As per current statistics, India is home to over 150 operating airports, ranging from gigantic international airports to small airports that have most likely escaped your knowledge to date.
When it comes to sheer size, Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport ranks as the largest airport in India, spanning over 5,500 acres.
On the flip side, the smallest airports, such as the one at Agatti, Lakshadweep, are so compact that they cannot possibly accommodate more than one plane at any point in time, loaded with passengers.
But wait, do you know which is the Indian airport that sees the highest footfall in terms of passenger traffic every year? It is definitely not Mumbai or Bangalore. Let's find out the top 10 busiest airports in India in this article.
List of Top 10 Busiest Airports in India in 2026
The Airport Authority of India publishes the data on passenger movements every year, and the figures for the financial year 2025-26 have been published now.
The figures include all passengers that travel from or to an airport in any manner during the period from April 2025 to March 2026. Here is the list of India’s top 10 airports along with the previous year’s figures.
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| Rank | City & State | IATA Code | Passengers 2025-26 | Passengers 2024-25 |
| 1 | Delhi, Delhi NCR | DEL | 7,87,01,971 | 7,92,59,890 |
| 2 | Mumbai, Maharashtra | BOM | 5,52,90,095 | 5,51,22,422 |
| 3 | Bengaluru, Karnataka | BLR | 4,44,70,035 | 4,18,75,620 |
| 4 | Hyderabad, Telangana | HYD | 3,04,83,885 | 2,94,82,396 |
| 5 | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | MAA | 2,30,17,324 | 2,24,11,290 |
| 6 | Kolkata, West Bengal | CCU | 2,11,02,741 | 2,18,31,118 |
| 7 | Ahmedabad, Gujarat | AMD | 1,38,22,287 | 1,34,27,697 |
| 8 | Kochi, Kerala | COK | 1,13,02,552 | 1,11,40,778 |
| 9 | Pune, Maharashtra | PNQ | 1,10,05,988 | 1,04,57,694 |
| 10 | Guwahati, Assam | GAU | 66,22,784 | 61,60,157 |
Source: Airports Authority of India (AAI), FY 2025-26 passenger traffic statistics.
1. Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (DEL)
This is no surprise at all — the IGI Airport in Delhi has once again managed to become the busiest airport in India by a huge margin. The total number of passengers that utilised the services of IGI Airport was 7.87 crore in FY 2025-26, which is a slight decrease of 0.7 per cent from the previous year. Even then, it is far more than all the other airports listed here. The IGI airport stood as the 9th busiest airport in the world in 2024.
2. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (BOM)
Mumbai continues to occupy the number two spot with 5.53 crore passengers, registering a growth of only 0.3% compared to last fiscal year. This is despite Mumbai International Airport operating in an environment of much more limited growth opportunities as compared to New Delhi. The facility operates on a single runway system and is completely landlocked by its surroundings, yet continues to attract huge traffic due to being a gateway to India’s financial capital.
3. Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR)
Bengaluru airport is the fastest-growing of all major airports in India, with 6.2% growth in passenger traffic to 4.45 crore for FY 2025-26. This represents a far higher rate of growth compared to that seen at both the Delhi and Mumbai airports this year. The expansion of IT and startups in the city, along with growing international tourism, is helping close the gap between Bengaluru and Mumbai airports. It is also India's only fully solar-powered airport.
Conclusion
While Delhi continues to dominate the skies, what's really happening is the rapid growth seen by cities such as Bengaluru, Pune, and Guwahati. Indian air travel no longer depends on just the Big Four cities; second-tier cities are starting to make their presence known. Thanks to initiatives like UDAN and cheaper flying prices each year, we can expect these figures to rise further.