Practical tips

  • If you are flying to Goa from abroad, you will most likely land at one of its biggest international airportsits main international airportDabolim Airport GOI (also known as Goa International Airport, with one integrated international and domestic terminal and only basic infrastructure and facilities) or Manohar International Airport GOX (New Goa International Airport which commenced its operations in January 2023).

    The Dabolim Airport has already reached its maximum capacity and gets overcrowded during peak times from 12.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and early mornings when international flights arrive (especially during the tourist season - from October to March). Moreover, the airport is shared with the Indian Navy, so it's closed between 8.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. five days a week when military flight training is carried out there. Hopefully, the new Manohar Airport will help reduce current capacity issues and make tourist traffic easier.

    These are also the best (and cheapest) airports to fly into Goa. As they are used by many airlines serving the same routes, the competition for passengers is fierce, and airfare decreases as a result.
Best airports to fly into Goa: Dabolim Airport (Goa International Airport) - GOI, and Manohar International Airport (New Goa International Airport) - GOX
Goa has two functional airports – Dabolim Airport GOI (the main airport, situated in the South Goa district, near the village of Dabolim, at a distance of 29 kilometers from Panaji) and Manohar International Airport GOX (new airport located north of Goa in the Mopa village, around 43 km from Panaji; used mostly by low-cost airlines such as IndiGo, Go First and Akasa Air). Pre-paid taxis and shuttle buses can be easily booked at the airport upon arrival, and it takes around 1-2 hours to get to the popular beach destinations such as Baga Beach, Arambol Beach or Palolem Beach.
  • Once in Goa, take advantage of frequent intercity flights operated by domestic airlines such as Air IndiaAir India ExpressIndiGoVistara, SpiceJetGo First, and AirAsia India. Those in-country carriers typically offer lower fares, operate from smaller airports located closer to city centers (you save on ground transportation) and provide flexible schedules – with a wide range of departure times.
  • Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations near Goa can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of Air Arabia, Air India Express, Air Asia, Go First, IndiGo, and SpiceJet. If you have a layover in Goa and plan to fly only a short distance to one of its neighboring countries, these budget airlines are an excellent way to save money.

Flights to Goa
from United States and Canada

  • There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Goa. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Goa, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop.
  • Goa is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Goa with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta ATL, Dallas DFW, Denver DEN, Chicago ORD, Los Angeles LAX, Las Vegas DFW, Miami MIA, Seattle SEA, Houston IAH, New York JFK, and San Francisco SFO in the United States and Toronto YYZ, Vancouver YVR, Calgary LAS, and Montreal YUL in Canada. The most convenient layovers for connecting flights from the US to Goa are Mumbai, Delhi, Doha, and London.
  • The best airlines to fly to Goa from the US and Canada are: Air France, Air India, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.

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Flights to Goa from Europe

  • There are no direct flights from Europe to Goa — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. If you want to fly direct (without layover) from Europe to Goa, options are currently very limited. There are daily direct flights operated by Air India from Heathrow Airport LHR in London (around 9 hours flight time). Also, TUI Airways offers seasonal direct flights to Goa from London Gatwick LGW and Manchester MAN.

    Flying to Goa from other European cities will involve at least one stop — the most convenient (and the cheapest) options are flights with a layover in one of the biggest Indian hubs: Delhi DEL, Bengaluru BLR, or Mumbai BOM. Qatar Airways also has fairly priced flights from Europe to Goa with a short transit in Doha DOH.
  • Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Goa include Air France, Air India, British Airways, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and SWISS.
  • Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Goa from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.

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Things to know before flying to Goa
Airlines flying to GoaAir Arabia, Air France, Air India, Air Mauritius, AirAsia, Alliance Air, Azur Air, British Airways, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, FlexFlight, Go First, Gulf Air, IndiGo, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, SpiceJet, SWISS, TUI Airways, Vistara
Indian airlinesAir IndiaAir India ExpressIndiGoVistara, SpiceJetGo First, AirAsia India, Jet Airways, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, Star Air, FlyBig, IndiaOne Air
Main airports in GoaDabolim Airport (Goa International Airport), IATA code: GOI — Goa
Manohar International Airport (New Goa International Airport), IATA code: GOX — Mopa
Regular price (roundtrip)✈ €350 – €500 (from Europe)
✈ $550 – $800 (from USA)

Low-cost flights from Goa

Stay ahead of the game. Fly to popular destinations at a fraction of the regular fare.

Know your time zone

India has only one time zone, despite being a large country that stretches almost 3000 kilometers and nearly 30 degrees longitude. It observes Indian Standard Time (IST) all year, which is UTC+05:30 time zone. As a result, clocks in Goa are 5 and half hours ahead of London and 9 hours and 30 minutes ahead of New York. IST does not have an associated daylight saving time.

When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure time on your plane ticket is always listed based on the time zone of the departure airport. We suggest resetting your watch during the flight – it will help your brain adjust to the new time zone and to deal with jet lag.

The cheapest time to fly to Goa

The best time to visit Goa is between the months of October and March when the weather is pleasant and comfortable. This is also the peak season for tourism: the beaches are bustling with activity, and you can enjoy a variety of water sports such as parasailing, jet skiing, and snorkeling. Book your flight to Goa well in advance, as the flights during the high season are selling out quickly.

If you prefer a quieter, more laid-back vacation, you might consider visiting Goa during the off-season, which runs from April to September. During this time, the weather can be hot and humid, and some tourist attractions are closed, however, you can still visit temples and churches, tour the local markets, and explore the countryside. This is also the best time for spotting cheap flights to Goa – as there’s less demand, airlines may offer lower fares to attract travelers.

Duty-free rules

India is serious about the duty-free concession. There is a limit for bringing in certain items. Alcoholic drinks such as wine, spirits or beer cannot exceed two liters per person, and you can carry only 100 cigarettes (or 125g of tobacco). In addition to personal items, you may also carry items up to a value of ₹15,000–50,000 (~$190–$620), depending on your origin.

Anything above those limits must be declared – at the Goa Airport, head to the Red Lane to declare your goods.

Book a seat in a quiet zone

Some airlines (for example AirAsia X) have started to offer child-free “quiet zones” for a peaceful flight experience. Children below 10 years old are not allowed in this section. Those seats are usually in front of the plane (bonus: less engine noise) with soft ambient lighting and early meal service.

Next tips

Avoid currency exchange kiosks at airports

Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and airports in Goa are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.

Plan ahead and exchange some money for the Indian rupee at home.

Trains are the cheapest mode of transport

Unless you travel from one end of India to another, trains are more affordable than flights. India has an extensive railway network that covers almost the entire country. Train fares are priced at least 30 percent less than the cost of a one-way flight ticket (there are several classes with different levels of comfort to choose from). You can book a train ticket through the IRCTC website, at a local ITB (International Tourist Bureau) office, or in person at the railway station.

Please note: it may not be a viable option if you’re in a rush. For example, the train journey from Goa to Bangalore takes around 20 hours, compared to just one hour and 15 minutes by air.

Long waiting times when calling the helpline?

Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Air India, IndiGo, GoFirst, and others).

When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@airindiain”). The customer care team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.

Don’t book tours or activities in advance

For most Indian tourist destinations, anything you see online will be more expensive than what you pay at your local travel agent. So do research online, choose your itinerary, then wait till you arrive in Goa and you can negotiate a much lower price in person.

Next tips

Domestic flights from Goa

Most domestic routes in India are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata from Goa or New Goa Airport, you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: Air IndiaAir India ExpressIndiGoVistara, SpiceJetGo First, and AirAsia India.

This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Indian destinations.

Flights to Goa
from Australia and New Zealand

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Flights to Goa
from major hubs in Asia

  • Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Goa look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
  • Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Goa will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
  • Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting India and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsiaCebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet, and VietJet Air. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.

40–80% off flights to Goa
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Flights to Goa dataset