India is a vast and diverse country with a rich cultural heritage and a growing economy. As a result, there is a high demand for efficient transportation options, including air travel. India’s network of international and domestic airports plays a key role in connecting people, promoting tourism, and supporting economic growth.
International airports in India serve as gateways to the world, facilitating travel for business and leisure purposes. These airports are spread across the country and provide connectivity to major cities and regions. For example, Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai are among the busiest airports in India, handling significant international and domestic traffic. These airports offer modern facilities and services to cater to the needs of travelers from around the world.
Domestic airports in India play a crucial role in regional connectivity. They enable people to travel within the country quickly and conveniently, boosting tourism and supporting local economies. Airports like Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair and Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur connect remote and tourist destinations to major cities, making travel easier for both locals and visitors.
India’s airports vary in size and purpose. Some airports, like those in major cities, are equipped to handle a large volume of passengers and cargo. Others, located in smaller cities and towns, focus on regional connectivity and supporting local industries. Civil enclaves within military airbases also provide essential air services in certain regions.
In recent years, India has made significant investments in upgrading and expanding its airport infrastructure. New airports have been built, and existing ones have been modernized to accommodate the growing demand for air travel. These developments not only improve connectivity but also contribute to India’s overall economic development.
In summary, India’s international and domestic airports play a vital role in connecting the country with the world and within itself. They support economic growth, tourism, and regional development, making air travel an essential part of India’s transportation network.
International Airports in India
The table given below mentions the list of International Airports in India along with the airport code assigned by the International Air Transport Association – IATA and the type or purpose these airports are used for.
| List Of International Airports in India | ||
| International Airport Name & Code | International Airport Location | Type/Purpose |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport – BOM | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Commercial Airport |
| Kempegowda International Airport – BLR | Bangalore, Karnataka | Commercial Airport |
| Chennai International Airport – MAA | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Commercial Airport |
| Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport – CCU | Kolkata, West Bengal | Commercial Airport |
| Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport – LKO | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | Commercial Airport |
| Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport – ATQ | Amritsar, Punjab | Commercial Airport |
| Visakhapatnam International Airport – VTZ | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh | Civil Enclave |
| Kannur International Airport – CNN | Kannur, Kerala | Commercial Airport |
| Surat International Airport – STV | Surat, Gujarat | Commercial Airport |
| Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport – IDR | Indore, Madhya Pradesh | Commercial Airport |
| Cochin International Airport – COK | Kochi, Kerala | Commercial Airport |
| Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport – AMD | Ahmedabad, Gujarat | Commercial Airport |
| Indira Gandhi International Airport – DEL | Delhi | Commercial Airport |
| Dabolim Airport – GOI | Goa | Civil Enclave |
| Pune Airport – PNQ | Pune, Maharashtra | Civil Enclave |
| Thiruvananthapuram International Airport – TRV | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | Commercial Airport |
| Coimbatore International Airport – CJB | Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu | Commercial Airport |
| Calicut International Airport – CCJ | Calicut, Kerala | Commercial Airport |
| Biju Patnaik International Airport – BBI | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Commercial Airport |
| Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport – GAU | Guwahati, Assam | Civil Enclave |
| Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport – VNS | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Commercial Airport |
| Rajiv Gandhi International Airport- HYD | Hyderabad, Telangana | Commercial Airport |
| Tiruchirappalli International Airport – TRZ | Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu | Commercial Airport |
| Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport – NAG | Nagpur, Maharashtra | Commercial Airport |
| Sheikhul Aalam International Airport – SXR | Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir | Civil Enclave |
| Imphal International Airport – IMF | Imphal, Manipur | Commercial Airport |
| Jaipur International Airport – JAI | Jaipur, Rajasthan | Commercial Airport |
| Madurai Airport – IXM | Madurai, Tamil Nadu | Customs, Commercial |
| Bagdogra International Airport – IXB | Siliguri, West Bengal | Commercial Airport |
| Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport – PAT | Patna, Bihar | Commercial (Restricted International Flights, Customs) |
| Mangalore International Airport – IXE | Mangalore, Karnataka | Commercial Airport |
| Chandigarh International Airport – IXC | Chandigarh | Civil Enclave (Restricted International Flights, Customs) |
International Airports in India – Important Pointers
Here are 10 important pointers about international airports in India:
1. Number of Operational Airports: India has 34 operational international airports.
2. Largest International Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport is the largest international airport, covering 5,495 acres.
3. Busiest Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport is also the busiest airport in India.
4. Second Busiest Airport: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai is the second busiest airport in India.
5. First PPP Airport: Cochin International Airport in Kerala is the first international airport in India developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
6. New Addition: Calicut International Airport in Kerala is one of the most recent additions to the list of international airports in India.
7. Oldest Airport: Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai is the first and oldest airport in India, established in 1928.
8. Smallest Airport: Airport of Trichy (Tiruchirappalli International Airport) is considered the smallest international airport in India.
9. High Altitude Airport: Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Ladakh is situated at an altitude of 3,256 meters, making it the 23rd highest commercial airport in the world.
10. Geographical Diversity: India’s international airports are spread across the country, providing connectivity to major cities and promoting regional development and tourism.
Domestic Airports in India
Below given is the State-wise List of National Airports in India. Candidates are advised to download the Domestic Airport in India PDF for convenience given after the table.
| 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 | Vijayawada | Commercial | VGA | |
| Rajahmundry Airport | Rajahmundry | Commercial | RJA | |
| Tirupati Airport | 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 | Bilaspur | Flying School | PAB | |
| Swami Vivekananda Airport | 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 | Jorhat | Civil Enclave | JRH | |
| Lilabari Airport | North Lakhimpur | Commercial | IXI | |
| Tezpur Airport | Tezpur | Defence | TEZ | |
| Silchar Airport | Silchar | Civil Enclave | IXS | |
| Vadodara Airport | Gujarat | Vadodara | Commercial | BDQ |
| Bhuj Airport | BHUJ | Civil Enclave | BHJ | |
| Kandla Airport | Kandla | Commercial | IXY | |
| Jamnagar Airport | Jamnagar | Civil Enclave | JGA | |
| Porbandar Airport | Porbandar | Commercial | PBD | |
| Rajkot Airport | Rajkot | Commercial | RAJ | |
| Bhavnagar Airport | Bhavnagar | Commercial | BHU | |
| Karnal Airport | Haryana | Karnal | Flying School | — |
| Hisar Airport | Hisar | Commercial | HSS | |
| Kangra Airport | Himachal Pradesh | Kangra | Commercial | DHM |
| Kullu-Manali Airport | Kullu | Commercial | KUU | |
| Shimla Airport | Shimla | Commercial | SLV | |
| Jammu Airport | Jammu & Kashmir | Jammu | Civil Enclave | IXJ |
| Bokaro Airport | Jharkhand | Bokaro | Commercial | BKR |
| Sonari Airport | Jamshedpur | Commercial | IXW | |
| Birsa Munda Airport | Ranchi | Commercial | IXR | |
| Bellary Airport | Karnataka | Bellary | Commercial | BEP |
| Jakkur Airfield | Bengaluru | Flying School | — | |
| Belgaum Airport | Belgaum | Commercial | IXG | |
| Mysore Airport | Mysore | Commercial | MYQ | |
| Gulbarga Airport | Kalaburagi | Commercial | GBI | |
| Hubli Airport | Hubli | Commercial | HBX | |
| Kollam Airport | Kerala | Kollam | Closed | — |
| Agatti Airport | Lakshadweep | Agatti | Commercial | AGX |
| Khajuraho Airport | Madhya Pradesh | Khajuraho | Commercial | HJR |
| Satna Airport | Satna | Commercial | TNI | |
| Jabalpur Airport | Jabalpur | Commercial | JLR | |
| Raja Bhoj Airport | Bhopal | Commercial | BHO | |
| Gwalior Airport | Gwalior | Commercial | GWL | |
| Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport | Indore | Commercial | IDR | |
| Shirdi Airport | Maharashtra | Shirdi | Commercial | SAG |
| Nashik Airport | Nashik | Commercial | ISK | |
| Yavatmal Airport | Yavatmal | General Aviation | YTL | |
| Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport | Nanded | Commercial | NDC | |
| Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport | Kolhapur | Commercial | KLH | |
| Juhu Aerodrome | Mumbai | General Aviation | __ | |
| Aurangabad Airport | Aurangabad | Commercial | IXU | |
| Solapur Airport | Solapur | General Aviation | SSL | |
| Jalgaon Airport | Jalgaon | Commercial | JLG | |
| Akola Airport | 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 | Jeypore | PYB | ||
| Puducherry Airport | Puducherry | Pondicherry | Commercial | PNY |
| Bathinda Airport | Punjab | Bathinda | Civil Enclave | BUP |
| Pathankot Airport | Pathankot | Civil Enclave | IXP | |
| Sahnewal Airport | Ludhiana | Commercial | LUH | |
| Patiala Airport | Patiala | — | ||
| Adampur Airport | Jalandhar | Civil Enclave | AIP | |
| Nal Airport | Rajasthan | Bikaner | Civil Enclave | BKB |
| Kota Airport | Kota | – | KTU | |
| Kishangarh Airport | Ajmer | Commercial | KQH | |
| Jodhpur Airport | Jodhpur | Civil Enclave | JDH | |
| Maharana Pratap Airport | Udaipur | Commercial | UDR | |
| Jaisalmer Airport | Jaisalmer | Civil Enclave | JSA | |
| Pakyong Airport | Sikkim | Gangtok | Commercial | PYG |
| Thoothukudi Airport | Tamil Nadu | Thoothukudi | Commercial | TCR |
| Salem Airport | Salem | Commercial | SXV | |
| Nadirgul Airport | Telangana | Hyderabad | Flying School | — |
| Begumpet Airport | Hyderabad | Flying school | — | |
| Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport | Tripura | Agartala | Commercial | IXA |
| Kanpur Airport | Uttar Pradesh | Kanpur | Civil enclave | KNU |
| Hindon Airport | Ghaziabad | Civil Enclave | HDX | |
| Agra Air Force Station | Agra | Civil Enclave | AGR | |
| Gorakhpur Airport | Gorakhpur | Civil Enclave | GOP | |
| Allahabad Airport | Allahabad | Civil Enclave | IXD | |
| Jolly Grant Airport | Uttrakhand | Dehradun | Commercial | DED |
| Naini Saini Airport | Pithoragarh | Commercial | NNS | |
| Pantnagar Airport | Pantnagar | Commercial | PGH | |
| Balurghat Airport | West Bengal | Balurghat | – | RGH |
| Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport | Asansol | Commercial | RDP | |
| Behala Airport | Behala | Heliport | — | |
| Cooch Behar Airport | Cooch Behar | – | COH | |
| Panagarh Airport | Panagarh | Airbase | — | |
Domestic Airports in India – Important Pointers
Here are 10 important pointers about domestic airports in India:
1. Number of Domestic Airports: India has a significant network of domestic airports spread across various states and union territories.
2. Major Airports: Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai are major international hubs that also handle substantial domestic traffic.
3. First and Oldest Airport: Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai is the first and oldest airport in India, founded in 1928.
4. Diverse Locations: Domestic airports are spread across India, including remote areas like Ladakh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
5. Role of Civil Enclaves: Many domestic airports, such as in Jammu, Jorhat, and others, serve as civil enclaves within military airbases.
6. Variety of Functions: Indian domestic airports serve various functions, from commercial and customs purposes to flying schools and heliports.
7. Newest Additions: Airports like Calicut International Airport have recently been added to the list of domestic airports in India.
8. Regional Connectivity: These airports play a crucial role in connecting regional cities, boosting tourism, and enabling economic growth.
9. Commercial Airports: Several airports, such as Shirdi Airport and Vijayawada Airport, focus primarily on commercial flights.
10. Upgrades and Expansion: Many domestic airports in India are being upgraded and expanded to handle increasing passenger and cargo traffic, improving connectivity across the country.