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Airports in India
India boasts a diverse range of airports, catering to both domestic and international travel needs. The airports in India have significant importance in connecting various parts of the country to the world. From major metropolitan cities to smaller towns, there are airports in India spread across the country. With a growing economy and a thriving tourism industry, airports in India serve as crucial transportation hubs for both business and leisure travel. With multiple airports in India, travelers can access various regions of the country with ease, enabling them to explore India’s diverse culture and landscapes.
Surat Airport Declared International Airport
The Indian government has officially declared Surat Airport in Gujarat as an ‘International Airport’ with immediate effect. This decision, approved by the Union Cabinet in December, aims to position Surat as a significant player in international aviation and boost economic growth.
The airport’s transformation is expected to streamline import-export operations for the diamond and textile industries, attracting foreign investment and strengthening diplomatic ties. A new terminal for domestic flights was inaugurated in December, featuring sustainability measures such as insulated roofing, energy-saving canopies, rainwater harvesting, and a solar power plant. The move is anticipated to drive regional development and prosperity.
Types of Airports In India
Airport Type | Description |
---|---|
International | Airport which handles both international and domestic traffic. |
International (CE) | A civil enclave airport primarily used by Indian Armed Forces but has a separate commercial terminal(s) to handle international and domestic traffic. |
Customs | Airport with customs checking and clearance facility and handles domestic traffic throughout the year. A very limited number of international flights also operate from some of these customs airports for a limited period. |
Domestic | An airport which handles only domestic traffic. |
Domestic (CE) | A civil enclave airport primarily used by Indian Armed Forces but has a separate commercial terminal(s) to handle domestic traffic. |
State/Private | An airport under the control of state governments and/or private entities. |
List of International Airports in India
India has a total of 35 international airports that cater to the needs of travellers arriving from around the world. These international airports in India serve as significant gateways for tourism and business travel, offering world-class facilities and amenities. These airports are crucial in connecting India to the rest of the world and help in promoting global trade and cultural exchange. Here is a comprehensive list of international airports in India.
S.N. | Name of the Airport | City/ State |
1. | Rajiv Gandhi International Airport | Hyderabad, Telangana |
2. | Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport | Amritsar, Punjab |
3. | Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport | Guwahati, Assam |
4. | Biju Patnaik International Airport | Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
5. | Gaya Airport | Gaya, Bihar |
6. | Indira Gandhi International Airport | New Delhi, Delhi |
7. | Veer Savarkar International Airport | Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
8. | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport | Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
9. | Kempegowda International Airport | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
10. | Mangalore International Airport | Mangalore, Karnataka |
11. | Cochin International Airport | Kochi, Kerala |
12. | Calicut International Airport | Kozhikode, Kerala |
13. | Trivandrum International Airport | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
14. | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
15. | Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport | Nagpur, Maharashtra |
16. | Jaipur International Airport | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
17. | Chennai International Airport | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
18. | Tiruchirappalli International Airport | Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu |
19. | Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
20. | Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
21. | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport | Kolkata, West Bengal |
22. | Kannur International Airport | Kannur, Kerala |
23. | Surat Airport | Surat, Gujarat |
24. | Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport | Indore, Madhya Pradesh |
25. | Dabolim Airport | Dabolim, Goa |
26. | Coimbatore International Airport | Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu |
27. | Sheikh ul-Aalam International Airport | Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir |
28. | Imphal International Airport | Imphal, Manipur |
29. | Madurai Airport | Madurai, Tamil Nadu |
30. | Bagdogra International Airport | Siliguri, West Bengal |
31. | Mangalore International Airport | Mangalore, Karnataka |
32. | Chandigarh International Airport | Chandigarh |
33. | Nashik Airport | Nashik, Maharashtra |
34. | Vadodara Airport | Vadodara, Gujarat |
35. | Kushinagar Airport | Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh |
36. | Surat International Airport (STV) | Magdalla, Gujarat |
List of Domestic Airports in India
Airport | State/UT | City Located | Role | IATA Code |
---|---|---|---|---|
Veer Savarkar International Airport | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair | Civil Enclave | IXZ |
Kadapa Airport | Andhra Pradesh | Kadapa | Commercial | CDP |
Vijayawada Airport | Andhra Pradesh | Vijayawada | Commercial | VGA |
Rajahmundry Airport | Andhra Pradesh | Rajahmundry | Commercial | RJA |
Tirupati Airport | Andhra Pradesh | Tirupati | Commercial | TIR |
Pasighat Airport | Arunachal Pradesh | Pasighat | Civil Enclave | IXT |
Gaya Airport | Bihar | Gaya | Customs, Commercial | GAY |
Ambikapur Airport | Chhattisgarh | Ambikapur | Commercial | — |
Bilaspur Airport | Chhattisgarh | Bilaspur | Flying School | PAB |
Swami Vivekananda Airport | Chhattisgarh | Raipur | Commercial | RPR |
Diu Airport | Daman and Diu | Diu | Commercial | DIU |
Indira Gandhi International Airport | Delhi | New Delhi | Commercial | DEL |
Dibrugarh Airport | Assam | Dibrugarh | Commercial | DIB |
Jorhat Airport | Assam | Jorhat | Civil Enclave | JRH |
Lilabari Airport | Assam | North Lakhimpur | Commercial | IXI |
Tezpur Airport | Assam | Tezpur | Defence | TEZ |
Silchar Airport | Assam | Silchar | Civil Enclave | IXS |
Vadodara Airport | Gujarat | Vadodara | Commercial | BDQ |
Bhuj Airport | Gujarat | BHUJ | Civil Enclave | BHJ |
Kandla Airport | Gujarat | Kandla | Commercial | IXY |
Jamnagar Airport | Gujarat | Jamnagar | Civil Enclave | JGA |
Porbandar Airport | Gujarat | Porbandar | Commercial | PBD |
Rajkot Airport | Gujarat | Rajkot | Commercial | RAJ |
Bhavnagar Airport | Gujarat | Bhavnagar | Commercial | BHU |
Karnal Airport | Haryana | Karnal | Flying School | — |
Hisar Airport | Haryana | Hisar | Commercial | HSS |
Kangra Airport | Himachal Pradesh | Kangra | Commercial | DHM |
Kullu-Manali Airport | Himachal Pradesh | Kullu | Commercial | KUU |
Shimla Airport | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla | Commercial | SLV |
Jammu Airport | Jammu & Kashmir | Jammu | Civil Enclave | IXJ |
Bokaro Airport | Jharkhand | Bokaro | Commercial | BKR |
Sonari Airport | Jharkhand | Jamshedpur | Commercial | IXW |
Birsa Munda Airport | Jharkhand | Ranchi | Commercial | IXR |
Bellary Airport | Karnataka | Bellary | Commercial | BEP |
Jakkur Airfield | Karnataka | Bengaluru | Flying School | — |
Belgaum Airport | Karnataka | Belgaum | Commercial | IXG |
Mysore Airport | Karnataka | Mysore | Commercial | MYQ |
Gulbarga Airport | Karnataka | Kalaburagi | Commercial | GBI |
Hubli Airport | Karnataka | Hubli | Commercial | HBX |
Kollam Airport | Kerala | Kollam | Closed | — |
Agatti Airport | Lakshadweep | Agatti | Commercial | AGX |
Khajuraho Airport | Madhya Pradesh | Khajuraho | Commercial | HJR |
Satna Airport | Madhya Pradesh | Satna | Commercial | TNI |
Jabalpur Airport | Madhya Pradesh | Jabalpur | Commercial | JLR |
Raja Bhoj Airport | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | Commercial | BHO |
Gwalior Airport | Madhya Pradesh | Gwalior | Commercial | GWL |
Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport | Madhya Pradesh | Indore | Commercial | IDR |
Shirdi Airport | Maharashtra | Shirdi | Commercial | SAG |
Nashik Airport | Maharashtra | Nashik | Commercial | ISK |
Yavatmal Airport | Maharashtra | Yavatmal | General Aviation | YTL |
Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport | Maharashtra | Nanded | Commercial | NDC |
Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport | Maharashtra | Kolhapur | Commercial | KLH |
Juhu Aerodrome | Maharashtra | Mumbai | General Aviation | — |
Aurangabad Airport | Maharashtra | Aurangabad | Commercial | IXU |
Solapur Airport | Maharashtra | Solapur | General Aviation | SSL |
Jalgaon Airport | Maharashtra | Jalgaon | Commercial | JLG |
Akola Airport | Maharashtra | Akola | General Aviation | AKD |
Shillong Airport | Meghalaya | Shillong | Commercial | SHL |
Lengpui Airport | Mizoram | Aizawl | Commercial | AJL |
Dimapur Airport | Nagaland | Dimapur | Commercial | DMU |
Veer Surendra Sai Airport | Odisha | Jharsuguda | Commercial | JSA |
Jeypore Airport | Odisha | Jeypore | — | PYB |
Puducherry Airport | Puducherry | Pondicherry | Commercial | PNY |
Bathinda Airport | Punjab | Bathinda | Civil Enclave | BUP |
Pathankot Airport | Punjab | Pathankot | Civil Enclave | IXP |
Sahnewal Airport | Punjab | Ludhiana | Commercial | LUH |
Patiala Airport | Punjab | Patiala | — | — |
Adampur Airport | Punjab | Jalandhar | Civil Enclave | AIP |
Nal Airport | Rajasthan | Bikaner | Civil Enclave | BKB |
Kota Airport | Rajasthan | Kota | — | KTU |
Kishangarh Airport | Rajasthan | Ajmer | Commercial | KQH |
Jodhpur Airport | Rajasthan | Jodhpur | Civil Enclave | JDH |
Maharana Pratap Airport | Rajasthan | Udaipur | Commercial | UDR |
Jaisalmer Airport | Rajasthan | Jaisalmer | Civil Enclave | JSA |
Pakyong Airport | Sikkim | Gangtok | Commercial | PYG |
Thoothukudi Airport | Tamil Nadu | Thoothukudi | Commercial | TCR |
Salem Airport | Tamil Nadu | Salem | Commercial | SXV |
Nadirgul Airport | Telangana | Hyderabad | Flying School | — |
Begumpet Airport | Telangana | Hyderabad | Flying School | — |
Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport | Tripura | Agartala | Commercial | IXA |
Kanpur Airport | Uttar Pradesh | Kanpur | Civil enclave | KNU |
Hindon Airport | Uttar Pradesh | Ghaziabad | Civil Enclave | HDX |
Agra Air Force Station | Uttar Pradesh | Agra | Civil Enclave | AGR |
Gorakhpur Airport | Uttar Pradesh | Gorakhpur | Civil Enclave | GOP |
Allahabad Airport | Uttar Pradesh | Allahabad | Civil Enclave | IXD |
Jolly Grant Airport | Uttarakhand | Dehradun | Commercial | DED |
Naini Saini Airport | Uttarakhand | Pithoragarh | Commercial | NNS |
Pantnagar Airport | Uttarakhand | Pantnagar | Commercial | PGH |
Balurghat Airport | West Bengal | Balurghat | — | RGH |
Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport | West Bengal | Asansol | Commercial | RDP |
Behala Airport | West Bengal | Behala | Heliport | — |
Cooch Behar Airport | West Bengal | Cooch Behar | — | COH |
Panagarh Airport | West Bengal | Panagarh | Airbase | — |
Busiest Airports in India
The busiest airports in India in terms of passenger traffic are the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, and the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. These airports serve millions of passengers each year and are critical to the country’s transportation network and economic growth.
Airport Name | Location | Busiest Rank in India | Busiest Rank Worldwide | Special Features | Passenger Count |
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) | Delhi | 1 | 12 | One of the busiest airports in India, with one of the longest runways. | Not specified |
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) | Mumbai | 2 | Not specified | Features the Artbeat exhibit and a hotel at Terminal 2. | Not specified |
Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) | Bengaluru | 3 | Not specified | The third busiest airport in India. | Not specified |
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) | Hyderabad | Not specified | Not specified | Handles 21 million passengers. | 21 million passengers |
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) | Kolkata | Not specified | Not specified | One of the busiest airports in India. | Not specified |
Airports in India Important Facts for UPSC
- India has 487 airports, including 35 international airports and 123 domestic airports.
- The Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages 137 airports, including 29 international airports, 10 customs airports, and 103 domestic airports.
- India’s busiest airports include:
- Indira Gandhi International Airport
- Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
- Kempegowda International Airport
- Chennai International Airport
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport
- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
- Kempegowda International Airport, also known as Bangalore International Airport, is the third busiest airport in India. It opened in 2008 and is named after Kempe Gowda I, the founder of Bangalore.
- Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai is the second largest airport in India and offers amenities like business class lounges, free WiFi, and a baby care room.
- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad is a relatively new airport that replaced the old airport at Begumpet in 2008. It’s built on a public-private partnership and covers 5,400 acres.