Hotels near Delhi Airport: T3 transit, shuttle hotels & top picks

Selecting a hotel near Delhi Airport means choosing between the only in-terminal stay inside Terminal 3 and a ring of off-airport properties in Aerocity and Mahipalpur, each with different shuttle arrangements and walking distances. This article compares eight hotels surfaced across major booking platforms, using verified facts from the airport operator, hotel property pages, and third-party listings to help you decide where to book for a layover, short stay, or overnight transit.

Last checked: 2026-08-12

Airport transit hotel: Located inside Terminal 3; serves domestic and international passengers · Off-airport example: Lemon Tree Premier is 4 km from the international airport and 5 km from the domestic terminal · Booking.com hotel examples: Hotel Krone Plaza, Hotel The Tark, Hotel Tela Suite, and Hotel VAAYU Stay · Top listing sources: Agoda, Booking.com, Trivago, Lemon Tree Hotels, and New Delhi Airport

Where to stay in Delhi close to the airport?

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) has three passenger terminals. Terminal 3 handles all international flights plus full-service domestic carriers such as Air India and Vistara, while Terminal 2 and Terminal 1 serve other domestic routes. The airport’s official website promotes Holiday Inn Express as a transit hotel located inside Terminal 3, a short walk from the departure gates, designed for transit passengers between flights (New Delhi Airport).

Off-airport hotels cluster in two main areas: Aerocity, a purpose-built hotel district within 2 km of T3, and Mahipalpur, a budget-friendly zone about 3–5 km from the terminals. Hotel names surfaced in top organic results from Agoda, Booking.com, Trivago, and Lemon Tree property pages include Lemon Tree Premier Delhi Airport, Hotel Krone Plaza Near IGI Airport Delhi, Hotel The Tark Near Delhi Airport, Hotel Tela Suite Near IGI Airport Delhi, Hotel VAAYU Stay IGI, De Fairmount Plaza Suites near IGI, and Hotel Olive Aero Suites.

Lemon Tree Premier is 4 km from the international airport and 5 km from the domestic terminal, according to the property listing data from the routing snapshot. Related-search phrases split by terminal – “hotels near Delhi Airport T3” and “hotels near Delhi Airport Terminal 2” – confirming that travellers search for terminal-specific accommodation.

The pattern: the only guaranteed walk-to-gate option is in Terminal 3; every other hotel requires a taxi, shuttle, or metro transfer.

Hotels near Delhi Airport T3

Searching specifically for T3 hotels surfaces Holiday Inn Express as the clear outlier because it sits inside the terminal itself. MakeMyTrip’s listing notes that guests are not permitted to exit the airport terminal between check-in and check-out, with a maximum stay of 24 hours (MakeMyTrip). Expedia’s information page adds that guests must hold a departure flight from T3 and provide full flight details in advance to check in (Expedia). Aerocity hotels such as JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity (0.8 km from T3) and Andaz Delhi (1.0 km from T3) are physically walkable via a covered walkway, though AirportPorterService advises that carrying luggage or navigating extreme weather may make a taxi or shuttle more practical.

Hotels near Delhi Airport Terminal 2

Fewer properties in the organic results specifically reference Terminal 2. However, the free airport shuttle bus connects T2 with T3 in approximately 15 minutes, running every 20 minutes around the clock (IndianEagle). That means any Aerocity or Mahipalpur hotel with a taxi or shuttle to T3 also serves T2 via the inter-terminal bus. Lemon Tree Premier’s distances – 4 km from the international terminal (T3) and 5 km from the domestic terminal (T1, T2) – illustrate the slightly longer trip to domestic departure zones.

Where to stay overnight at Delhi Airport?

For an overnight stay between connecting flights, Holiday Inn Express T3 is the most time-efficient option. Check-in is at 2:00 PM and check-out at 12:00 PM, with a minimum check-in age of 18 (IHG). The hotel offers free Wi-Fi, breakfast, a gym, and aqua pods. The maximum stay is 24 hours, and guests must have a verified T3 departure flight.

Off-airport hotels suitable for overnight stays include Lemon Tree Premier, Hotel Krone Plaza, and Hotel The Tark, all listed on Booking.com and Agoda. These properties do not carry the same flight-check requirement, making them more flexible for arriving passengers who need to rest regardless of onward travel plans.

AirportPorterService’s 2026 hotel distance guide lists ibis New Delhi Aerocity at 1.6 km from T3, Pullman New Delhi Aerocity at 1.2 km, and Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport at 1.3 km, giving overnight guests a range of price categories within a short taxi ride of the terminals.

The bottom line: if you have a confirmed T3 departure, the transit hotel saves you a transfer. Otherwise, Aerocity hotels offer more freedom at the cost of a 5–10 minute taxi ride.

Hotels near Delhi Airport for short stay

Short-stay bookings – a few hours to a single night – are best served by the Terminal 3 transit hotel because it removes any transit time. Plaza Premium Lounge also operates a transit hotel in the Arrival Hall opposite Gate 6 in Terminal 3, according to its official factsheet (Plaza Premium Lounge). This gives travellers inside T3 a second short-stay option. Off-airport hotels typically enforce standard nightly rates, so a 6-hour stay may cost the same as a full night.

Is there a transit hotel inside Delhi Airport?

Yes. Holiday Inn Express New Delhi International Airport T3 operates as a transit hotel inside Terminal 3, Level 5, with the official address Level 5, Terminal 3, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, 110037 (IHG). The airport operator’s own website describes it as a transit hotel for passengers between flights (New Delhi Airport).

World Travel Guide lists the same property with telephone +91 11 4525 2000, confirming it as the primary transit hotel in Terminal 3 (World Travel Guide). AirportMaps.com notes that there is one hotel at the airport – Holiday Inn Express – located in Terminal 3 a short walk from the departure gates (AirportMaps).

FLIO’s airport guide references the earlier brand, Eaton Smart New Delhi Transit Hotel, in the same location, indicating a rebranding to Holiday Inn Express.

Inside Terminal 3: the Delhi Airport transit hotel

The transit hotel occupies Level 5 of the Terminal 3 departure area, meaning guests enter and exit through airport security. MakeMyTrip explicitly states guests are not allowed to exit the terminal between check-in and check-out. Holiday Inn Express T3 does not offer a local area shuttle or an airport shuttle; IHG’s transport section marks “Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) Shuttle not available” (IHG Directions).

Who the Terminal 3 transit hotel suits

This hotel works for transit passengers with a confirmed T3 departure. It does not suit arriving passengers who need to leave the airport, visitors meeting incoming guests, or travellers connecting through Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.

What to watch: if your connecting flight departs from T1 or T2, the free inter-terminal shuttle takes 15–45 minutes, making an Aerocity hotel with a taxi service just as convenient as a T3 transit room.

Which hotels near Delhi Airport offer free airport shuttles?

Among the hotels surfaced in the routing inputs, shuttle availability varies by property and often depends on the rate booked. AirportPorterService notes that both JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity and Andaz Delhi offer free shuttle service to T3 (AirportPorterService).

IHG’s page for Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport (Aerocity) describes it as a 5-star hotel “located just minutes from Terminal 3” and states that it offers airport transfers on select rates and a complimentary airport shuttle, while clarifying that no complimentary local area shuttle is provided for non-airport trips (IHG Aerocity).

UnchartedLens’s transport guide reports that most Aerocity hotels (IBIS, Holiday Inn, JW Marriott, Lemon Tree) do not offer free scheduled shuttles due to the short distance and taxi availability, but many can arrange paid private transfers on request (UnchartedLens). Trip.com lists multiple hotels marketed as offering free airport shuttle, including Hotel Square Plaza and Hotel Edission View, both near IGI Terminal 3 (Trip.com).

How to verify airport shuttle service before booking

Check the hotel’s own website transport page rather than relying on third-party listings. Call or message the property using the contact number from the official website. Ask whether the shuttle runs on a schedule or on-demand, whether it meets arriving flights, and whether it requires an advance booking code from your reservation.

What is the closest hotel to Delhi Airport?

The closest hotel to Delhi Airport is Holiday Inn Express New Delhi International Airport T3, which is physically inside Terminal 3. Kayak lists the property as 0.9 miles from New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, reflecting the airport mapping convention (Kayak). World Travel Guide and AirportMaps.com both confirm it as the single in-terminal hotel at DEL.

“The Holiday Inn Express New Delhi International Airport T3 is the only accommodation option within an easy walk of your terminal.”

— Travelocity, Delhi Airport hotels guide

The closest off-airport hotel is JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity, approximately 0.8 km from T3 with a 3–4 minute drive or a roughly 10-minute walk via a covered walkway, per the AirportPorterService distance table. Andaz Delhi follows at 1.0 km, with Pullman New Delhi Aerocity at 1.2 km and ibis New Delhi Aerocity at 1.6 km.

The implication: if “closest” means shortest walk to your gate, the T3 transit hotel wins by being inside the terminal. If “closest” means nearest off-airport building, JW Marriott Aerocity holds that position.

Transit hotel inside Terminal 3

Holiday Inn Express T3 requires a T3 departure boarding pass. It offers 24-hour stays, 2:00 PM check-in, and 12:00 PM check-out. No shuttle is needed because the hotel is inside security.

Closest off-airport hotels from the organic results

Aerocity hotels close to T3 include JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity, Andaz Delhi, Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport, and ibis New Delhi Aerocity. Mahipalpur properties such as Hotel Delhi Aerocity are about 2.4 miles (roughly 3.9 km) from the airport, according to Skyscanner (Skyscanner).

Sample itinerary: arriving on a red-eye at T3 with a connecting flight at 10 AM

Arrive at T3, clear customs if arriving internationally, walk to Level 5 inside the terminal and check in to Holiday Inn Express T3 (check-in at 2:00 PM, but the hotel accepts arrivals at any hour for transit guests with a verified onward flight). Sleep 6–7 hours, shower, have breakfast included in the rate, walk back to the departure gate for your 10 AM connection. No taxi, no shuttle, no metro needed.

Alternative: if your connecting flight departs from T1, take the free inter-terminal shuttle (departs every 20 minutes, 45-minute ride to T1). In that case, an Aerocity hotel like JW Marriott with its complimentary shuttle to T3 plus the inter-terminal bus may feel equally convenient.

Our pick: hotels near Delhi Airport for different travellers