Chennai International Airport (MAA) is the gateway to Tamil Nadu and one of South India's busiest hubs — and for arriving travellers, it has a genuine ace up its sleeve: a direct Metro link that whisks you into the city while everyone else sits in traffic. Add a location unusually close to the city and a proud South Indian food scene right in the terminal, and MAA is an easy, welcoming place to land. Whether you're arriving from abroad, connecting onward, or heading straight into the city, here's what you need to know.
This Chennai airport terminal guide covers the layout of the MAA international terminal, the arrivals and immigration process, connecting flights, Chennai airport to city transport, and the best lounges. And once Myflyyatra has sorted your flights, knowing your way around MAA makes the whole journey smoother.
A quick note: Chennai's terminals are being renumbered as a new integrated terminal opens, so the T1/T2/T3/T4 labels are applied inconsistently across sources right now. Always go by your boarding pass and airline instructions for the exact terminal, and confirm current details before you travel.
The Terminals: Anna (International) & Kamaraj (Domestic)
MAA sits in Meenambakkam/Tirusulam, about 21 km south of the city centre — remarkably close compared with the airports of other big Indian metros. The airport has historically run two main terminals, with a new integrated terminal now expanding capacity:
- Anna Terminal — International. All international arrivals and departures use the Anna Terminal, connecting Chennai to Dubai, Singapore, Doha, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, London, and (via one stop) the USA. This is where overseas flyers land.
- Kamaraj Terminal — Domestic. The domestic terminal for flights within India.
- The New Integrated Terminal. A modern, recently-opened terminal (referred to by various numbers, including T3, as the airport transitions) that adds capacity and handles domestic operations, with more facilities, check-in kiosks, lounges, and dining.
Because the numbering is in flux, the safest rule is simple: fly international, you're at the Anna Terminal; fly domestic, check whether it's Kamaraj or the new integrated terminal — and always confirm on your boarding pass.
One structural point that matters a lot for connections: there is no airside link between the international (Anna) terminal and the domestic terminals. They're connected landside by a covered walkway (with the new terminal a short walk away), but switching between international and domestic means going through the full landside process again.
MAA International Arrivals & Immigration
International flights arrive at the Anna Terminal. Here's the arrival flow:
- Follow the "Arrivals" signage toward immigration.
- Complete India's E-Arrival Card before you reach the counters (submit it online ahead of landing if required); all foreign nationals need this.
- Clear immigration, with your passport and visa, e-Visa, or OCI card ready — Kolkata is an e-Visa-designated airport, with dedicated counters.
- Collect your baggage at the belts.
- Pass through customs — the Green Channel if you're within your duty-free allowance, or the Red Channel if you have anything to declare.
- Enter the arrivals hall, where you'll find pre-paid taxis, the Metro, MTC buses, app-cab pickup, forex, international SIM counters, and car rentals.
The international terminal has full facilities for arriving passengers — immigration and customs, arrivals duty-free, forex, prayer rooms, baby-care rooms, and shower facilities.
Connecting Flights at MAA
This is where Chennai needs a little planning. Because there's no airside connection between the international and domestic terminals, a domestic-to-international (or international-to-domestic) connection requires a landside re-check-in:
- You exit the arrival terminal, clear immigration and customs, collect your checked bags, walk or shuttle to the other terminal, and check in and clear security again.
- Inter-terminal movement alone runs around 25–40 minutes in peak hours, on top of the immigration, baggage, and re-check-in time.
So budget a generous buffer for any connection that switches between international and domestic — and give yourself an even larger cushion if your flights are on separate tickets. Booking your whole journey on a single ticket keeps you protected if a delay causes a misconnect.
Chennai Airport to City Transport
Here's MAA's standout advantage: it's one of the best-connected airports in India for public transport.
- Chennai Metro (Blue Line) — the star option. A Metro station sits right at the airport (linked to the terminals), running directly into the city and up to Wimco Nagar in the north, at a flat fare of around ₹50. It's one of the cheapest, fastest, most traffic-proof airport links in the country — ideal if your destination is near a Metro stop.
- MTC buses: A dedicated airport route from CMBT Koyambedu via Saidapet and Guindy, with deluxe Volvo AC services running through the night for roughly ₹70–100.
- Pre-paid taxis: Fixed-rate counters (run with Tamil Nadu Tourism) offer transparent fares — for example, around ₹420 to T. Nagar and ₹580 to the OMR at Sholinganallur.
- App-based cabs: Ola and Uber operate from a designated pickup zone, with surge pricing typical late at night when most international flights arrive and depart.
- Car rentals are available in the arrivals area.
Given the short distance and the Metro option, getting into Chennai is genuinely easy.
Chennai Airport Lounges
MAA has around eight lounges across its terminals (walk-in typically ₹2,000–2,800):
- International (Anna) lounges: The Travel Club (TFS) Lounge is the main pay-in/Priority Pass option for international departures, alongside Plaza Premium and others. Air India runs dedicated lounges (Maharaja) for its Business/First and Star Alliance Gold flyers.
- Domestic lounges: Travel Club and similar lounges serve the domestic terminals.
Access is via Priority Pass, DragonPass, eligible premium credit cards, airline Business/First eligibility, or paid walk-in (around ₹2,500–2,800). Coverage rules change, so confirm your specific card in its app, and note whether the lounge is on the domestic or international side.
Facilities & Insider Tips
- Eat South Indian. Skip the coffee chains — Chennai is the home of the dosa, idli, and filter coffee, and both the domestic and international terminals have Tamil-style cafes and food courts. A vegetarian thali or a plate of idli-vada with filter coffee is genuinely good and good value by airport standards.
- Use bank ATMs, not forex desks. ATMs in the arrivals hall give better rates than the currency-exchange counters. If an ATM offers to charge in your home currency, decline and choose rupees to dodge the dynamic-conversion markup.
- Free Wi-Fi is available but usually needs a one-time code sent to a phone number.
- Assistance: wheelchair support, baby-care rooms, prayer rooms, medical help, and porter services are all on hand.
Practical Tips
- Confirm your terminal on your boarding pass — the naming is in transition.
- Arrive early — about 3 hours before an international departure, 2 hours for domestic.
- Complete your E-Arrival Card before landing to speed through immigration.
- Allow a big buffer for international-to-domestic connections (landside re-check-in, 25–40 minutes just to move terminals).
- Take the Metro into the city if your destination is near a station — it beats the traffic.
- Book on a single ticket so you're protected on connections.
Quick FAQ
The Anna Terminal handles all international arrivals and departures. Domestic flights use the Kamaraj Terminal and the new integrated terminal. Always check your boarding pass, as the numbering is changing.
About 21 km south of the centre — close by Indian-metro standards — and directly linked by the Chennai Metro Blue Line.
The Chennai Metro, at a flat fare of around ₹50, is the cheapest and most traffic-free option. MTC buses are also inexpensive.
A generous buffer — there's no airside link, so you re-check-in landside, with 25–40 minutes just to switch terminals plus immigration and security. Allow even more on separate tickets.
Yes — several lounges (Travel Club, Plaza Premium, Air India's Maharaja) accessible via Priority Pass, cards, or walk-in, plus excellent, affordable South Indian food.
Final Word
Chennai's airport is an easy one to love — close to the city, efficient through immigration, and blessed with a direct Metro link that makes the ride into town quick and cheap. Just remember to confirm your terminal on your boarding pass, leave a solid buffer for any international-to-domestic connection, and treat yourself to a filter coffee and a dosa before you go. Book your journey with Myflyyatra, and your arrival in Chennai will be as warm as the city itself.
