Flights from Chennai to Mauritius
One nonstop a week, on Tuesdays, and a handful of one-stop routes for every other day. Here is how to choose between them, and what to arrange before you leave.
Plan my trip to MauritiusHow the journey worksThe route at a glance
- Leaving from
- Chennai International Airport (MAA). Air Mauritius flights are listed at Terminal 2
- Arriving at
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU), south-east Mauritius, about 48 km from Port Louis
- Nonstop service
- Air Mauritius, once a week, on Tuesdays
- Nonstop home
- Once a week, on Mondays
- Journey time
- About 5 hours 45 minutes nonstop. One-stop journeys start at around 11 hours and can run well past a day
- Time difference
- Mauritius is 1 hour 30 minutes behind India, so your watch goes back on arrival
- Entry
- Depends on your passport. For Indian passport holders, Mauritius has described entry as visa on arrival, free of charge
- Timings
- Winter timetable, until 23 March: leaves Chennai at 08:20 and lands at 12:45. Airlines can change these, so confirm the time for your date.
Flight information checked . Airlines change timetables with the season, so confirm your travel date. Where this comes from
A short flight, but not a casual one
People fly from Chennai to Mauritius for reasons that are mostly about time off: a honeymoon, a first beach holiday as a family, a destination wedding, a week of diving, an anniversary at a resort. When IndiGo opened its Bengaluru route, the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority said it wanted exactly this southern Indian market, and named weddings, honeymoons and trips that mix business with leisure.
Mauritius also has a large Indian-origin population, with Tamil and Hindu traditions part of everyday island life, and places such as Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) sit on many itineraries.
That matters for planning, because a trip like this usually comes with fixed dates: a booked hotel, a wedding day, a honeymoon that has to start on a particular morning. With one nonstop a week, the flight should be built around those dates, not the other way round.
Planning around a Tuesday flight
The Air Mauritius nonstop leaves Chennai on Tuesdays. From 27 October to 23 March the winter timetable has it leaving at 08:20 and landing at 12:45. The time in the air is just under six hours. Landing in the daytime fits a normal afternoon hotel check-in.
Air Mauritius says bag drop opens at least three hours before departure and recommends being at the counter by then. For the 08:20 winter departure it means around half past five.
Coming home, the nonstop leaves Mauritius on Monday night. On the winter timetable it departs at 23:00 and lands in Chennai at 06:20 the next morning. Land on a Tuesday and fly back the Monday after, and you have six nights on the island; two weeks gives you thirteen. For seven nights, or anything in between, one leg needs a connection or the dates have to move.
Because there is only one nonstop a week, a missed or cancelled flight costs you a week. If your hotel, wedding or honeymoon start date is fixed, keep a one-stop option in mind as a backup, and think about leaving a day early.
Nonstop, or one stop
Air Mauritius is the only airline we found flying nonstop between Chennai and Mauritius. On the six other days of the week you connect, so the choice is really a trade between flexibility and total time.
The nonstop
Under six hours in the air, one booking, bags checked straight through and nothing to miss. The cost is flexibility: one flight a week, on Tuesdays, with a limited number of seats on it.
One stop
This opens up the other six days and sometimes a lower fare. The connections that came up in recent searches run through Bengaluru, Mumbai and Dubai. They are sample itineraries from booking sites, and airlines change them, so use them as a starting point rather than a promise.
Via Bengaluru, with IndiGo. IndiGo flies nonstop from Bengaluru to Mauritius on most days, leaving around 04:15 and landing around 08:30. That early departure means most Chennai connections involve a long wait in Bengaluru, often overnight.
Via Mumbai, with Air India. Air India connects Chennai to Mauritius through Mumbai. In the samples we saw, the Mumbai to Mauritius leg landed in the early morning.
Via Dubai, with Emirates. Emirates connects through Dubai. Staying airside in Dubai needs no UAE visa. If you plan to leave the airport, you need a visa on arrival, visa-free entry, or a pre-arranged 48 or 96 hour transit visa, depending on your passport.
Whichever you choose, check whether both flights are on one ticket, so the airline looks after you if the first runs late. Ask how long the layover is and whether it leaves a comfortable margin, whether you change terminal, whether your bags are checked through to Mauritius, and what baggage allowance applies on each leg, including a domestic leg inside India.
How long it really takes
Journey times vary too much for a single figure, so here they are separated.
Nonstop: about 5 hours 45 minutes in the air. Some sites show 4 hours 15 minutes, which is only the clock change: Mauritius is 1 hour 30 minutes behind India. Add the three hours Air Mauritius recommends at the airport beforehand.
Via Mumbai or Dubai: sample itineraries ran from roughly 11 to 14 hours door to door, including the layover.
Via Bengaluru: from about 12 hours to well over a day, depending on how long you wait for the early-morning flight.
The part that varies most: the layover. A short, comfortable connection is worth more than a slightly cheaper fare with a tight one.
Who flies it
Air Mauritius operates the nonstop, on an Airbus A330 in the schedules we saw. It is the national airline, and the one to choose if you want the shortest journey.
You may see Air India selling seats on Air Mauritius flights between Mauritius and Chennai. Schedule databases list that as a codeshare: one aircraft, two flight numbers. Check the operating airline on your booking, so you know whose baggage and change rules apply.
IndiGo, Air India and Emirates are the airlines on the one-stop routes above. Compare them on the total journey, not just the fare, and compare baggage allowances against what you actually plan to carry, because they differ by airline and by fare.
Leaving Chennai, landing in Mauritius
Departing: Chennai International (MAA)
Chennai’s airport is in Meenambakkam, around 20 km from the city centre, and has its own station on the Blue Line of Chennai Metro. Schedule data lists Air Mauritius at Terminal 2, but confirm the terminal on your booking. Allow the three hours Air Mauritius recommends, and more between October and December, when the northeast monsoon can slow the roads.
Arriving: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (MRU)
Mauritius’s main international airport is at Plaine Magnien in the south-east, about 48 km from Port Louis and close to the old town of Mahebourg. Arrivals are on the ground floor: immigration first, then baggage reclaim and customs, then a hall with hotel and transfer representatives, taxi counters and car-hire desks. There is no train or Metro Express link, so you will go by transfer, taxi or bus.
What happens after you land
Immigration. Have a valid passport, a return ticket, enough funds and a hotel booking ready. The Passport and Immigration Office lists these as conditions of entry, and the officer decides how long you may stay.
The travel form. The Passport and Immigration Office links a Mauritius All-in-One Travel Digital Form, which its own site describes as mandatory. Check what is currently required before you fly, and keep the confirmation with your documents.
Bags and customs. Bags come off in the reclaim hall before customs. Mauritius publishes a customs memo on what you may bring in.
Money. Mauritius uses the Mauritian rupee. Our currency exchange guide covers where to change money and how cards are used.
Getting to your hotel. The drive runs from about twenty minutes to well over an hour depending on the coast, with the north and west the longest. Booking a transfer in advance puts a driver at arrivals with your name, which is worth having after an early-morning landing.
Planning the Mauritius side
Most of what makes this trip work happens on the island, and it helps to settle it before you choose flights. The coast you stay on shapes your first day, because the south-east and east are closest to the airport and the north and west are the longest runs. Our guide to where to stay in Mauritius compares the four regions: the east for long beaches and honeymoons, the north for restaurants and a lively evening, the west for sunsets, the south for scenery and quiet.
If you would rather see it put together, we have honeymoon and family packages, and we can plan a destination wedding. You can also browse hotels and resorts and things to do, and our seven-day itinerary is a gentle way to see how a first trip fits together.
When to go
Mauritius has two seasons, and both are good for a holiday in different ways.
November to April
Summer: hot, humid and wetter, with warm seas and good diving visibility. This is also cyclone season, with the higher risk between January and March. Most cyclones miss the island, and warnings are issued well in advance.
May to October
Winter: cooler, drier and breezier in the evenings, with temperatures around 20 to 25 degrees. It suits walking and golf, and it is the season for whale watching.
The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority describes April to June and September to December as the most pleasant stretches, and our own best time to visit guide points to May and to September through November. If your dates come from school holidays or a festival, April to June and the run-up to the year end both fall in good weather. Divali is also a public holiday on the island, so expect it to be busy. At the Chennai end, the northeast monsoon from October to December can disrupt travel, so build in margin for an early departure.
What decides the fare
We are not quoting a fare for this route, because a number printed here would be out of date within days. What moves the fare is below.
- Travel dates and festivals
- How far ahead you book
- Airline and fare type
- Baggage included
- Nonstop or one stop
Fare type matters more than people expect. A cheaper fare can come with a smaller baggage allowance or stricter change rules, which counts for more when there is only one nonstop a week. Send us your dates and we will look at what is currently available and tell you plainly what we see.
Before you book
Length of stay first. The nonstop goes out on Tuesday and comes back on Monday. Decide how long you want on the island, because that decides whether the nonstop suits you.
Flight and hotel together. The nonstop lands in the daytime, at 12:45 on the winter timetable, so a normal afternoon check-in works.
Baggage. The allowance depends on the airline and the fare. Check it for each leg against what you plan to carry, including anything for the wedding or the honeymoon.
Change and cancellation rules. With one nonstop a week, rebooking options are narrow. Read what the fare allows before you pay.
When to book. There is no magic day. Booking early matters most for school holidays, festivals and the year end, or anything tied to a fixed date. If your dates are flexible, compare a few Tuesdays and the one-stop options.
Documents and entry rules
Entry rules follow your passport, not the city you fly from. What follows is a summary, so check the official sources below before you travel.
Conditions of entry
The Passport and Immigration Office says everyone entering Mauritius needs a passport valid beyond the intended stay, a return ticket, adequate funds and a confirmed hotel booking or sponsorship. Some airlines also ask for six months’ validity, so check with yours.
Visa
This depends on nationality. For Indian passport holders, the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority has described entry as visa on arrival, free of charge, with the immigration officer deciding the length of stay. Other nationalities, including people living in Chennai on another passport, should check the country list on the Passport and Immigration Office site.
Religious trips and weddings
The office says visitors travelling for a religious purpose, or on an event run by a socio-cultural organisation, should obtain a social visa before travel. Destination weddings have their own wedding visa and civil status rules. Ask before you book if either applies to you.
Forms, transit and airline checks
Check the current status of the Mauritius travel form. Staying airside in Dubai needs no UAE visa. If you plan to leave the airport, you need a visa on arrival, visa-free entry, or a pre-arranged 48 or 96 hour transit visa, depending on your passport. Airlines may ask to see your return ticket when you check in at Chennai.
Questions travellers ask
How can I get from Chennai to Mauritius?
On Tuesdays there is a nonstop with Air Mauritius, about 5 hours 45 minutes. On other days you connect, most often through Bengaluru with IndiGo, Mumbai with Air India or Dubai with Emirates.
Which day does the nonstop fly, and what time?
Tuesdays. From 27 October to 23 March the winter timetable has it leaving at 08:20 and landing at 12:45. Confirm the time for your date, as airlines adjust schedules.
What time should I be at Chennai airport?
Air Mauritius says bag drop opens at least three hours before departure and recommends being at the counter by then. For the 08:20 winter departure it means around half past five. Arrange your transport in advance.
Which airport do I arrive at, and how far is it from the hotels?
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, in the south-east. The drive to a hotel runs from about twenty minutes to well over an hour, with the north and west the longest runs.
Do I need a visa for Mauritius?
It depends on your passport. For Indian passport holders, Mauritius has described entry as visa on arrival, free of charge, subject to the immigration officer. You will need a valid passport, a return ticket, enough funds and a hotel booking. Check the Passport and Immigration Office site for your nationality.
What should I check before booking a connecting flight?
Whether both flights are on one ticket, how long the layover is, whether you change terminal, whether bags are checked through, and what baggage allowance applies on each leg. Also check the transit rules for the connecting country and your passport.
Can I fly back nonstop?
Yes, on Mondays, leaving Mauritius in the evening or at night depending on the season. A Tuesday arrival and a Monday return gives you six nights, or thirteen if you stay two weeks.
What should I arrange for the day I land?
Your transfer from the airport, early check-in if you land in the morning, some Mauritian rupees, and the travel form if it is currently required. Airport transfers are easiest to settle before you leave.
Where this comes from
Flight information checked . We rely on official sources where they exist, and say so when we have to lean on published schedule data instead.
OfficialAir Mauritius, checked baggage for the bag drop opening time.
OfficialMauritius Passport and Immigration Office. Conditions of entry, visa categories, the social and wedding visa notes, and the link to the travel form.
OfficialMauritius Tourism Promotion Authority for the seasons and the most pleasant months, and its statement on IndiGo’s Bengaluru route for the visa on arrival description and the southern India market.
OfficialIndiGo press release on the Bengaluru to Mauritius flight.
OfficialAir Mauritius winter timetable for the winter days and times.
OfficialUAE government portal for the Dubai transit rules.
Schedule dataFlight histories for MK747 and MK746, and FlightMapper timetables. These show the Tuesday and Monday pattern, the summer timings, the codeshare and Terminal 2.
Booking sitesSample one-stop itineraries on Indian booking sites, used only for the connection cities and rough journey times.
GuidesPublished airport guides for the location of both airports and the transport links.
Planning a trip to Mauritius from Chennai?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what kind of trip you have in mind, and we will look at the flights, a hotel and the airport transfer together.
Plan my trip to MauritiusPrefer to browse first? See our holiday packages.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons, resized: Trou aux Biches beach by “dronepicr” (CC BY 2.0); Flic en Flac sunset by Dennis Sylvester Hurd (CC0); Air Mauritius A330 by Bahnfrend (CC BY-SA 4.0); Chennai airport by Pinakpani (CC BY-SA 4.0); Mauritius airport by Noritaka666 (CC BY-SA 3.0).