One of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, Varanasi is known as India’s cultural and spiritual capital. Loved and celebrated for its 84 ghats, street food, classical music, beautiful temples, and Banarasi silk, Varanasi is now also known for seamless international travel. Yes, you read that right. Varanasi becomes the first city in India to adopt the Easy Connect model for seamless international travel. What is this model? Why Varanasi? Here’s everything you must know about this new announcement.
Varanasi Is Now Integrated To Easy Connect Model
Civil aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has recently posted on social media that the hub-and-spoke aviation vision of India begins with the city of Varanasi. He said that it is the first city to be integrated into the Easy Connect flights model.
Hence, the city now enables all international travellers to complete baggage formalities and immigration before reaching the major hubs like Delhi. This connects them seamlessly onwards to various destinations across the world.
The minister also called this an important step towards making India a global aviation hub. This also reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of bringing in world-class connectivity beyond the metros.
India’s hub and spoke aviation vision begins with Varanasi.
As the first city to be integrated into this model, Varanasi now enables international travellers to complete immigration and baggage formalities before reaching Delhi and connect seamlessly onwards to destinations… https://t.co/0TPdvHlwrm
— Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu (@RamMNK) June 9, 2026
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What Is Easy Connect Model?
The Easy Connect flight model was introduced by Air India. It is a streamlined hub-and-spoke aviation strategy that allows passengers departing from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to leave their luggage and complete international immigration at their origin airport. This enables seamless transits for them at major hubs like Delhi, without re-checking the luggage.
This initiative is perfect as it brings international travel convenience to the passengers flying from smaller airports. It eliminates the stress of collecting luggage and again standing in the queue for border control at crowded, large hub airports.
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Air India To Operate The First Easy Connect Flights Between Varanasi And Delhi
Air India has opened bookings for its first-ever “Easy Connect” flights, as the operations will begin from June 25. The very first Easy Connect flight AI1111 is set to operate every day between Varanasi and Delhi. The airline has timed the service to connect with flights leaving for international destinations from Delhi within four hours of its arrival.
The passengers can access about 17 overseas countries through this Easy Connect service, such as Frankfurt, Rome, Manila, Phuket, Riyadh, London, Milan, Zurich, Singapore, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur.
The airline is the first carrier to implement this model. It will also expand this programme to more cities over the coming months in phases.
Also Read: Air India Mulls Cheap ‘No Meals’ Tickets On Domestic Flights
Summing Up
Varanasi has now become the first city to be integrated with the Easy Connect model for international travel. Air India is the first carrier to open bookings for the Easy Connect flights between Varanasi and Delhi.
