Tea stops under 15 minutes from most NITB gates
Chai Point sits airside in Pune’s NITB terminal, close enough to most domestic gates that you can grab something even on a tight boarding call. It runs through standard flight banks, usually opening before the first morning departures and staying open until late-night flights taper off, so early 5:00–6:00 a.m. travelers and post-10:00 p.m. arrivals both have a caffeine option.
Expect classic Indian tea-shop fare: masala chai, ginger chai, and green tea by the cup, plus quick bites like samosas and sandwiches. A hot cup typically prices in the ₹40–₹80 range, with snacks landing around ₹80–₹150, so you’re not burning through a whole travel budget here. It’s all counter-service, take-and-go, and you’ll usually find people queuing with boarding passes in hand rather than sitting down for a long meal.
Tea is the draw. Freshly brewed masala chai from steel kettles lands far ahead of the generic tea bags some nearby kiosks use. If you like stronger flavor, ask them to make it “kadak” and they’ll tweak it on the spot. On the food side, the fried snacks hold up better than the premade sandwiches; grab samosas or pakoras over anything that has been wrapped in plastic for more than 30–40 minutes.
Card payments and UPI are widely accepted here, which matters if you just hit the airport ATM for ₹2,000 notes or rolled in from an international leg with only a Visa or Mastercard. Billing is quick, and they’ll usually turn around a tea order in 3–5 minutes. That’s fast enough to squeeze in a cup even when your boarding pass shows “final call” in 10 minutes and you’re hovering near the NITB central security zone.
Tip: Order your chai first, then browse snacks while they brew; it saves you 2–3 minutes when your boarding gate at NITB shows “security check completed” and you still want one last proper tea.