Top 10 busiest airports in India

Did you know India boasts some of the world's busiest airports? In fact, FY 2024 witnessed a surge in air travel, with a whopping 376.4 million passengers using Indian airports—15 percent higher than the previous year and 10 percent more than pre-COVID levels.

The busiest airports in India are not only major gateways to the country but also important hubs for domestic and international travel. In this article, we will study the top 10 busiest airports in India, their significance, and the impressive passenger traffic they handle.

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Top 10 Busiest Airports in India

Here is the tabular overview of the top 10 busiest airports in India, along with their annual passenger traffic change:

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Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (IATA: DEL)

Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 3

Indira Gandhi International Airport serves New Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). It has been the busiest airport in India for passenger and cargo traffic since 2009. It is the world's tenth-busiest airport by passenger numbers and second-busiest by seating capacity.

The airport has significant infrastructure, such as the large Terminal 3 and a 4,430 m runway. To manage increasing traffic, a second airport, Noida International Airport, is under construction.\

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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (IATA: BOM)

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai; Photo by Ashish Vaishnav/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

• Number of terminals: 2

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport offers flights to all six inhabited continents. It is operated by Mumbai International Airport Limited, a joint venture between Adani Enterprises and the Airports Authority of India.

Originally named Sahar Airport, it was renamed in 1999 in honour of the 17th-century Maratha ruler, Shivaji Maharaj. The airport is located in Santacruz and Sahar Village in Vile Parle East.

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Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (IATA: BLR)

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 2

Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru is listed as the 3rd busiest airport in India, and it opened in May 2008 to ease congestion at the HAL Airport. It is named after Bangalore's founder, Kempe Gowda I, and is Karnataka's first fully solar-powered airport.

It is the third-busiest airport in India, handling over 37.5 million passengers and 439,495 tonnes of cargo in FY 2023-24. The airport features two passenger terminals, two runways, a cargo village, and three cargo terminals, offering flights to all six inhabited continents.

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (IATA: HYD)

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 1

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, Telangana, opened in 2008 to replace Begumpet Airport. Located 24 km south of the city, it is the largest airport in India by area, covering 5,500 acres. This was the first airport in India to offer domestic and international e-boarding.

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is 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.

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Chennai International Airport, Chennai (IATA: MAA)

Chennai International Airport, Chennai; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 3

Chennai International Airport is located about 21 km southwest of the city centre. It is 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. With a capacity expected to peak at 40 million passengers by 2035, plans for a new greenfield airport are in place.

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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata (IATA: CCU)

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 1

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport was renamed in 1995 after the Indian independence leader Subhas Chandra Bose.

Opened in 1924, it is one of India's oldest airports and the main hub for eastern and northeastern India. The airport covers 6.64 square kilometres and accommodated over 20 million passengers in 2023-24, making it the sixth busiest airport in India.

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Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad (IATA: AMD)

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 2

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is Gujarat's busiest and largest airport, serving over 11 million passengers in 2023-24. It is a vital hub for Air India and IndiGo.

The airport was established in 1937 and began international operations in 1991. It also features a statue of Sardar Patel and a rooftop solar plant. Due to space constraints, a new airport, Dholera International, is under development.

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Cochin International Airport, Kochi (IATA: COK)

Cochin International Airport, Kochi; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 3

Cochin International Airport, located in Nedumbassery near Kochi, Kerala, is the busiest and largest airport in the state and the fourth busiest for international passengers in India.

The airport, known for being the world's first fully solar-powered airport, serves 31 international and 22 domestic destinations with three passenger terminals and one cargo terminal. Recognised for its achievements, the airport has been awarded the Champion of the Earth title and named 'Best Airport' in Asia-Pacific for its size category.

Pune Airport, Pune (IATA: PNQ)

Pune Airport, Pune; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 2

Pune Airport, or Pune International Airport, is approximately 11 kilometres northeast of Pune's historic centre in Lohegaon. It serves domestic and international destinations and functions as an Indian Air Force base.

It is considered the ninth-busiest airport in India, connecting over 9.5 million passengers in the 2023-24 financial year.

Dabolim Airport, Goa (IATA: GOI)

Dabolim Airport, Goa; Image: Shutterstock

• Number of terminals: 1

Dabolim Airport serves Panaji, the capital of Goa, India. It is situated on an Indian Navy base called INS Hansa. The airport, located 4 km from Vasco da Gama and about 30 km from Panaji, opened a new terminal in 2013.

In 2022-23, Dabolim Airport (GOI) handled around 8.5 million passengers annually. However, passenger traffic has declined since the opening of Mopa Airport, located approximately 60 kilometres away, in January 2023.