Chennai Airport, officially Chennai International Airport (MAA), serves Chennai, the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is at Tirusulam, in Chengalpattu district, part of the Greater Chennai metropolitan area, roughly 17 to 21 km south-west of the city centre. The Airports Authority of India owns and operates it. Three terminals are in use: T1 and T4 for domestic flights, and T2 for international flights.

Chennai Airport runs day and night, with customs, immigration and air traffic services staffed around the clock. It also has both a metro station and a suburban railway station on its doorstep. Below you will find the terminals, the airlines, the ways into the city, parking and the facilities, plus a few tips before you fly.

Terminals and airlines at Chennai Airport

You may see two sets of names. The older ones are the Kamaraj Domestic Terminal and the Anna International Terminal. Today they are known as T1 and T4 for domestic flights and T2 for international flights.

T1 and T4 (domestic)

Flights within India use T1 or T4. Check the terminal on your e-ticket or boarding pass before you leave for the airport.

T2 (international)

T2 is the newer integrated international terminal, and its design draws on Tamil culture, with kolam patterns and murals inside. If you are flying between Malaysia and Chennai, this is the terminal you will use.

Airlines at Chennai Airport

These passenger airlines fly from Chennai Airport:

• AirAsia
• Thai AirAsia
• Malaysia Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• Scoot
• Thai Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Myanmar Airways International
• SriLankan Airlines
• FitsAir
• Biman Bangladesh Airlines
• US-Bangla Airlines
• Air India
• Air India Express
• Alliance Air
• Akasa Air
• IndiGo
• SpiceJet
• Emirates
• Etihad Airways
• Qatar Airways
• Gulf Air
• Oman Air
• Kuwait Airways
• Jazeera Airways
• SalamAir
• Air Arabia
• Air Mauritius
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Lufthansa
• British Airways

For Malaysian travellers, AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines are both on the list. Airlines join and leave over time, so your booking shows who actually operates your flight.

Getting between terminals

Free battery-operated carts and courtesy coaches link the domestic and international terminals, travelling by way of the airport metro station. An elevated, covered walkalator also connects T1, T2 and T4 with the multi-level car park and the metro.

Getting to and from Chennai Airport

Chennai traffic can be heavy, so build in a buffer, especially by road. Fares are shown at the counter or in the app.

Chennai Metro

Chennai Metro has an airport station joined to the terminals by the covered walkalator. You can buy tickets at the CMRL counters outside both the domestic and the international arrivals.

Suburban railway

Tirusulam station, on the Tambaram to Chennai Beach suburban line, sits beside the airport. Trains heading into the city stop at Egmore and at Park, the station for Chennai Central.

Prepaid taxis and app cabs

The prepaid taxi booth is in the arrivals hall. App cabs such as Ola and Uber use a single pick-up point at the West multi-level car park, and a free buggy takes you there from T1.

MTC city buses

MTC buses run from the airport to the city. The main city bus terminal is CMBT at Koyambedu, where you can change for longer routes.

Parking at Chennai Airport

Multi-level car parks, including the West MLCP, stand on the city side of the terminals and connect to them by the covered walkalator. Rates are posted at the car park.

Facilities at Chennai Airport

Lounges

Lounges in the domestic and the international departure areas are open round the clock. Entry is for airline premium passengers and eligible card or membership holders, so confirm what your ticket or card covers.

Terminal layout

At T1 and T4, departures are on the top level, reached by an elevated approach road, and arrivals are on the ground level. Airline ticketing counters are on the domestic departure level.

Food and drink

Restaurants operate at the airport. See what is open on the day, before or after security.

Duty free and shopping

The international terminal has duty free shops in both arrivals and departures. Gift shops are in the security hold area.

Smoking areas

Smoking lounges are in the security hold area of the domestic and the international terminals.

Prayer room

A prayer room is in the security hold area of the international terminal.

Wi-Fi, money, health and accessibility

Free Wi-Fi is available for a limited time in the domestic and international terminals, but you need a valid Indian mobile number to sign in, and you can pay for longer. ATMs from several banks and foreign exchange counters are in both terminals. First aid is available at the airport. Child care rooms are on both the domestic and international sides. For accessibility, there are ramps, lifts with Braille and audio signals and accessible toilets; wheelchairs are arranged through your airline, and an ambulift is available for a fee. The retiring rooms are closed for now while modernisation works continue, a temporary arrangement.

Tips for flying from Chennai Airport

Follow your airline's advice on when to arrive, and allow for city traffic on the way. Before you set off, confirm the terminal: domestic flights use T1 or T4 and international flights use T2. Entry rules for India, and for wherever you are flying next, depend on your passport, so check the official guidance. On the day, the Traveloka flight status page shows the latest times for your flight.

Flights and flight schedule from Chennai Airport

The fare cards at the top of this page show fares on popular routes from Chennai. A little further down, the schedule for Chennai Airport lists a selection of upcoming flights by date, with the airline and the planned times. It does not cover every flight, so use it to get a feel for your options and then search your own dates. Set a Price Alert if you would rather wait for a lower fare.

Popular routes from Chennai Airport include:

• Chennai to Kuala Lumpur flights
• Chennai to Penang flights
• Chennai to Singapore flights
• Chennai to Bangkok flights
• Chennai to Colombo flights
• Chennai to Dubai flights
• Chennai to New Delhi flights
• Chennai to Trichy flights

Visiting family in Tamil Nadu or travelling on business? Find your Chennai flight on Traveloka and keep your e-ticket in the app.