Srinagar Airport in Winter
Most winter flights land on time. On a heavy snow day the runway can shut for a day, so here is how to plan around it.
Most winter flights land on time. On a heavy snow day the runway can shut for a day, so here is how to plan around it.
Direct answer: Srinagar airport (SXR) stays open all winter and most flights run normally. Flights are cancelled when heavy snow covers the runway, as on 23 and 27 January 2026, and they restart once the Airports Authority of India has cleared it, often the next day. Fog is less of a problem than it used to be: the airport's CAT-II landing system allows landings down to about 400 metres of visibility. To be safe, book a flight that lands around midday, keep the last day before your flight home free, and do not plan a tight onward connection from Delhi on the same day.
Last checked 12 Nov 2026.
Yes, on the heaviest snow days. On 23 January 2026 a major snowfall forced the cancellation of flights because snow built up on the runway. The next morning the Airports Authority of India, working with the BRO, cleared the apron and taxiways, and flights resumed, with some delays and a few cancellations linked to a notice at Delhi, PTI reported in The Hindu.
Four days later it happened again: on 27 January 2026 all 58 flights, 29 in and 29 out, were cancelled because the runway was not safe in continuous snow, and hundreds of tourists heading home after the Republic Day weekend were stuck, PTI reported in Business Standard.
Srinagar usually has about 1,000 metres of visibility on winter days. Since the upgrade to a CAT-II Instrument Landing System, aircraft can land with visibility as low as about 400 metres, down from 1,200 metres earlier, the airport director told Kashmir News Observer in November 2025. Fog at Delhi and other north Indian hubs can still hold your first flight, which is why the connection matters more than the Srinagar leg.
This winter the late-evening slots are back: the 8 am to 5 pm limit used during runway repairs from April was withdrawn, and the Winter Schedule 2026 started on 25 October 2026. Evening flights still depend on runway visibility in winter, Greater Kashmir reported. We prefer a flight that lands between late morning and early afternoon.
Rebook with the airline first. Ask the airline to rebook or refund you, on its app or helpline, before you leave the hotel. Send us the new flight number and we move the airport pickup and talk to the hotel about the extra night.
The train is the backup. Since 2 May 2026 two pairs of Vande Bharat trains run between Srinagar and Jammu Tawi via Banihal and Katra, about 4 hours 50 minutes: from Srinagar at 08:00 (not on Wednesdays) and 14:00 (not on Tuesdays), PIB announced. On the 23 January 2026 snow day the trains kept running while the highway and flights shut, The Indian Express reported. Timings change, so check the railway enquiry (NTES) or IRCTC on the day.
The road is the last option. On heavy snow days NH44 often shuts too: on 24 January 2026 traffic was stopped by snow on both sides of the Navyug tunnel near Banihal, ETV Bharat reported. See the winter road guide and Jammu to Srinagar taxi.
The airport is in Budgam, about 12 km south of the city. Our driver waits in arrivals with your name and follows the flight from the number you send, so a delay does not cost you the pickup. The first afternoon stays light: a hotel or houseboat check-in and maybe a short shikara. Gulmarg is never on the landing day. More on the first hour: Srinagar airport arrival guide and, for the view on the way in, which side to sit.
For the flight home we keep the last day in Srinagar free and pick you up early, because there is a security check at the airport gate before the terminal. The airport transfer itself is quoted on WhatsApp from your flight time; see Srinagar airport taxi. For comparison, a same-day return to Gulmarg is ₹2,500 in a Toyota Etios or Swift Dzire and ₹3,500 in an Innova Crysta. The wider season is on Srinagar in winter and Kashmir in winter.
Travel Etios Kashmir is a JK Tourism registered agency at Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, rated 5.0★ on Google. We take a 20% advance and the balance after you arrive; what happens to it if snow changes the plan is on winter trip advance and refunds.
Only on heavy snow days, when snow covers the runway. That happened on 23 and 27 January 2026. Flights restart once the runway is cleared, often the next day.
Usually yes. The CAT-II landing system allows landings down to about 400 metres of visibility, and Srinagar usually has about 1,000 metres in winter. Fog at Delhi is a more common cause of delays.
One that lands between late morning and early afternoon. Early flights can wait on fog at the departure hub, and evening flights depend on visibility. Avoid the last flight of the day if you have a connection.
Rebook with the airline, then tell us the new flight so we move the pickup and the hotel night. If flights stay grounded, the Vande Bharat to Jammu Tawi is the usual backup; it kept running on the 23 January 2026 snow day.
One. Keep the last day before your flight home free in Srinagar, and do not book an onward international or same-day connection on the day you fly out of Srinagar.
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Flying into Srinagar this winter? Send the flight number. The driver follows it, and we move the pickup if snow changes it.
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