinerary. You can visit the world’s tallest skyscraper Burj Khalifa and the nearby Dubai Fountain in the downtown that Dubai Metro provides seamless connection to from the airport every 10 minutes. Or, you can head to Dubai Miracle Garden, one of the most popular tourist places in Dubai, during a short airport layover.

Indians need a visa to tour Dubai, whereas US citizens can have a visa-free stopover in Dubai. Check our details of Emirates Airlines’ pre-approved visa on arrival facility for Indians with a valid US visa or Green Card.

Fly Turkish Airlines and Tour Istanbul for Free

Planning your travel to India or USA via Istanbul? You may be eligible for Turkish Airlines’ free Istanbul City tour or stopover program depending on the layover duration in your itinerary. Irrespective of your economy or business class travel on Turkish Airlines flights to India/USA, you can explore Istanbul during a layover of at least 6 hours. Those with a 20-hour layover are eligible for a complimentary hotel stay in Istanbul. Considering your layover in Istanbul, you can choose one of the eight packages of the Touristanbul program.

Notably, Türkiye is a visa-free destination for US Citizens. Check out our exclusive guide on Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul stopover program to know how to apply for it, what documents are required, what tourist sites to visit, perks of the program, details of free hotel accommodation, etc.

Turn Your Changi Airport Layover into a Free Singapore Tour

You can make the most of a layover at Changi International Airport, and that too for free while flying with Singapore Airlines. Changi Airport offers free transit tours to travelers with at least 5.5 hours of layover.  If you have more than 24 hours of layover time to kill, you might want to consider signing up for one of the Changi Stopover Packages. Changi Airport offers you free transit tours in three different categories: Heritage tour (runs twice a day); City Sights Tour (runs three times a day) and Changi Precinct Tour (runs two times a day). Any tour lasts 2.5 hours.

Each of the tours is unique in some or the other way. The heritage tour walks you through the history and architecture of the colonial era in Chinatown and Little India. Meanwhile, the City Sights Tour offers a much contemporary experience of the city and its modern ‘Singaporean’ architecture comprising magnificent sites like the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands among others. And the Changi Precinct Tour takes you to the heart of the city, immersing you in a unique experience of the local lifestyle. It also includes a visit to the quaint Changi village, which is a favorite getaway for the locals.

Our exclusive guide on free Singapore City tours for Indian travelers comes in handy with such details as eligibility norms, how to register, transit visa requirement, etc.  

Fly Qatar Airways and Add Doha Sightseeing to Your Itinerary

Among the best airline stopover programs, Qatar Airways’ Doha stopover will make your travel between USA and India more enjoyable at no additional airfare. More than 12 hours of connection time at Hamad International Airport makes you eligible for a Doha City tour; however, it requires one-night accommodation at a 4-star or 5-star hotel. Qatar Airways’ destination management wing, Discover Qatar offers cost-effective Doha stopover packages – Standard, Premium, and Luxury – at bundle rates starting from $14 per night for standard 4-star accommodation, $23 for premium 5-star accommodation, and $81 for 5-star luxury accommodation.

If your US-India trip with Qatar Airways cannot accommodate a Doha stopover, you can go for a short Doha sightseeing tour during a layover of 6-8 hours at Hamad Airport. Interestingly, both Indian nationals and US citizens can obtain a visa waiver on arrival at Hamad Airport if they have a passport valid for minimum 3 months and a confirmed flight ticket (s) for onward or return journey. Check out our exclusive guide on Doha stopover and transit tours, alongside our partner Qatar Airways’ best fare deals for India and USA.

Fly Japan Airlines and Enjoy a Multicity Stopover

Among the best international stopover-friendly airlines, JAL lets you book multicity itineraries from USA to Delhi and Bangalore so you can visit more than one transit city at no extra airfares. If your connecting flight is from Kansas International Airport, you can explore Osaka City, from where it takes 15-20 minutes to reach Kyoto by a high-speed train. With a Japan Explorer Pass, you can travel by air from one place to the other within JAL Airlines’ domestic network at much affordable fares.

If Tokyo Haneda or Narita is the connecting airport in your US-India itinerary of JAL Airlines, you can explore both Haneda and Narita City, during a long layover of 6 hours of more. Interestingly, Narita International Airport offers free tour English tour guides to travelers as part of the transit tour program. The English-speaking tour guides help you discover and experience the local culture and history within a budget. Though the tour guides are free, you need to pay transportation charges, entrance fees, and other expenses.

Check out whether Indians and US citizens need a visa for transit stopover in Tokyo/Narita and Japan Airlines’ best flight deals for India/USA.

Fly Etihad Airways and have Abu Dhabi Stopover for Less 

Abu Dhabi is one of the best transit airports with stopovers in the Middle East for passengers of eligible Etihad itineraries for US to India travel. Interestingly, your boarding pass for Etihad flights doubles up as the Abu Dhabi pass loaded with deals and discounts on sightseeing and dining in the UAE capital city. Since itineraries with a layover of 24 hours or more at Zayed International Airport are eligible for the Abu Dhabi stopover, advance booking of stay at any of Etihad Airways’ partner hotels (available at discounted rates) is a must. A single-entry transit visa to Abu Dhabi costs US$ 10.

Indian nationals need a single-entry transit visa for a stopover of 8-48 hours in Abu Dhabi, whereas US citizens and those having a Canadian/Mexican/UK passport can obtain a free UAE visa on arrival at Zayed International Airport (AUH). Rather than booking the stopover, you can turn even an 8-hour layover in Abu Dhabi into an exciting trip to Yas Island spread over 25 square kms. The island has the world’s fastest rollercoaster and one of the world’s best waterparks. Ferrari World on Yas Island is the world’s first Ferrari-themed indoor park.

Traveling on Finnair? Explore Helsinki during a Layover

Booking Finnair flight tickets to India or USA is an opportunity to explore Helsinki City in Europe. A layover of 6 to 24 hours is ideal for a sightseeing tour in the Finnish capital. Indian passport holders may need a Schengen tourist visa (C category) to enter and tour Helsinki during a layover at Helsinki International Airport. A most happening destination for art connoisseurs, culture buffs, and foodies! Interestingly, Finland is adjudged as the happiest country in the world. Your passport must be valid for 90 days or more following your departure on the connecting flight from Helsinki.

Fly Saudi Arabian Airlines and Get a 96-hour stopover visa 

Saudi Arabian Airlines, also known as Saudia, recently joined the ranks of airlines in offering a hassle-free stopover with a 96-hour visa to Indian nationals. Indian passport holders having a valid US visa or Green Card or a Schengen visa, are eligible for an electronic transit/stopover visa to Jeddah and Riyadh. The visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. Home to 6 UNESOC World Heritage Sites and the world’s tallest fountain, the Kingdom Saudi Arabia is a must-visit destination for history buffs, culture enthusiasts and art connoisseurs.

The post What are Top Airline Stopover Programs and Transit City Sightseeing Tours between USA and India? appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Applying for a US tourist visa, in the Trump administration, is not the same as before. Rather, it has become tougher for foreign nationals, including Indians and, so has become the US visa interview for visitors. The updated policy for US visitor/tourist visas requires foreign nationals to define their plans for the first three months of their visit to the US in the application form and stick to the same during their interview with consular officers.

A little discrepancy between what they write in the application form and what they tell consular officers regarding “What is the purpose of your USA visit?” can result in visa denial or cancellation. Being true to yourself is one of the best US visa interview tips.

Picture credit: Indiatimes.com

Why do you want to go to USA is the most common and crucial of the questions asked in a US visa interview for Indians. Parents of many Indians residing in the United States visit their children once in a year or two. Many of the visiting parents are senior citizens who feel like walking a tightrope during their first interview for the US visa. Some of them are under the impression that if they be honest and tell the visa officer that they are going to visit their son/daughter/family in USA, their purpose may be misunderstood as their plan to immigrate and the US tourist/visitor  visa may be refused to them.

Do always remember, ‘Honesty is the best policy.’ Being honest in answering the unavoidable question – Why you are going to USA – during a US visa interview for Indians and others will increase your chances for visa approval. Visiting your son, daughter or family in the US is neither a crime nor an offence. Rather, it is a legitimate reason for why you are going to visit USA.

The other questions asked in a US visa interview for Indians are:

• Have you been to the US before?
• How long do you plan to stay in the US?
• Why do you plan to stay so long? Can’t you make it a shorter trip?
• Where will you stay in the US?
• Do you have relatives or friends in the US?
• Who is sponsoring your visit?
• What does your sponsor do?
• What’s your plan to do during your stay in the US?
• Have you booked your return flights to India from USA and availed medical insurance?
• What assurance do you have that you will return to you home country?

Most of the time, a USA visa interview lasts not more than 2-3 minutes due to a long queue of applicants. The interviewing visa officer tries to conclude in no time whether you are telling the truth. To be precise, you need to sound credible while answering the questions asked in a US visa interview. If you mince words, the officer may deem it as your intention to avoid certain questions or keep a lid on certain information. The officer’s doubts will culminate in denying visa to you.

As the interview goes like a rapid fire, the best way to respond quickly is to be prepared with credible answers to the questions usually asked in a US visa interview. You can also expect to be asked what you do for your living, what evidence you have to prove that you are related to the person you are going to visit in the USA, etc.

Travel Beats is a leading overseas Indian community portal for Indians in USA. Travel Beats publishes the latest air travel, visa, immigration, passport and Indian community news. Subscribe to our free newsletter for exclusive stories. 

The post What Way Should You Answer the Most Crucial Question Asked in US Visa Interview for Indians? appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

We are standing on the threshold between 2019 and 2020. We saw the worst of aviation in 2019, from the collapse of Jet Airways to the crash of an Ethiopia-bound B-737 Max 8 to the denial of boarding to OCI card holders at certain airports. The future of Air India has been in doldrums throughout 2019, and the airline – once a pride of the nation – is approaching an uncertain fate in 2020. Millions of travelers worldwide are anticipating improvement of air travel in the New Year.

Indian Eagle, a leading travel booking partner of Indians in USA, deliberated over the four ways air travel between USA and India can improve for lakhs of Indians and their parents in 2020. After all, USA to India is one of the busiest and most profitable sectors of aviation for several airlines.

May OCI Card Rules be Simplified!  

The OCI card application and renewal procedure should be simplified in 2020. Apart this, whether the OCI card is a lifelong visa to India or not, should be unambiguously defined in the recent wake of denial of boarding and trip cancellations over the strict enforcement of the OCI card validity guidelines on those below 20 and above 50 years of age. Though the enforcement of the OCI card validity rules has been relaxed till June 2020, Prem Bhandari, an Indian-American community activist, demands that Indian government should clear the confusion whether the OCI card is a multipurpose lifelong visa. He argues if the Overseas Citizen of India card has lifetime validity, why it is mandatory to get the card reissued once the passport is renewed.

More Direct Flights to and from India 

Scores of Indians in America are looking forward to more nonstop flights between USA and India in 2020 for the shortest travel time. Direct flights to and from India not only ensure hassle-free travel for senior citizens and minors flying unaccompanied, but also complete long-haul journeys in lesser time than indirect flights. Besides the largest number of direct Air India flights between India and USA, Delta Airlines and United Airlines have started operating New York to Mumbai direct flights and San Francisco to Delhi nonstop flights respectively.

Indians in Georgia, Texas and Washington have long been anticipating direct flights to India from Atlanta, Houston/Dallas, and Seattle respectively. The Indian community in these three US states is growing by leaps and bounds. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area is home to the Indian population of 145000, and 125000 Indian-origin people reside in the Houston metro area, according to a 2015 report by the Pew Research Center. Georgia’s Atlanta metropolitan area houses a little more than 100000 Indians, as per the same report.

May Economy Air Travel be Decent!   

The economy section of major international airlines is shrinking to make way for their premium economy space. Early in 2019, nearly 250 aircraft in the feet of United Airlines were fitted with an additional 1600 premium seats; each can fetch almost twice the fare of an economy class ticket. The rival carriers – Delta Airlines and American Airlines – followed the footsteps of United Airlines. Some other airlines have gradually been shrinking legroom to cram in more seats on economy flights. Not only legroom, but also seat pitch and seat width are being reduced to make economy air travel a test of physical endurance for millions of economy flyers.

Older generations who do still travel by air rue the poor state of economy flights because of reduced distance between two seat rows, smaller seats, crammed space and receding legroom.

Facilities for Senior Citizens Traveling Alone   

A sizable number of parents of Indian students and professionals in the US travel unaccompanied thousands of miles to the US. Though Indians in American look for reliable companions for their parents’ unaccompanied travel, in such online communities as Travel Solutions for Indian Parents, airlines should come up with special services for unaccompanied senior citizens’ hassle-free travel. Air India’s Namaskar Sewa for those traveling alone and senior citizens-friendly facilities on Etihad Airways flights between USA and India are a must mention in this respect.

The post What Ways Air Travel between USA and India can Improve for Indians and Their Parents in 2020? appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The Charminar and Hussain Sagar Lake are among the best places to visit in Hyderabad. Hussain Sagar in the heart of the city is the center of Hyderabad sightseeing and the hub of recreational activities like boating, cycling, parasailing, etc. Of the most popular tourist places in Hyderabad, Hussain Sagar has been undergoing major developments. Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) is up with a number of innovations to make Hussain Sagar a must visit in the coming days.

The monsoon beauty of Hussain Sagar Lake on a cozy evening in Hyderabad

Hussain Sagar to Get a Memorial Monument 

A huge memorial in honor of the Telangana martyrs will be built on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake. It is promised to be one of the most interesting things to see in Hyderabad. The foundation stone for the martyrs’ memorial will be laid on June 2, the formation day of Telangana. Currently, Lumbini Park, Eat Street, Birla Temple and NTR Gardens are crowd-pulling tourist attractions around Hussain Sagar Lake.

Hussain Sagar to Get a Memorial Park  

A 12-acre land on the surrounding of Hussain Sagar Lake will house the new monument along with a memorial park. The memorial monument or stupa will be thriving as a seat of Telangana literature and culture. Glimpses from the lives and work of the state’s noble persons including poets, authors and reformists will be displayed across the memorial park. The ambience of the park will encourage visitors to do meditation.

Hussain Sagar to Get a 301-feet High Tricolor

Hyderabad City will also put up the national flag of India, at a height of 301 feet, on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake. Surpassing the 293-feet height of the national flag in Ranchi, the Tricolor will raise its head high at the Bathukamma Ghat of the lake, as part of the Telangana State Formation Day celebration on June 2. It will remain India’s tallest national flag until the Border Security Force comes up with the 350-feet high Tricolor at Punjab’s Wagah Border in January 2017.

Hussain Sagar to Get Amphibious Buses

The upcoming launch of recreational amphibious buses is one of the new reasons to visit Hussain Sagar Lake, over and again, among Hyderabad tourist places. Announced in March by the Telangana State Tourism and Culture department, amphibious vehicles will be deployed in September or October this year. Equipped with life-jackets, the recreational buses will float on the lake after a run across Necklace Road.

Hussain Sagar Offers Luxury Yacht Rides

Early in March this year, Hyderabad City imported luxurious catamaran yachts for Hussain Sagar Lake from the United States. Tennis star Sania Mirza, who is the brand ambassador of Telangana Tourism, was invited to launch the catamaran boats. One luxury yacht can accommodate and ferry 12 to 15 persons per trip. The new boats with lower seating provide luxurious rides on Hussain Sagar Lake. The same boats can be rented for private parties from the late evening till midnight.

Telangana Tourism will gradually reveal some other plans to make Hussain Sagar top the list of best places to visit in Hyderabad.

Read More Interesting Stories of Hyderabad

Travel Beats is a digital portal for Indians and NRIs by IndianEagle, a leading international travel organization. It publishes the latest news, interesting features, inspirational stories and useful tips about travel, tourism, culture, entertainment, and philanthropy.

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