No airline flies nonstop from Canada to Jaipur (JAI), Lucknow (LKO) or Varanasi (VNS). You fly to Delhi or Mumbai (or to Abu Dhabi for Jaipur) and finish on a domestic flight, a train or a taxi. Book it all on one ticket, and leave at least three hours in Delhi, because you must clear immigration and customs and re-check your bags there.
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✓ Fact-checked · Oct 2026
Are there direct flights from Canada to Jaipur, Lucknow or Varanasi?
No, and Kayak’s route pages for Toronto say the same for all three: no nonstops, only connections. Typical trips take 18 to 35 hours depending on the city and the layover. All three airports do have a handful of international flights of their own, but they are mostly short Gulf and Southeast Asian routes run by Indian and Gulf low-cost carriers, and they do not tie into a Canadian ticket.
| City | Its own international flights (per route listings) | Practical route from Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Jaipur (JAI) | Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Bangkok | Via Abu Dhabi (Etihad) or via Delhi or Mumbai |
| Lucknow (LKO) | Gulf cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh and Muscat, plus Bangkok | Via Delhi, the connection for about half of Kayak’s Toronto itineraries |
| Varanasi (VNS) | Sharjah, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Hanoi | Via Delhi, then a domestic flight, or a train |
That means Delhi does the heavy lifting, which is why the connection there matters more than any other detail of the booking.
Which routing is best for each city?
Go through Delhi for Lucknow and Varanasi, and compare Abu Dhabi and Delhi for Jaipur. Here is how I would look at it.
- Lucknow: Toronto or Vancouver to Delhi on Air India (or Toronto on Air Canada), then a domestic flight of roughly an hour and a quarter. Toronto to Lucknow and Vancouver to Lucknow are the pages to compare, and Montreal and Calgary are also available.
- Varanasi: Delhi again, then about an hour and a half in the air. If you have time, the Vande Bharat train is an option (see below).
- Jaipur: Kayak’s data shows Abu Dhabi as the connection in almost every one-stop Toronto to Jaipur itinerary, which fits Etihad’s flights into Jaipur. Delhi was the cheapest average, at about CA$1,613. See Canada to Jaipur flights.
This winter Air India also flies Toronto to Mumbai nonstop three days a week (from 25 October to 26 March), alongside its daily Delhi flights, as Air India’s winter announcement sets out. Mumbai has a lot of Jaipur flights, so it is a sensible alternative if the dates work. Delhi has more of everything, though.
One note on the Gulf. The region has had a rough 2026, and some non-Gulf airlines are still not flying there. Check your schedule again before you leave if your ticket connects in the Gulf, and choose a connection of two hours or more.
How long do you need in Delhi when connecting to a domestic flight?
Three hours is the minimum I would accept on one ticket, and four when the domestic flight leaves from a different terminal. International arrivals at Delhi use Terminal 3, and Air India says some of its domestic flights now leave from Terminal 2 (the flight numbers starting AI-1 are the ones to look for).
Here is what you actually do after landing:
- Clear immigration. This is where queues build up, particularly when several wide-body flights land together.
- Collect your checked bags. They do not stay with you through the process automatically, even on one ticket.
- Clear customs at your first Indian airport, in this case Delhi, not at Jaipur or Lucknow.
- Re-check the bags for the domestic leg. Air India’s guidance describes redepositing them at the T3 transfer desk.
- If your flight uses another terminal, take the free shuttle. Air India advises allowing 30 to 45 minutes.
- Clear domestic security and board.
Say your Toronto flight lands at 9:30 a.m. and the Lucknow flight leaves at 12:30 p.m. That looks like three hours on paper. With a long immigration queue, a 20-minute wait for bags and a terminal change, it is closer to a sprint. If that was one ticket, the airline rebooks you when it fails. If you bought the Lucknow flight separately because it was CA$80 cheaper, you are buying a new ticket.
Biometric immigration is coming to the big airports, which should shorten queues, but do not plan around it yet. Our post on biometric immigration checks at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru explains it, and the airports, layovers and connections guide covers the general connection rules.
What about Air India’s Easy Connect?
It is a hub-and-spoke scheme in which passengers complete immigration at their origin airport instead of at the Delhi hub. Air India’s programme page lists Varanasi, Amritsar and Ahmedabad as spokes, and says it applies to AI 11xx flights on a single ticket with a connection of four hours or less. It started from Varanasi on 25 June 2026, but coverage at launch noted that the return direction was not yet scheduled. If you are flying into Varanasi, ask if your itinerary actually uses an Easy Connect flight, and assume the normal Delhi procedure until you are told otherwise.
Is it better to fly, take the train or drive from Delhi?
Fly when you are tired and on one ticket. Take the train only if you have a night in Delhi first. Drive for Jaipur if the family has lots of bags.
| From Delhi to | Flight | Train | Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | About one hour | The Ajmer Shatabdi leaves New Delhi at 6:10 a.m. and reaches Jaipur around 10:35 a.m. | About 270 km, usually five to six hours |
| Lucknow | About one hour 15 minutes | The Lucknow Shatabdi takes about 7 hours | Long, roughly 500 to 550 km, and tiring after a flight |
| Varanasi | About one hour 30 minutes | The Vande Bharat takes about 8 hours | Impractical, roughly 800 km |
The train times come from railway listings and are approximate. Trains can run late, and winter fog on the northern plains disrupts them. Trains work best the day after you land, not the same evening. Jaipur is the one place where a taxi from Delhi makes real sense: the road is fast and the trip is about the length of the Shatabdi.
What about the trip home from Jaipur, Lucknow or Varanasi?
Treat the return as the riskier half. Going out, a late domestic flight costs you an evening. Coming back, it can cost you the international flight. The long-haul to Canada leaves Delhi at a fixed time, and the international check-in desk closes well before departure.
My rule is to land in Delhi the evening before if the Canada flight leaves early the next day, or to take a morning domestic flight with at least four hours in hand for an afternoon departure. In December and January, fog is the usual culprit for delayed morning flights across the Gangetic plain. On a single ticket the airline must protect you. On separate tickets, a fog delay at Lucknow is simply your loss. If you are not sure how your own booking is built, ask for the baggage and connection details in writing before you pay.
What does it cost, and when is it cheapest?
All three come out at roughly CA$1,600 to CA$2,500 return from Toronto outside the peak weeks. These are Kayak’s 12-month figures for Toronto, so they are a guide, not a quote.
| Toronto to | Typical return range | Cheapest / dearest month |
|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | CA$1,593 to CA$2,058 (average about CA$1,787) | February about CA$1,622 / December about CA$3,067 |
| Lucknow | CA$1,820 to CA$2,494 (average about CA$2,176) | February about CA$1,718 / July about CA$2,784 |
| Varanasi | CA$1,959 to CA$2,221 (average about CA$2,152) | February is lowest; December is highest |
Jaipur’s December figure probably reflects Rajasthan’s peak tourist season as well as the Canadian holidays, and Lucknow’s July peak is most likely the summer-holiday rush. Booking about 18 weeks ahead for Jaipur came out about 39 percent below last-minute fares in Kayak’s data. For seasonal patterns that apply across India, see cheapest month to fly Toronto to Delhi, and the complete Canada to India flights guide.
When does an agent help with a Jaipur, Lucknow or Varanasi trip?
When the booking has two legs that must be one ticket, and several passengers. A family of four from Edmonton flying to a wedding in Lucknow needs a Canadian connection, a long-haul to Delhi and a domestic flight, with baggage that stays valid for all three. Metairfare’s Calgary-based agents work with negotiated fares from 50+ airlines, and have 750+ Google reviews and 2,000+ Trustpilot reviews. Call +1-877-700-0520 and ask for a single-ticket quote to Lucknow, Jaipur or Varanasi.
If you only want a simple return to Delhi and plan to take the train yourself a day later, you can book that online without help. Overseas Citizens of India and Canadian passport holders have different entry papers, so check the official Indian e-visa portal before you pay.
If Varanasi is a pilgrimage trip, our guide to India destinations and seasons helps you pick the months, because Uttar Pradesh summers are punishing for older travellers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a direct flight from Toronto to Jaipur?
No. As of October 2026 there are no nonstop flights from Toronto or any other Canadian city to Jaipur. Most itineraries connect in Abu Dhabi or Delhi, and take roughly 18 to 26 hours depending on the layover and the airline.
Should I fly to Delhi or straight to Jaipur?
Jaipur itself is easier if your ticket connects through Abu Dhabi on one airline and ends at Jaipur airport. Delhi often prices lower, and from Delhi you can fly, take the Shatabdi train or hire a taxi. Compare total time and bag allowance, not just the headline fare.
How long is the layover needed in Delhi for a domestic connection?
At least three hours on a single ticket, and four if the domestic flight leaves from a different terminal. After landing from Canada you clear immigration and customs, collect and re-check your bags, and may need a shuttle between terminals.
Can I book a separate domestic flight from Delhi to Lucknow?
You can, but a delayed Canadian flight then becomes your problem and you may have to buy a new ticket. The domestic leg may also have a lower baggage allowance than your long-haul fare. A single ticket is safer unless you plan to spend a night in Delhi. Ask for the baggage rules in writing.
Is the train from Delhi to Varanasi worth it?
The Vande Bharat is comfortable and takes roughly 8 hours, so it works as a daytime trip after a night’s rest. After an overnight flight from Canada, a one-hour domestic flight is easier. Fog can delay trains in December and January.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Canada to Lucknow or Jaipur?
Kayak’s data points to February as the cheapest month for both, with December the dearest for Jaipur and July for Lucknow. Fares change daily, so treat that as a seasonal pattern and check live prices for your dates. Booking several months ahead usually helps.
Do I clear customs in Delhi or in Jaipur, Lucknow or Varanasi?
In most cases at Delhi, the first Indian airport you land at. You collect your bags there and re-check them for the domestic flight. Air India’s Easy Connect scheme changes this for some Varanasi flights, so ask your airline which process applies to your itinerary. Confirm this when you book.
Heading to Lucknow, Jaipur or Varanasi? Call +1-877-700-0520 or WhatsApp us your dates and your Canadian city, and we will price it as one ticket with a safe connection in Delhi.
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