Sleeping in Mumbai Airport

Whether you are an experienced airport sleeper or new to the game, this sleep guide will give you the essential information to better prepare you for sleeping in Mumbai Airport.

Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Mumbai Airport. If you have a tip to share, write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!

Read the latest traveller reviews.

Sleeping in Mumbai Airport

Locations & Seating

Of the two terminals here, the newer Terminal 2 is more comfortable, with modern amenities and a decent amount of seating. In general, the areas inside Security seem to have more seating than the pre-Security areas.

Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:

National flights, near Gate 45 are some bed-like benches and a quieter vibe.
Terminal 2, entrance to Gates 67 and 78 has some comfortable chairs and long benches.
Terminal 2’s Level 2 is is quieter than Level 4, where many food outlets and shops are located.

Rest Zones

At the time of this update, there are no designated rest zones within the airport.

Temperature

A few travellers have reported chilly temperatures, especially overnight. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.

Lighting

At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to terminal brightness. Come prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.

Noise

A reader tells us the airport is a “Silent Airport”, so there are no announcements. (November 2019)

Showers

Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Head to the pay-to-use Aviserv Lounge in the pre-Security, Arrivals area. There may be separate shower rooms in some women’s bathrooms or designated prayer washing rooms for wudhu (pre-prayer cleansing ritual), but we have no further information.

Food & Drink

When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Check out this vendor: The Beer Cafe in Terminal 2’s pre-Security International Departures area (near Car Park).

Hotels

Prefer some privacy and comfort? If you would like a good solid sleep between flights without the stress of going through security, a transit hotel is available. The Niranta Airport Transit Hotel & Lounge is located inside Transit 2, in International Departures. To access the hotel, you must be flying from Terminal 2. Rooms are available in blocks of 4, 7, or 24 hours. If all you need is a nap for an hour or two, check out the Aviserv Lounge, which has several sleeping pods for rent. You can purchase a full lounge pass or rent just the pod, starting at 750 rupees per hour. This lounge is located pre-Security, though, so you will need to re-enter Security before your flight. For more traditional hotel rooms, several hotels are located within a quick 5-minute drive of the hotel, and some offer free airport shuttle service. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations or visit Tripadvisor to find hotels deals at Mumbai Airport.

Lounges

If you are looking for a private place to nap for a few hours in between flights, check out the Loyalty Lounge, located inside Security in Terminal 1B. In addition to offering a comfortable place to hang out, they have a few private sleep rooms that can be rented. The Aviserv Lounge, located pre-Security in the Arrivals area, has sleep pods for rent. For more information on these and other pay-to-use lounges, check out our Mumbai Airport Guide.

Security & Safety

In general, it seems the airport staff are quite tolerant of airport sleepers, even those camping out overnight.

At the time of this update, we have no reports from travellers commenting on safety issues at Mumbai Airport. As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:

Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport by yourself or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras in the spot you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you and they will direct you to a safe spot.
Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with earphones and no ipod and a laptop bag strap and no laptop bag (or laptop). Same goes with important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body, so that no one can get them without waking you up.
Secure Your Bags. If you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something. If your bags have zippers turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall, so that it would be hard for someone to access.
Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee and stay awake and be alert. You can always sleep on the plane!

Pro-tip: If you are sleeping in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.

Mumbai Airport Photo Gallery

Mumbai Airport Sleeper — “Comfy” chairs with armrests, but plenty of ’em to be found. When one is tired enough even these can provide a decent place to sleep. (photo courtesy of a guest reviewer / January 2009)

Mumbai Airport guide — Flat beds at the very far end of the International Terminal (photo courtesy of mingshi / February 2013)