In short
To book your parents' flights from India to the USA you need their names exactly as on their passports, a valid US visitor visa (B-2) for Indian passport holders, since the Visa Waiver Program does not include India, and travel dates that fit the stay granted on arrival. Book the flight from their home city and the international flight on one ticket, so their bags go through and a missed connection is the airline's responsibility. Ask for wheelchair assistance and meal preferences when booking: airlines flying to and from the US must provide assistance to passengers with disabilities free of charge. Buy visitor medical insurance before they travel, because US hospital bills are high and Indian health cover rarely applies there. You can arrange all of it from the USA by WhatsApp and approve the quote before anything is booked.
Before you ask for a fare
- Passports: valid for the whole trip, and names spelled exactly as printed, including middle names.
- Visa: Indian passport holders need a US visitor visa (B-2). Check its validity dates and entries left.
- Dates: the officer at the US airport sets how long they may stay, usually up to six months on a B-2 visa. Plan the return within it.
- Home airport: Nagpur and most smaller Indian cities have no nonstop flight to the US, so the journey starts with a domestic flight.
One ticket from their home city
Booked together, the flight from their home city and the long-haul flight are one trip. Checked bags normally go through to the first US airport, and if the first flight is late the airline has to rebook them. On two separate tickets they would have to collect bags and check in again, and a missed connection would be theirs to sort out.
Allow a comfortable connection rather than the shortest one. Changing from a domestic to an international flight in Delhi or Mumbai can mean a terminal change and immigration and security checks.
Wheelchair help and meals
- Wheelchair assistance is free. Request it when booking, from check-in to the aircraft door and through connections; it also gets them help with long walks and immigration queues.
- US rules on passengers with disabilities apply to flights to and from the US, including foreign airlines on those flights.
- Ask for meals when booking: Asian vegetarian, Jain, diabetic and other special meals can usually be requested in advance.
- Tell us about medicines they carry: keep them in the cabin bag, in original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.
Arriving in the USA
At the first US airport they go through immigration, collect their checked bags, clear customs, and drop the bags again for any onward US flight. The admission record (Form I-94) is electronic; you can look it up online after they arrive to confirm the date they must leave by.
All food must be declared to US Customs. Undeclared food can lead to fines, while declared items that are not allowed are simply taken away. Our baggage guide lists what usually causes trouble.
Medical insurance
US healthcare is expensive and Indian health policies rarely cover treatment there. Visitor medical insurance, bought before they leave India, is strongly advised for parents of any age, and essential for older travellers. Check what it says about conditions they already have.
Official sources
- US Department of State: visitor visa
- US Department of Transportation: passengers with disabilities
- US Customs and Border Protection: I-94 admission record
This guide explains the rules in general and is not legal advice. Your airline's conditions of carriage and your fare rules apply to your booking.