Sangai Festival 2026 in Manipur: Dates and Flights to Imphal

Updated November 2026 · HappyFares

Manipur’s biggest tourism festival falls in the last third of November, and its dates sit close to some busy travel weeks. Here is what to check before you book flights to Imphal.

When is the Sangai Festival 2026?

The national tourism portal lists the Sangai Festival 2026 for 21 to 30 November 2026, with Imphal as the venue. In 2026, 21 November is a Saturday and 30 November is a Monday, so the festival opens on a weekend and closes at the start of a working week. The festival has traditionally been held every year from 21 to 30 November.

The Manipur Tourism Department organises it. Before 2010 it was called the Tourism Festival. It was renamed after the Sangai, the brow-antlered deer, which is Manipur’s state animal and a rare and shy species.

One caution is worth taking seriously. No dedicated official 2026 programme has been published yet that we could confirm, so treat the dates as listed rather than locked. Choose a fare you can change or cancel, and check Manipur Tourism announcements before you pay for anything non-refundable.

Where is the festival held?

Since 2010 the main venues have been Hapta Kangjeibung and the Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre in Imphal. In some years programmes have also reached other places in the state, including Mao, Ukhrul and Keibul Lamjao. A film festival has also been run alongside the main event in recent editions.

Because everything centres on Imphal, staying in or near the city keeps your days simple. Plan for the main grounds to be busiest in the evenings, and keep a buffer on your last day so a late flight does not clash with road closures or crowds.

Which airport do you fly into for Imphal?

Imphal’s airport is formally named Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, though most people still say Imphal Airport, and its code is IMF. It sits about 7 km south of the city centre, so a taxi or cab into town is short. Did you know the airfield sits at roughly 774 m above sea level, with a single asphalt runway of about 2,746 m?

The airport is called international, but every scheduled destination on the published list is within India, so plan on a domestic itinerary. Check with your airline if you are travelling from abroad and need a connection through a larger Indian city.

Which airlines fly to Imphal, and from where?

Published airline and destination lists, which are undated, show the following. Schedules change by season, and festival weeks can see fuller flights, so confirm on the airline’s own timetable.

• IndiGo: Agartala, Bengaluru, Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata and Shillong.
• Air India Express: Delhi, Guwahati and Siliguri.
• Alliance Air: Aizawl, Dimapur, Guwahati, Kolkata, Silchar and Tezu.

In practice, most visitors from the rest of India reach Imphal either on a direct flight from Delhi, Kolkata or Bengaluru, or by connecting through Guwahati. If you start from Mumbai, Chennai or Hyderabad, expect to connect, and leave enough time between flights because northeastern connections are not always hourly.

How should you plan the trip around festival week?

Book early, because a ten-day festival in a single city with a modest number of daily flights can fill seats and hotels. Aim to arrive a day before the part of the programme you most want to see. If you fly with checked bags, remember that mountain weather and winter fog elsewhere in the network can delay connecting flights, so avoid a tight same-day link to an onward journey.

Web check-in and airport check-in are free on every Indian airline, so you never need to pay to check in. Check baggage rules for your fare family before you pack handicrafts and shawls, which are popular purchases at festival stalls. IndiGo sells Saver and Flexi Plus fares, and other airlines name their fare families differently, so choose the one that fits how firmly your plans are set.

If you eat only vegetarian food, carry a few dry snacks for the airport and the first evening, and ask stall staff which dishes are vegetarian before you order at festival counters.

Finally, keep your identity document handy for the airport and your hotel, and download your boarding pass before you leave your room. Network coverage can be patchy in crowded venues, so a saved copy saves a lot of stress. If your plans are fluid, set a price alert and book when a fare you like appears, since popular festival dates tend to see fares and seats tighten as the weeks pass.

Common Questions

What are the Sangai Festival 2026 dates?

The national tourism portal lists 21 to 30 November 2026. The festival has traditionally run on those dates each year. Confirm against Manipur Tourism before booking non-refundable travel.

Which is the nearest airport to the Sangai Festival?

Imphal’s Bir Tikendrajit International Airport (IMF) is about 7 km south of the city centre, which is where the festival is held.

Is there a direct flight to Imphal from Delhi?

Published listings show both IndiGo and Air India Express with Delhi to Imphal service. Check the airline timetable for your date, as schedules vary by season.

Why is it called the Sangai Festival?

It is named after the Sangai, the brow-antlered deer that is Manipur’s state animal. The festival took the name in 2010, replacing the earlier Tourism Festival.

Can I fly to Imphal from Guwahati?

Yes. Published listings show IndiGo, Air India Express and Alliance Air connecting Guwahati and Imphal. Guwahati is also a useful connecting point from the rest of India.

Is it free to check in for flights to Imphal?

Yes. No Indian airline charges for web check-in or airport check-in.

Festival dates, schedules, fees and rules change; verify current details with Manipur Tourism, your airline, DGCA or the airport before you travel.