India’s Aviation Sector Soars On Back Of International Travel Demand From Smaller Cities

By Saurabh Gupta

New Delhi: India's aviation sector is witnessing rapid growth, driven primarily by the rising aspirations of international travellers, particularly those flying from smaller, non-metro cities.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI), with its recent ‘Air Traffic Data’ report, noted that almost two crore passengers flew internationally in the first three quarters of the 2025-26 financial year, representing a 7% year-over-year increase in international traffic.

Although the country maintains its largest international airports, such as Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, it’s the smaller airports that are showing an unexpected possibility of growth.

Smaller Airports, Bigger Gains

This year Bhopal’s Raja Bhoj Airport, saw its first connections to West Asia and Southeast Asia and, in this April to June quarter, it saw a huge growth of 80% in international passengers compared to last year, the highest growth of all airports in India.

Pune's growth came in at 76.7%, while Bagdogra in West Bengal attained 72.4% growth in international traffic. Strong growth was also seen at other regional airports such as Coimbatore (48.8%), Surat (41.5%), Mangaluru (38.4%), and Guwahati (33%) in international traffic.

This reflects the increased appetite for travelling internationally, as demand grows beyond just the metros, with business, tourism and diaspora visits fuelling demand. The outstanding growth is owed to a multitude of factors including enhanced connectivity, visa facilitation, existing international routes, new international routes introduced under the UDAN scheme and the bilateral air service agreements.

Total Passenger Growth at 5.6%

The total number of passengers travelling by air in the April-June 2025 quarter was 105.15 million, which is a 5.6% increase from 99.54 million in the same quarter of 2024. Out of which, 85.32 million were the domestic traffic which was a 5.3% increase in domestic air traffic.
The data underscores a sustained recovery in both domestic and international aviation markets following the pandemic-era slump. With fuel prices stabilising and new aircraft being inducted by major carriers, capacity expansion is on track across major and regional airports.

Metro Airports: Growth Continues, but Modest

While regional airports are surging, India’s traditional international hubs are still showing positive, though modest, growth.

Delhi (IGIA) recorded a 3% rise in international passengers, handling 52,40,482 flyers.
Mumbai (CSMIA) logged a 4.5% increase, with 38,96,278 international travellers.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) saw the highest growth among metro airports following the opening of its new terminal. With 17,33,432 international passengers this quarter, the airport continues its sharp upward trajectory in both traffic and connectivity.

Geopolitical Tensions Take a Toll

Not all airports have seen a positive trend. The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and subsequent airspace restrictions have severely impacted air traffic at Srinagar airport, which recorded a noticeable decline in traffic due to security-related disruptions. The data does not quantify the drop yet, but AAI officials confirm that Srinagar has taken a "massive hit" in terms of traffic.

Expert View: Aspirational India Takes Off

According to industry analysts, the boom in international travel is due to increasing disposable incomes, the aspirations of a growing middle class, and improved air connectivity. "There is a new class of traveller emerging from tier-2 and tier-3 cities who no longer see international travel aspirationally, but as something they are able to do," a senior aviation analyst said.

Connecting new routes to much popularised destinations like Dubai, Doha, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur from smaller city airports is key. Domestic and foreign airlines are eager to take advantage of this demand by adding frequencies and offering direct routes.

The momentum upward is expected to span into the holidays and festival travel season. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is also moving ahead with improvements to infrastructure and greenfield airports to accommodate growing passenger numbers.

In conclusion, India's aviation growth story in 2025 is not only being written in Delhi and Mumbai, but also in cities like Bhopal, Pune, and Bagdogra, where a new generation of globally mobile Indians are propelling Indian aviation and travel to new heights.

Top International Traffic Growth: April–June 2025 (vs 2024)