Chicago to Mumbai (ORD–BOM) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

US passport holders need a visa to enter India. The eVisa is the standard option for tourists, applied for at indianvisaonline.gov.in. The 30-day eTourist visa costs $25 (single or double entry). The 1-year and 5-year eTourist visas cost $40 and $80 respectively, both with multiple entries and a maximum stay of 90 days per visit. Processing takes 3 to 5 working days. Upload a passport scan and a recent photo. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of entry with at least 2 blank pages.

The eVisa is accepted at 28 designated airports including Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), Bengaluru (BLR), Chennai (MAA), Kolkata (CCU), and Hyderabad (HYD), plus 5 seaports. At the airport, proceed to the eVisa immigration counter with your printed eVisa confirmation. Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) are captured. India also offers traditional paper visas through the embassy with longer validity options for business and employment.

Direct flights from New York JFK to Delhi run about 14 hours 30 minutes on Air India. Newark to Mumbai runs about 15 hours 30 minutes on United and Air India. Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington Dulles also have nonstop service to Indian cities. India uses the Indian rupee (INR), trading at roughly 85 INR per $1. UPI (Unified Payments Interface) dominates digital payments in India: Google Pay and PhonePe are accepted at millions of merchants. Metro systems operate in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad with fares from INR 10 to INR 60 ($0.12 to $0.70). Auto-rickshaws are the universal last-mile transport: use the Uber or Ola app for metered pricing.

CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from downtown Loop stations to O'Hare (45 min, $5). Pace buses serve suburbs. Ride-shares cost $35–55 from downtown depending on traffic; add 30+ minutes during rush hour on the Kennedy Expressway.Economy parking lots E/F connect via ATS people mover. Terminal 5 (international) is separate from Terminals 1–3; allow extra time for inter-terminal transfers.

Ola and Uber are the practical options from BOM. Book from inside the terminal and follow signs to the designated pickup zone. To South Mumbai (Nariman Point/Churchgate), expect ₹400–700 and 45–90 minutes depending on traffic. To Bandra or Juhu, ₹200–350 in 20–40 minutes.Pre-paid taxis from the terminal cost slightly less but use older vehicles. Mumbai Local trains are accessible via auto-rickshaw to Andheri station (10 min, ₹80–100) then Western Line to Churchgate (50 min, ₹25); inexpensive but impractical with large luggage. Terminal 2 (international) and Terminal 1 (domestic) are adjacent but separate buildings.

Tropical monsoon climate. The Southwest Monsoon (June–September) brings some of the heaviest urban rainfall in the world. Mumbai regularly receives 2,000–3,000mm per season. Flooding of approach roads and reduced visibility cause frequent delays and diversions during July and August. The July 26, 2005 floods are the benchmark for worst-case disruption.

Dry season (November–May) is reliable with warm temperatures (22–35°C) and clear skies. May sees pre-monsoon heat and humidity (32–38°C). Cyclones in the Arabian Sea can affect the region in May–June and October–November. November through February is the most stable period.