Delhi IGI Airport
with Food Allergies

Eating at Terminal 3 before you land in the city

Terminal 3 has the usual mix of international chains, domestic Indian fast-casual counters, and convenience stores in both the domestic and international zones. None of this is different from any other major international airport in terms of allergy risk: packaged snacks from a convenience counter are the safest fallback because you can read a label, and prepared food court counters carry the same hidden-allergen risks as Indian food anywhere else.

Ghee, besan, and peanuts show up in dishes that don't always look like they'd contain them. If you can't confirm an ingredient list with staff, treat a food court counter the way you'd treat any unfamiliar Indian kitchen. Ask directly, don't guess from the dish name.

If you're arriving on a long-haul flight and haven't eaten in hours, it's often worth waiting until you're checked in somewhere and can see a kitchen respond to a specific question, rather than making your first food decision in the country at a food court counter under time pressure.

Pharmacy access in the terminal

Apollo Pharmacy operates several counters across Terminal 3, in the domestic departure area, the international departure zone, and the domestic arrivals baggage belt area, with most locations advertised as open 24/7. They carry basic antihistamines, saline, and general travel-health items, and staff at any airport information point can direct you to the nearest one.

What they won't reliably have: a specific epinephrine auto-injector brand, or anything requiring an Indian prescription. Don't plan around buying emergency allergy medication on arrival. Carry what you need with you, and carry more than one auto-injector if that's your usual practice, since airport pharmacies are a convenience layer, not a substitute for your own kit.

Terminal 3's medical facility, and the nearest hospital

Terminal 3 has an in-terminal medical facility run by Medanta Medicity, located in the international arrival and departure hall near the immigration counters. It's the right first call for something minor. It is not equipped for a severe allergic reaction.

For anaphylaxis or difficulty breathing: use your epinephrine auto-injector first, then call 108 for a government ambulance, or head straight to Manipal Hospital Dwarka if you're already in a taxi and it's faster than waiting. Confirm your travel insurance covers anaphylaxis treatment and evacuation before you land, not after.

Getting from Terminal 3 into Delhi

The Airport Express Line, also called the Orange Line, connects Terminal 3 to New Delhi Railway Station in about 20 minutes, one of the fastest airport-to-city-center metro rides anywhere, with an onward transfer to the Yellow Line if your hotel is near a different station. For door-to-door travel, especially if you're carrying medication or arriving late, a prepaid taxi from the official booth in the arrivals hall or an Uber/Ola ride are more predictable than a street-hailed taxi.

If Delhi isn't your final stop, book the next leg (train or bus onward to Agra, Jaipur, or elsewhere) before you land rather than figuring it out at the station.

Storing your luggage if you have a long layover

If you land with hours to spare before your onward flight, or you want to eat somewhere vetted in the city without hauling bags through a food court, dropping your luggage at a storage point near the airport is the simplest way to buy yourself that time.

Build your Indian allergy card before you leave the terminal

Everything above is a backup plan. The thing that actually reduces risk at every meal after this one is a bilingual allergy card a kitchen can read without you needing to find the right words. Build it now, while you're still connected to airport WiFi, rather than after your first restaurant order.