The USA is one of the most searched destinations for Indian travellers — yet the process (visa interviews, long flights, high costs) puts many people off before they even book. This guide cuts through it: what the B1/B2 visa actually costs and how long it takes, real fares from Mumbai and Delhi, an honest ₹ budget, and which cities deliver the most for Indian travellers visiting for the first time.
Quick Verdict: Budget ₹1,80,000–₹3,50,000 per person for a 10–14 day trip, flights included. Apply for your B1/B2 visa 6–12 months before travel — interview slots are scarce. Best months: April–June and September–November. Non-stop options: Air India from Mumbai and Delhi to New York and San Francisco.
Flights from India to the USA
Non-stop routes (fastest, 16–18 hours flight time):
- Air India: Mumbai (BOM) → New York JFK — return fares from ₹65,000
- Air India: Delhi (DEL) → New York JFK — return from ₹60,000
- Air India: Delhi (DEL) → San Francisco (SFO) — return from ₹58,000
- United Airlines: Delhi → San Francisco or Chicago — return from ₹62,000
One-stop via Gulf (4–6 extra hours, but often ₹10,000–18,000 cheaper):
- Emirates via Dubai: from ₹50,000 return (BOM or DEL → JFK, LAX, ORD, SFO)
- Etihad via Abu Dhabi: from ₹48,000 return
- Qatar Airways via Doha: from ₹50,000 return
The Gulf carriers frequently undercut Air India by a significant margin on the same routes. If you have 2+ weeks and flexibility on travel time, the extra stopover is worth the saving.
Search USA flights from Mumbai and Delhi →
Best booking window: 3–5 months out. Fares spike June–August and around Diwali. January bookings for March–April travel typically yield the lowest prices. Avoid the December holidays entirely — fares double.
USA B1/B2 Tourist Visa for Indians
Most Indian passport holders need a B1/B2 non-immigrant visa to enter the USA. This is the standard tourist and business visit visa.
Process (step by step):
- Complete the DS-160 form online — takes 60–90 minutes
- Pay the visa fee: $185 (approximately ₹15,500 at current exchange rates)
- Schedule an interview at the nearest US consulate — Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, or Kolkata
- Attend the interview with your documents
- Passport returned with visa stamped within 1–3 working days after approval
Realistic wait times in 2026: Interview slots in Mumbai and Delhi are currently running 200–400+ days for first-time applicants. This is the single biggest reason to plan your US trip a year in advance. If you already have a valid US visa, renewals are sometimes processed without an interview.
Key documents you’ll need:
- Valid passport (6+ months validity beyond your return date)
- DS-160 confirmation page
- Visa fee payment receipt
- Photo (2×2 inches, white background, taken within 6 months)
- Bank statements (3–6 months, showing ₹5–10 lakh or more)
- Proof of employment or business (offer letter, salary slips, ITR)
- Property documents or other ties to India showing you’ll return
Approval reality: India’s B1/B2 refusal rate hovers around 30–35%. Strong employment record, clear financial standing, prior travel history, and credible trip purpose improve your odds. If refused, you can reapply with stronger documentation — there’s no mandatory waiting period.
Budget Breakdown for a USA Trip from India
| Expense | Economy (₹) | Mid-range (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Return flights (economy class) | 50,000–65,000 | 65,000–85,000 |
| US visa fee | 15,500 | 15,500 |
| Accommodation (per night, 10 nights) | 45,000–70,000 | 80,000–1,40,000 |
| Food (per day, 10 days) | 20,000–35,000 | 40,000–70,000 |
| Local transport (per day) | 15,000 total | 30,000 total |
| Activities and entry fees | 5,000–10,000 | 15,000–30,000 |
| 10-day total per person | ₹1,50,000–1,95,000 | ₹2,45,000–3,70,000 |
USD exchange rate at time of writing: ~₹83–84 per dollar. Check live USD/INR rates →
Where costs spike: New York and San Francisco are 30–40% pricier than Chicago, Las Vegas, or Florida. Eating at Indian restaurants — they’re everywhere in US cities — cuts food costs substantially. A South Indian thali or dosa meal at an Indian-run restaurant runs $10–15 versus $25–40 at a sit-down American restaurant. Indian grocery stores in cities like New Jersey’s Edison, Chicago’s Devon Avenue, and Fremont in the Bay Area let you self-cater cheaply for breakfast and lunch.
Find hotels in New York, LA, or Chicago →
Best Cities in the USA for Indian Travellers
New York City
NYC is the entry point for most Indians visiting the USA, and for good reason. It has one of the largest Indian diaspora populations outside India — Queens alone has significant Indian and South Asian communities in Jackson Heights, Flushing, and Richmond Hill. Curry Hill in Manhattan (Lexington Ave around 28th Street) is dense with Indian restaurants from all regions.
Must-do: Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge walk, Times Square, the High Line, Staten Island Ferry (free views of the Statue of Liberty), and at least one Broadway show. Budget ₹12,000–20,000/day in NYC including accommodation.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas works surprisingly well as a budget destination if you’re not gambling. Hotels on the Strip run ₹7,000–12,000/night but are far cheaper Sunday–Thursday. The famous buffets have become more expensive post-pandemic — budget ₹1,500–2,500 for a meal. The Grand Canyon South Rim is 4.5 hours by car from Las Vegas — rent a car for this leg or join a day tour.
Los Angeles
LA rewards a full week. Beverly Hills, Universal Studios, Venice Beach, the Getty Center, Griffith Observatory, and Santa Monica Pier are the big draws. Car rental is near-mandatory — public transit barely covers the sprawl. Koreatown has a dense concentration of affordable Indian restaurants despite the name.
Compare car rental rates in Los Angeles →
San Francisco and the Bay Area
The Bay Area is home to one of the world’s largest Indian communities — Silicon Valley stretches from San Jose to Palo Alto just south of SF. Top stops in the city: Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz Island (book 2 weeks ahead), Golden Gate Bridge, and the painted Victorian houses in Alamo Square. Day trips to Yosemite National Park take 3.5 hours from SF — worth it if you have a free day.
Chicago
Chicago is often overlooked by Indian first-timers, which makes it underpriced. Accommodation averages 30–40% less than NYC for comparable quality. Devon Avenue on the north side is Chicago’s Indian commercial strip — Indian groceries, sweet shops, restaurants, and clothing stores lining several blocks. Visit May–September; Chicago winters (October–April) are genuinely harsh.
Best Time to Visit the USA from India
| Period | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| April–June | Spring across most of USA, mild and dry | ✅ Best overall |
| July–August | Peak summer, hot, expensive, crowded | ⚠️ Viable but book well ahead |
| September–November | Fall foliage, fewer crowds, stable prices | ✅ Excellent, especially northeast |
| December–February | Cold in north, fine in Florida/Arizona | ⚠️ Only for specific destinations |
| March | Shoulder season, low prices, unpredictable weather | ✅ Good value |
Fall tip: Fly into New York in late September (peak fall colours hit New England in October) and out of Miami in mid-October. You’ll cover the northeast’s autumn foliage and end with a few beach days.
Getting Around the USA
The continental USA is enormous — 4,500 km coast to coast. For multi-city itineraries, domestic flights are often the only practical option.
- Domestic flights: Budget ₹3,000–8,000 per leg (American, United, Southwest, Delta). Book 4–6 weeks out. Southwest does not appear on Google Flights — check southwest.com directly.
- Amtrak trains: Slow but scenic on the East Coast. New York → Washington DC: ~3 hours, $30–60. New York → Boston: ~4 hours, $25–60. Not practical for long cross-country trips.
- Car rental: Essential in LA, useful in Las Vegas and for national park trips, unnecessary in NYC. US roads are right-side driving with left-hand-drive cars — takes a day to adjust. Search car rentals across the USA →
- Uber/Lyft: Available in all major cities, reliable and usually cheaper than taxis.
eSIM and Staying Connected in the USA
Your Indian SIM roaming in the USA can cost ₹200–500/day for limited data. Better options:
- Airalo eSIM: 1 GB for ~₹800, 5 GB for ~₹2,500, unlimited plans available. Works on iPhone XS and newer, and most modern Android phones with eSIM capability. Get an Airalo eSIM for the USA →
- T-Mobile or AT&T prepaid SIM from an airport or retail store: ₹3,000–4,500 for unlimited data for 30 days. Best value for trips of 2+ weeks where you need constant data.
Download Google Maps offline for your US cities before you land — maps work without data once downloaded.
Travel Insurance: Not Optional for the USA
US healthcare is the most expensive in the world. One emergency room visit can cost $3,000–10,000 (₹2.5–8.3 lakh) without insurance. A travel insurance policy for the USA covering medical emergencies typically runs ₹3,000–6,000 for 2 weeks — a straightforward buy given the downside risk.
Compare travel insurance for USA trips →
Look for policies with at least $100,000 in medical cover, medical evacuation, and trip cancellation. If you’re planning any adventure activities — hiking, skiing, water sports — confirm coverage before you buy, as standard policies often exclude them.
Tipping Culture in the USA
Tipping is not optional in the USA — it’s embedded in service workers’ livelihoods. Standard amounts:
- Restaurants: 18–22% of the bill (before tax)
- Taxis/Uber: 15–20%
- Hotel porters: $1–2 per bag
- Housekeeping: $2–5/night
Budget ₹1,000–2,000/day for tipping across meals and transport — it adds up on a 10-day trip.
Planning Your USA Itinerary
Build your USA itinerary with the AI trip planner →
Classic 10-day first-timers’ route from India:
- Days 1–4: New York City (fly in via JFK)
- Day 5: Fly to Las Vegas
- Days 6–7: Las Vegas + Grand Canyon day trip
- Day 8: Fly to Los Angeles
- Days 9–10: Los Angeles (fly home from LAX)
This covers three distinct experiences — East Coast urban, desert Southwest, West Coast — without backtracking. Domestic flight costs: ₹6,000–12,000 for both legs.
For longer trips (2–3 weeks), add San Francisco or Chicago. Browse USA tour packages →
Final Verdict
The USA demands commitment: a visa process that takes months, long flights, and costs that require real planning. But the payoff is proportionate. Start the B1/B2 application 9–12 months before travel, book flights 3–4 months out, and go in April–June or September–November for the best combination of weather, crowds, and price.
First visit? New York + Las Vegas + Grand Canyon covers the icons without exhausting you. Budget-conscious? Chicago or LA in the fall delivers strong value. The Indian diaspora in US cities means Indian food is always within reach — a genuine comfort on a long trip.
Search flights from Mumbai or Delhi to the USA →
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