India's Commercial Airports: A Comprehensive Overview

India has a vast network of airports, catering to both domestic and international air travel. There are 468 airports, flying schools, military bases, and airstrips in the country, with 123 of these airports offering scheduled commercial flights. Of these, 34 are international airports, including 11 limited international airports. The remaining airports are domestic, private, or civil enclaves. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages 137 airports, including 24 international airports, 103 domestic airports, and 10 customs airports.

The busiest airport in India is the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, which is also the largest airport in the country.

India's busiest airports

India has over 335 civilian airports, including more than 20 international airports and various national airports. The busiest airports in India are major gateways to the country and important hubs for domestic and international travel. Here is a list of the busiest airports in India, based on passenger traffic and other parameters:

• Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (IATA: DEL): This airport is the busiest in India for passenger and cargo traffic and has been since 2009. It is the world's tenth-busiest airport by passenger numbers and the second-busiest by seating capacity. The airport has a large Terminal 3 and a 4,430-metre runway. It serves as a hub for major Indian carriers such as Air India and IndiGo, hosting about 80 airlines across three active passenger terminals and a cargo terminal.
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (IATA: BOM): This airport offers flights to all six inhabited continents and is the second busiest in India. It is operated by Mumbai International Airport Limited, a joint venture between Adani Enterprises and the Airports Authority of India.
• Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (IATA: BLR): This airport is the third busiest in India, handling over 37.5 million passengers and 439,495 tonnes of cargo in FY 2023-24. It is Karnataka's first fully solar-powered airport, featuring two passenger terminals, two runways, a cargo village, and three cargo terminals.
• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (IATA: HYD): The fourth busiest airport in India, serving over 25 million passengers and 150,000 tonnes of cargo annually. It is a hub for Alliance Air, Amazon Air, and IndiGo. This airport is the largest in India by area, covering 5,500 acres, and was the first in the country to offer domestic and international e-boarding.
• Chennai International Airport, Chennai (IATA: MAA): The fifth-busiest airport in India for passenger traffic and aircraft movements, and the third-busiest for international traffic. In 2023-24, it handled over 17 million passengers and 0.34 million tonnes of cargo.
• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata (IATA: CCU): This airport is one of India's oldest, opening in 1924, and is the main hub for eastern and northeastern India. It accommodated over 20 million passengers in 2023-24, making it the sixth busiest airport in India.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad (IATA: AMD): Gujarat's busiest and largest airport, serving over 11 million passengers in 2023-24. It is a vital hub for Air India and IndiGo and features a rooftop solar plant.
• Cochin International Airport, Kochi (IATA: COK): The busiest and largest airport in Kerala and the fourth busiest for international passengers in India. It serves 31 international and 22 domestic destinations with three passenger terminals and one cargo terminal. It is known for being the world's first fully solar-powered airport.
• Pune International Airport, Pune (IATA: PNQ): Approximately 11 kilometres northeast of Pune's historic centre in Lohegaon, this airport is considered the ninth-busiest in India, connecting over 9.5 million passengers in the 2023-24 financial year.
• Dabolim International Airport, Goa (IATA: GOI): Serving Panaji, the capital of Goa, this airport is located on an Indian Navy base called INS Hansa. It opened a new terminal in 2013 and handled around 8.5 million passengers annually in 2022-23.
• Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow (IATA: LKO): This airport was established in 1986 and expanded with Terminal 2 in 2012, gaining international status. Terminal 3 was inaugurated in March 2024 and can handle 13 million passengers annually.
• Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati (IATA: GAU): Established in 1958, this airport has undergone multiple expansions to support regional development. It nearly reached its 6 million annual passenger capacity in 2023.
• Jaipur International Airport (IATA: JAI): Jaipur International Airport received international status in 2005 and can accommodate 14 aircraft. The integrated terminal handles 1,000 peak-hour passengers. Current expansion plans include widening Terminal 2 and adding a new departure hall, conveyor belts, and aerobridges.
• Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneshwar (IATA: BBI): Odisha's first commercial airport, opened in 1962, with two terminals: one for domestic and the other for international flights. It can handle 4 million passengers annually and features aerobridges, check-in counters, and various other amenities.
• Manohar International Airport, Goa (IATA: GOX): Goa's second airport, which opened in January 2023, handles about 100 aircraft movements and 15,000 passengers daily. It is named after former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Airports with the most passenger traffic

India has over 335 civilian airports, with 250 airports having concreted runways and 96 with caliche-topped runways. Of these, there are 33 international airports, 11 limited international airports, and 24 international airports managed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI).

The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi is the busiest airport in India in terms of overall passenger movement, with 59,38,988 passengers in August 2023, and 73.67 million passengers in the financial year of 2024. It is followed by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, which had 43,29,749 passengers in August 2023. The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru is the third busiest airport in India, with 29,93,061 passengers in August 2023.

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, the Chennai International Airport, and the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata are also among the airports with the highest passenger traffic in India.

Airports with the most cargo traffic

India has over 335 civilian airports, including 20 international airports and various national airports. The Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is the country's busiest airport in terms of both passenger and cargo traffic. In the financial year 2024, it handled one million metric tons of freight, with a 12% increase from the previous year.

The Chennai International Airport, also known as the Anna International Airport, is another major airport in South India. It has three terminals, including one dedicated to cargo. Chennai International Airport serves as a hub for Air India Cargo, Air India, Jet Airways, Blue Dart Aviation, and Spicejet.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai is another significant airport in terms of cargo traffic. Formerly known as the Sahar International Airport, it is the second busiest airport in Southern Asia in terms of tourist movement. The airport has four terminals, including one dedicated to overseas flights and a cargo terminal. It serves as a hub for several airlines, including Blue Dart Aviation, Air India, GoAir, Deccan360, Jet Airways, IndiGo, Kingfisher Airlines, JetLite, and SpiceJet.

The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata is the next airport on the list. It serves the metropolitan area of Greater Kolkata and is a hub for Air India, Air India Regional, Deccan Aviation, Blue Dart Aviation, IndiGo, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, and SpiceJet, among others.

The airports mentioned above are the top cargo traffic airports in India, handling significant freight volumes and contributing to the country's aviation industry and economic development.

Airports with the largest civilian runways

India has over 335 civilian airports, which can be divided into airports with concreted runways (250) and those with caliche-topped runways (96). Here is a list of airports with the largest civilian runways:

Indira Gandhi International Airport

Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is India's largest international airport, constructed on 5106 acres of land. It is also the busiest airport in the country and one of the busiest in the world, with six terminals serving passengers. The airport has four runways, with the longest, runway 11/29, measuring 4,430 meters. This runway is one of the world's longest, with the longest paved threshold displacement of 1,460 meters, helping to reduce noise over nearby properties. The runway increases the airport's capacity to handle up to 100 flights per hour. Indira Gandhi International Airport is named after the former prime minister of India and is located in the southwest part of the city.

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, located near Hyderabad, has the second-longest runway in India. Its primary runway measures about 4,260 meters, which is long enough to accommodate Airbus A380 operations. The airport has another, much shorter runway, measuring 3,707 meters, which can accommodate an Airbus A340 or Boeing 747. The airport is spread over 5500 acres and is the largest in the country.

Kempegowda International Airport

Kempegowda International Airport, serving Bangalore, has two runways in a parallel configuration. Both runways are 4,000 meters long, allowing for simultaneous take-off and landing of two different flights. The airport is spread over 4000 acres and offers direct flights to all inhabited continents except South America.

INS Rajali

INS Rajali, a naval air station in Arakkonam, has a single runway that spans 4,103 meters, making it one of Asia's longest military runways.

Chennai International Airport

If only commercial airports are considered, Chennai International Airport would be the fifth airport with the largest runway in India. Its primary runway, 07/25, measures 3,658 meters, while the secondary runway, 12/30, is 2,045 meters long.

Airports with the smallest runways

India has over 335 civilian airports, with 250 concreted runways and 96 caliche-topped runways. Here is a list of airports with the smallest runways:

• Baljek Airport, Meghalaya: This airport has a runway length of 1,006 metres (3,300 ft) and is one of the smallest airports in India. It is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and will have flights between Shillong and Tura once it becomes operational.
• Kullu-Manali Airport, Himachal Pradesh: Also known as Bhuntar Airport, this airport has a runway length of 1,125 metres (3,691 ft). It is located in Bhuntar and serves the cities of Kullu and Manali. The airport is known for its challenging approach, nestled within a deep valley surrounded by towering peaks.
• Shimla Airport, Himachal Pradesh: Commonly known as Jubbarhatti Airport, this airport is located about 22 kilometres from Shimla city. Its runway is just 1,230 metres (4,035 ft) long, and the terminal can accommodate 50 passengers for arriving flights and 40 for departing flights.
• Agatti Airport, Lakshadweep: Agatti Airport is the only airport in the Lakshadweep archipelago, located off the west coast of India. It has a runway length of 1,291 metres (4,235 ft) and is operated by the Airports Authority of India. The terminal can accommodate up to 50 passengers during peak hours.
• Ambikapur Airport, Chhattisgarh: Formerly known as Darima Airport, Ambikapur Airport has one of the shortest runways in India, now extended to 1,800 metres (5,905 ft). It is owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India and is the fourth public airport in Chhattisgarh.

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