Delhi Airport Lounges
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) has lounges in all three terminals, and all of them sell walk-in access: Encalm runs the domestic, international and arrivals lounges at Terminal 3 and the lounge at Terminal 1, Plaza Premium runs a second international lounge at Terminal 3, and the airline lounges of Air India and its partners are for premium passengers only. This guide lists each lounge, the walk-in prices, the card and Priority Pass access and what a lounge offers compared with a room, as of September 2026.
Terminal 3 international
The Encalm Lounge in the international departures area is the largest, open 24 hours, with a buffet, a bar, showers, a nap area and a children’s corner; walk-in access has cost roughly ₹4,500 to ₹5,500 for 3 hours, bookable on encalm.com or at the door. Encalm Privé, the premium lounge next to it, has charged ₹5,150 including tax for 2 hours with a plated menu and quieter seating. The Plaza Premium Lounge in the same area is open 24 hours with a buffet, showers and a paid spa, at a similar walk-in price and bookable through Plaza Premium’s site. The Air India Maharaja Lounge and the partner lounges take premium passengers of Star Alliance and other carriers and do not sell entry.
Terminal 3 domestic
The Encalm Lounge on the domestic pier is open 24 hours with a buffet, a bar and showers, and walk-in access has cost about ₹4,500 for 3 hours; it is the busiest lounge in the airport in the morning bank of departures, and the card-access queue can form before 7:00 am. The Air India domestic lounge takes premium passengers only.
Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
Terminal 1 has an Encalm Lounge in the departures area after security, open through the day with a buffet and showers, at about the same walk-in price. Terminal 2, reopened in late October 2025 for domestic flights, has a smaller lounge in the departures area; check the airport’s lounge page for the current operator and hours.
Arrivals
The Encalm arrivals lounge at Terminal 3 is landside after customs, with showers, a meal and a rest area, aimed at passengers landing early in the morning before a meeting or a hotel check-in; access is by walk-in fee or through the lounge programmes. For a longer rest the day rooms guide covers the transit hotel and the Aerocity hotels.
Access by card and programme
The Encalm and Plaza Premium lounges accept Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DreamFolks, plus the lounge programmes of Indian credit and debit cards, which are the commonest way in for domestic passengers; most cards cap visits per quarter and some now charge a small fee per visit, so check the card’s terms before relying on it. Business and first class passengers of Air India, the Star Alliance carriers and the Gulf airlines are directed to their contracted lounge at check-in.
Lounge or room
A lounge covers 2 to 3 hours with a shower, a meal and an armchair for ₹4,500 to ₹5,500 a head. For longer than that, or for lying down, the Holiday Inn Express New Delhi International Airport T3 on Level 5 sells rooms from a 1-hour block including its own T-Lounge, and for a night the Aerocity hotels one metro stop away, such as the Pullman New Delhi Aerocity or the Novotel New Delhi Aerocity, cost about the same as two lounge entries. The sleeping in the airport guide covers the free options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay to enter a lounge at Delhi Airport?
Yes. The Encalm lounges at Terminal 3 and Terminal 1 and the Plaza Premium Lounge at Terminal 3 international sell walk-in access at roughly ₹4,500 to ₹5,500 for 2 to 3 hours, bookable online or at the door. Encalm Privé, the premium lounge, has charged ₹5,150 including tax for 2 hours.
Which lounges at Delhi Airport take Priority Pass?
The Encalm lounges and the Plaza Premium Lounge accept Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DreamFolks, along with the Indian credit cards that carry lounge programmes; most Indian card visits are capped per quarter, so check the card's terms.
Is there a lounge at Delhi Airport before security or on arrival?
The Encalm arrivals lounge at Terminal 3 is landside after customs, with showers and a meal, and the Holiday Inn Express transit hotel's T-Lounge is on Level 5 for hotel guests. There is no pay-in lounge before security in the departures halls.
Information last verified: September 25, 2026