Integrated Terminal Building

All flights at HYD use the same Integrated Terminal Building

T1 at Rajiv Gandhi International runs under one roof, so Air India, IndiGo, Emirates, Lufthansa, British Airways, Qatar Airways, SpiceJet, and Vistara all depart from the same integrated building. Domestic and international areas sit in different wings, but you stay in one continuous terminal rather than shuttling between buildings.

If you’re connecting domestic–international on one ticket, FlyerTalk reports immigration usually happens in Hyderabad and the onward leg feels like a standard security re-screen. Bags on through-tickets with Air India typically tag to the final destination, and boarding passes for both sectors print at HYD check-in when the booking is on a single PNR.

Security and immigration sit on the departures level above check-in and feed into a central retail spine before branching into domestic gates in the 1–40 range and international gates in the 100s. Reviews on SKYTRAX call out inconsistent behavior from staff and slow queues, so build at least 60–90 minutes for domestic and 2.5–3 hours for international, even though the physical layout is straightforward.

Food and coffee by gate cluster

Near the lower domestic gates, Jamie’s Pizzeria sits close to Gate 4 and works for a quick sit-down if you’ve got a little time before boarding. Prices land above city levels, but a basic pizza still comes in under typical hotel-restaurant pricing, and you’re only a short walk from early domestic morning banks.

Chai Point and Hatti Kaapi both sit near Gate 8 on the domestic side and handle most of the tea and filter-coffee runs before early IndiGo and SpiceJet departures. Expect chai and snacks priced a bit higher than city outlets, but still reasonable for airport standards and far cheaper than full-service cafés.

Brioche Doree and Franks cluster near Gate 13, so that stretch covers pastries, sandwiches, and hot dogs in one shot. Cream Stone near Gate 12 fills the dessert gap, with ice cream portions large enough to share if you’re killing time before an evening departure in the 10–20 gate range.

Burger King sits near Gate 18 and usually pulls long lines during main domestic waves, especially around dinner. If your boarding pass shows a gate in the high teens or 20s, this is your quickest bet for a known fast-food option; budget 10–20 minutes in queue at peak times.

International-side, Cafe Niloufer near Gate 101 gives you Hyderabad-style biscuits and chai inside security, and Doner and Gyros near Gate 108 covers late-night departures to the Gulf. Harley’s sits between Gates 120 and 104, so that stretch becomes the main food corridor for long-haul flights on Emirates, Qatar Airways, British Airways, and Lufthansa.

Outside the sterile area, Aero Plaza hosts Buffalo Wild Wings and Gourmet Kunafa with longer opening hours that often match late-night bank departures. If you arrive early from the city, you can eat here before security to dodge some of the post-security crowding and slightly higher prices.

Lounges: Encalm vs Plaza Premium

The domestic Plaza Premium Lounge in T1 reportedly opens from 4:30am to 11pm and handles guests from almost all domestic airlines, which makes it the default option for long waits. FlyerTalk users describe it as very small with poor hygiene, so expect crowding during morning and evening banks and do not plan your whole layover around staying there.

Encalm Lounge also operates in the domestic wing and usually takes business-class guests and some card programs, with food and seating that frequent flyers often rate slightly above Plaza Premium. It still fills up around peak IndiGo and SpiceJet waves, so arriving right at opening hours or in mid-day lulls gives you the best chance of finding a seat.

The international Encalm Lounge sits airside near the higher 100-series gates used by Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, and British Airways. Access rules depend on your airline and card, but timing a shower and a hot meal here before overnight flights tends to beat trying to sleep in the general gate areas.

Shopping and small errands

Duty free and fashion sit along the central spine, with brands like Boss and Brooks Brothers giving you last-minute business attire options. Biba covers Indian wear, while Accessorize and Carlton London handle bags and accessories for anyone who under-packed or needs a quick replacement before a meeting.

Food and gifts skew local with Almond House and Bikanervala offering sweets and snacks that actually travel well. Ajmal Perfumes, Artport, and Beaute & Nutrie add fragrance and beauty stops, and Apollo Pharmacy in the terminal handles basic medicines and travel supplies if something is missing from your bag.

What regulars do and one tip

Frequent flyers on through-tickets try to complete immigration in Hyderabad, then treat domestic–international connections as simple airside transfers with only a security check in between. Many still walk into the Plaza Premium Lounge by default on domestic routes despite the complaints, using it mainly for Wi‑Fi and power rather than food or showers.

One practical tip: if your boarding pass shows a 100-series gate, clear formalities, head straight toward Cafe Niloufer at Gate 101 or Doner and Gyros at Gate 108, and settle near your actual gate from the start instead of lingering in the central mall and sprinting when boarding starts.