Mumbai to Delhi: what the BOM to DEL corridor looks like
- Departure
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, India
- Arrival
- Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, India
- Great-circle distance
- 1,137 km (614 nm)
- Typical airborne time
- 1h 49m
- Usual cruise levels
- FL280 to FL360
- Initial track
- northbound
Route overview
The BOM to DEL sector connects Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, with Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India. Measured along the great circle the two airports are 1,137 km apart, roughly 614 nautical miles, which is close to 1h 49m in the air before winds and routing are taken into account. The initial track is northbound, and the middle of the route sits in tropical latitudes.
Monsoon season convection
This corridor is shaped by the monsoon cycle. In the wet months convective cells cluster along the coastal section of the track, and the crew works around them with radar. In the dry months the cruise is generally smooth, with light movement limited to climb and descent.
Cruise altitudes on this sector
Short sectors like this one spend a large share of the flight climbing and descending, so cruise is brief and usually sits in the FL280 to FL360 band. Choice of level matters because turbulence is layered: a change of two or three thousand feet often puts the aircraft into calmer air, and that is one of the first adjustments a crew will request.
Seasonal pattern
June to September is the monsoon window and the most convective part of the year on this corridor. October to May is normally quiet at cruise level.
Flying this route with less worry
It is worth remembering that turbulence of the kind found on the BOM to DEL track is uncomfortable and entirely within what the aircraft is built for. Wings are designed to flex, the flight is planned around the forecast, and the crew adjusts level or track when it helps. The live forecast above shows the current picture for this corridor so there are fewer surprises on the day.