The Australian summer school holidays and Delhi’s fog season arrive in the same fortnight. Here is how to plan around it, without the stress.
Quick answer: will Delhi fog delay my flight in December?
It might, but most long-haul flights from Australia still land. In past winters, India’s aviation regulator has set 10 December to 10 February as the official fog window. Dense fog at Delhi airport is worst from about 3am to 10am, and it is early-morning arrivals and domestic connections that are hit hardest. Pick an afternoon or evening arrival if you can, leave a buffer before onward flights and weddings, and take travel insurance. The rest of this guide shows you how.
Why Delhi fog matters if you are flying home in December
Australian school holidays start in mid-December. For thousands of families across Australia, that is the signal to fly home to India for weddings, winter festivals and time with parents.
It is also when north India’s fog settles in. Cold, still air traps moisture and smoke, and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport can disappear into a white-out.
Last season (2025–26), India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, set 10 December to 10 February as the official fog window. In late December 2025 and early January 2026, dense fog caused more than 100 cancellations on the worst days and hundreds of delays. Visibility fell to 50 metres at times.
We are not predicting this coming winter. Nobody can. But in past winters the pattern has been consistent enough to plan around.
What actually happens to international flights from Australia
The good news first. Delhi’s runways are equipped for CAT III low-visibility landings. When the aircraft and crew are also CAT III compliant, as most long-haul international services are, the flight can land in fog that grounds other aircraft.
That is why flights from Australia mostly operate through fog season. They may hold, land late or occasionally divert, but outright cancellations are less common than the headlines suggest.
The flights that suffer most are the smaller domestic services out of Delhi, and anything landing between about 3am and 10am when the fog is thickest. If your trip has a domestic leg to Amritsar, Chandigarh or Jaipur, that is the leg to watch.
Type of flight | Fog risk (past winters) | What to do |
Long-haul international, arriving afternoon or evening | Lower | Usually the safest choice. Fog has often lifted by midday. |
Long-haul international, arriving 3am to 10am | Moderate | Most still land thanks to CAT III. Expect holding, delays and a slow arrivals hall. |
Domestic connection from Delhi, early morning | Higher | Leave a long buffer, or book a later departure the same day or next morning. |
Domestic connection from Delhi, afternoon | Lower to moderate | Delays from the morning backlog can still flow on. Keep the phone charged. |
Based on past winters. Conditions change from day to day.
7 ways to plan around Delhi fog
1. Choose an afternoon or evening arrival
This is the biggest thing you can control. Fog is usually worst from about 3am to 10am and often lifts by late morning. When you compare flights, look at the arrival time in Delhi, not just the price. Our guide to flights Sydney to Delhi explains which routes land when.
2. Leave a real buffer before a domestic connection
Outside fog season, three hours between an international arrival and a domestic departure at Delhi is comfortable. In December and January, allow more. Better still, book the domestic leg for the afternoon, or stay the night and fly on next day. A missed connection with tired children is not worth the saving.
3. Be careful with Amritsar and Chandigarh via Delhi
Many Punjabi families fly to Delhi and connect north. That works most of the year. In fog season, Amritsar and Chandigarh get fog too, and the short domestic flights are the first to be cancelled. Consider a one-stop fare into Amritsar directly, a later domestic departure, or the road.
4. Give weddings and family events a day's margin
If there is a wedding or a puja you cannot miss, do not arrive the same day. Land at least a full day before. A day’s buffer costs a little in accommodation and saves a great deal of worry.
5. Take travel insurance that covers delays
Check that your policy covers delays and missed connections caused by weather, and check the waiting period. Keep every receipt. The Australian Government’s Smartraveller site has plain-English advice on insurance and on travel to India.
6. Keep your phone charged and track the flight
Fog delays are announced late and change often. Download your airline’s app, turn on flight alerts, and carry a power bank. Save our number, 1300 754 002. Our team is on call 24/7, in Hindi, Punjabi and English.
7. Pack for the cold
Australians often leave in 30°C and forget that Delhi mornings in January can be 5 to 8°C. Put a warm layer, socks and a beanie for each child in the carry-on, not the checked bag.
What airlines owe you when fog delays your flight
Fog is weather, and weather is outside the airline’s control, so the cash compensation some travellers expect usually does not apply. What airlines generally provide when they cancel is the next available seat at no extra cost, or a refund of the unused sector. India’s DGCA requires airlines to offer one or the other. Hotel rooms and help with missed connections vary by airline, by ticket and by whether both flights are on one booking.
Two practical points. Keep all your flights on one booking where you can, so the airline owns the connection. And if you booked with us, call us before you queue at the airline desk. We can often rebook faster.
Flying with family in fog season
Book everyone together. One booking keeps seats together and makes rebooking simpler if a flight moves.
Tell family in India your arrival time and your backup plan, so nobody waits outside Terminal 3 at 5am in the fog.
Carry snacks, medicines and a change of clothes for the kids in your hand luggage.
Travelling with elderly parents? Ask for wheelchair assistance when you book.
Spread the cost. With PayLite you hold your seats with a low deposit and pay the balance in up to 26 weekly instalments on selected refundable fares. Students and education staff can also join MannPass for free and save an extra AUD $25 on eligible return flights to India.
Why book your December trip with Mann Travel?
Mann Travel has been flying Australians home to India since 2007. Our Melbourne-based team books from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. We know which flights land at the calmer times and when to suggest a night’s stopover instead.
We speak Hindi, Punjabi and English, we are available 24/7, and we are family and group specialists. When a flight moves at 4am Delhi time, you talk to a person who knows your booking.
Let’s take you home this December.
Search live fares at manntravel.com.au/flights or call our team on 1300 754 002. Not sure which arrival time to choose? Contact us and we will check the options for you.
frequently asked questions
When is fog season at Delhi airport?
In the 2025–26 season, India’s aviation regulator set 10 December to 10 February as the official fog window. The thickest fog in past winters has been from late December to mid-January, mostly between about 3am and 10am.
Will my international flight from Australia be cancelled because of fog?
In past winters, most long-haul international flights have landed, because Delhi’s runways and most long-haul aircraft and crews are CAT III equipped. Delays and holding are common. Cancellations mainly affect domestic flights and early-morning arrivals.
What is the best arrival time in Delhi during fog season?
Afternoon or evening. Fog usually lifts by late morning. If your only option lands early, leave a bigger buffer before any onward travel.
Should I fly to Amritsar via Delhi in December?
You can, but leave a long gap or book the domestic leg for the afternoon. Short flights to Amritsar and Chandigarh are the first to be cancelled in fog. A direct one-stop fare into Amritsar, or travelling by road, can be safer.
Does travel insurance cover fog delays?
Many policies cover weather delays and missed connections, but waiting periods and limits differ. Read the policy before you buy and keep all receipts. Smartraveller has clear guidance on choosing a policy.
This guide describes how fog affected Delhi flights in past winters. It is not a forecast. Fares and availability change daily and depend on the airline, date and fare type. Check live prices, airline policies and Smartraveller advice before booking.
