Terminal T2 hosts 3 airlines. You'll find 7 dining options, 5 lounges, 10 shops here.
All international flights now leave from T2 at MAA
Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and the rest of the international roster now work out of Anna International’s new integrated T2, which replaces the old T3/T4 setup. Check your booking and airport signage carefully: if it’s an international departure from Chennai, assume T2 unless your airline explicitly says T1 or T4 for a domestic leg. The building itself feels bigger and more modern than the legacy blocks it replaces, but the current pain point is what sits inside it, not the structure.
Layout and check-in: more space, same slow formalities
T2 check-in spans a long hall with multiple island counters split by airline groupings, so Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines passengers should follow the overhead boards rather than just joining the first queue they see. International departures still run through the usual two-step of immigration then security, and FlyerTalk reports talk about “procedurally slow” flow, with people adding 30–60 minutes of buffer even when on through-tickets. Land on a late-night bank and you can easily stand 20–30 minutes just at immigration, so don’t cut it fine.
Landside vs airside: eat before you commit to security
The recurring theme in T2 reports: landside has options, airside feels bare. With several restaurant brands present across the international side of MAA, regulars time it so they eat properly before immigration, then move through to the gates closer to boarding. If your flight leaves after 23:00, assume most counters and cafes thin out quickly, so grab food and water in the public hall first instead of gambling on what’s open at your exact gate.
Food and drink: ration your expectations
Names you’ll see around the international complex include Masala, Indian Paradise, Noodle Bar, Madras Coffee House, Barista, Tastes of Tamil Nadu and The Beer Cafe, though not every unit is right by every gate in T2. A filter coffee at Madras Coffee House or Barista usually runs under ₹200, while simple South Indian plates at Masala or Tastes of Tamil Nadu tend to sit in the ₹250–₹400 band. Regulars describe the pre-departure area as “particularly sterile” for food and drink, so treat anything you find airside as a bonus rather than a plan.
Lounges: Plaza Premium makeshift plus legacy names in flux
For now, the main option actually in T2 is a temporary Plaza Premium lounge, described on FlyerTalk as a “makeshift” setup that functions more like a holding pen than a full-service stop. Older lounge names linked to Anna International include the Travel Club Lounge, Air India’s Maharaja Lounge, TajSATS Lounge, an Executive Lounge and a VIP Lounge, but one FlyerTalk user notes that the former Maharaja space from the old terminal is not currently usable for T2 departures. Priority Pass and card-access passengers often pop into Plaza Premium for 20–30 minutes just for a seat and basic drinks, then leave with time to spare for boarding.
Shopping: duty free plus a few recognizable Indian brands
On the retail front, you’ll see Avenue Duty Free and the main Duty Free Store handling liquor, tobacco and cosmetics, with larger spirit bottles often a bit cheaper than Chennai city pricing but not dramatically so. Indian brands pop up too: Hidesign for leather bags, Titan for watches, Fabindia and Pothys for kurtas and sarees, Relay for books and snacks, India Post for last-minute mailing, Health & Glow for basic toiletries, and Croma Zip for small electronics and chargers. If you land needing a SIM adapter or cable, Croma Zip usually solves it under ₹600.
What regulars do at T2
Frequent flyers on FlyerTalk say they do not plan a long lounge stay at T2 because of the temporary Plaza Premium and instead arrive at the airport already fed, using lounges only for a quick drink and Wi‑Fi. Some also delay heading through immigration and security until roughly 60–75 minutes before boarding, especially when flying out on late-night Emirates or Qatar Airways waves, using the public side for a real meal and coffee instead of sitting in the “sterile” gate zone. Transit passengers on regional carriers like SriLankan report that they talk to ground staff immediately after deplaning so airside transit is set up correctly and they avoid being sent landside by default.
Watch out for bottlenecks and dead time
Connection reports describe the international process at MAA, now centered on T2, as something they would “avoid… unless I had no other viable option,” largely because of slow queues and dull gate areas. If you have a 90-minute connection on one ticket with Emirates, Qatar Airways or Singapore Airlines, treat that as tight at night when multiple widebodies hit at once, since immigration plus security can easily eat 45–60 minutes. One practical tip: eat and stock up on water landside, then aim to clear formalities so you reach the gate 30–40 minutes before boarding, not two hours early with nothing to do.