The two Vaishno Devi helicopter routes
| Route | What it is | Where to book |
|---|---|---|
| Katra to Sanjichhat | The regular shuttle from the helipad at Katra to Sanjichhat, about 8 minutes in the air, five or six passengers a flight. From Sanjichhat you walk the last stretch to the Bhawan. | Shrine Board website |
| Jammu to Bhawan (Panchi Helipad) | Packages from Jammu Airport to the Panchi Helipad near the Bhawan: a Same Day Return or a Next Day Return with a night at the Bhawan, including transport, priority darshan and meals. | Shrine Board website |
Fares for both routes are set by the Shrine Board and shown on its website when you book. They change from time to time, so check them there rather than on any other site, this one included.
How to book a Vaishno Devi helicopter online
- Go to the Shrine Board's official site, maavaishnodevi.org, and sign in or register with your mobile number.
- Choose the helicopter service, the route, the date and the slot, and add each passenger's name and ID as it appears on the ID they will carry.
- Pay online and save the ticket. You need it, in print or on the phone, at the helipad.
- Report at the helipad well before the time on the ticket. For the Jammu to Bhawan packages the Shrine Board asks for one hour before; each passenger's ID is checked against the name on the ticket at the verification counter, and then you collect the boarding pass from the operator's counter.
Tickets bought in breach of the Shrine Board's booking terms are declared invalid at the counter, the passenger is not allowed to fly and no refund is given. That is the main risk of buying through a middleman.
When does Vaishno Devi helicopter booking open?
For the Jammu to Bhawan packages, the Shrine Board's procedure opens booking on the 1st of every month at 10 AM for the whole month two months ahead (on 1 June, all of August; on 1 July, all of September), and closes it seven days before the journey. Tickets for this route are round trip, and one booking can cover up to six or seven pilgrims depending on the helicopter.
The Katra to Sanjichhat shuttle is also booked in advance on the same website, and seats for weekends, holidays and Navratri go quickly. The Shrine Board website shows the dates open for booking.
Weight, minimum passengers and confirmation
On the Jammu to Bhawan route a sortie flies only with at least four confirmed passengers, and the total weight with luggage must stay within 480 kg on the six-seat helicopter and 540 kg on the seven-seat one. If your booking has one to three pilgrims, the operator confirms it by SMS, call or WhatsApp at least seven days before the date.
Cancellation and refunds
Shrine Board helicopter tickets are cancelled online only, by signing in with the registered mobile number; counters do not cancel online tickets. Under the Shrine Board's procedure for the Jammu to Bhawan packages:
- Cancelled up to 7 days before the journey: 70% of the package amount is refunded.
- Cancelled up to 48 hours before, by the 10 AM cut-off: 30% is refunded.
- If the operator cannot confirm the flight, for example without the minimum load, the refund is 100% with GST.
- Refunds go back to the card, bank or UPI account used, within seven working days of an online cancellation.
If bad weather or a technical snag stops the helicopter, the package switches to the Shrine Board's alternate arrangement (the Katra to Sanjichhat helicopter or a battery car, with road transfers), as set out in its procedure. Rules can change, so read the terms on the booking page before you pay.
Our helicopter services for a Vaishno Devi trip
- Private helicopter charter. Your own helicopter for the family or group, for example from another city to Jammu, quoted in writing on enquiry, subject to the operator and the permissions for the route. See private helicopter charter.
- Planning help. Which route suits your group, when booking opens, what to carry and how to time the trip with the rest of your journey.
- Other helicopter services in Jammu and Kashmir, such as Amarnath yatra packages by helicopter and heli skiing.
A charter is separate from the Shrine Board's services: the shuttle to Sanjichhat and the Jammu to Bhawan packages are booked with the Shrine Board.
Other helicopter yatras
For the Himalayan shrines we arrange packages ourselves: the Kedarnath helicopter booking guide (the shuttle there is sold only by IRCTC), the Chardham Yatra by helicopter, the Do Dham Yatra, Hemkund Sahib and Amarnath by helicopter, whose official tickets are likewise sold only by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.