Delhi Airport expands network to 159 destinations by 2026

Currently, transfer passengers account for around 29 per cent of Delhi Airport’s total throughput, up from 22 per cent two years ago — a 34 per cent year-on-year increase in absolute numbers. 

Aiming to be India’s global aviation hub, the national capital’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport is set to expand its network to 159 destinations by 2026.

Speaking to businessline, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, Chief Executive Officer of Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), said the airport’s expansion will include flights to seven new international destinations — Manila, Krabi, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Manchester, Athens, and Tokyo Narita.

New routes unveiled

Along with international destinations, he cited Jamnagar, Jabalpur, and Pune as the three new domestic routes.

Notably, these new routes will be operated by a mix of Indian and international carriers — Japan Airlines on Tokyo Narita, IndiGo on Manchester, and Aegean Airlines on Athens, among others.

Strengthening hub status

“This expansion strengthens Delhi’s position as the preferred gateway linking India to both eastern and western geographies,” said Jaipuriar.

Currently, transfer passengers, he pointed out, account for around 29 per cent of Delhi Airport’s total throughput, up from 22 per cent two years ago — a 34 per cent year-on-year increase in absolute numbers. 

Ready for higher traffic

DIAL expects this share to cross 30 per cent in FY26, further reinforcing Delhi’s status as a hub.

“We have already tripled our International-to-International (I2I) transfer area capacity under Phase 3A expansion, so we’re fully ready to handle this new traffic flow,” Jaipuriar said.

Terminal 3 transformation

Besides, he revealed that DIAL is preparing for the government’s domestic-to-international (D2I) pilot project, beginning with the Varanasi–Delhi–London model. Under the plan, passengers will complete immigration at their origin — such as Varanasi — and arrive directly at Terminal 3 (T3) as international passengers. 

In parallel, the Pier C wing of T3, currently handling domestic flights, is being converted for international operations, with completion slated for mid-January 2026 — a shift from the earlier December timeline. Once operational, the project will increase international capacity by nearly 50 per cent, giving a major fillip to long-haul traffic.

Smoother transfers planned

Further, a new airside baggage transfer system will soon be commissioned, he said, enabling automatic movement of bags between T1, T2, and T3, thereby eliminating the need for passengers to manually transfer luggage. 

Furthermore, the shuttle bus frequencies between terminals have been improved to every 10–12 minutes, he said, adding that the upcoming Metro Gold Line will allow seamless inter-terminal movement.

Passenger traffic surges

On the current traffic trend, Jaipuriar disclosed that during the first month of the current winter schedule, passenger growth has surged 45 per cent year-on-year, reflecting robust demand across both domestic and international sectors.

In FY25, IGI Airport handled 7.9 crore (79 million) passengers, up from 7.7 crore in FY24.

Looking ahead, he said that DIAL’s next master plan is in the finalisation stage. At present, IGI Airport’s capacity stands at 105 million passengers per annum, which can be stretched to 110–112 million through operational de-bottlenecking. 

Next expansion blueprint

“Typically, once traffic crosses the 100 million mark, it triggers the next expansion cycle,” Jaipuriar said, adding that Delhi-NCR’s overall air traffic is expected to maintain 8–9 per cent annual growth.

Cargo and SEZ focus

On the cargo front, IGI Airport continues to handle around one million tonnes annually, with volumes now trending upward following the reopening of China and India’s export push under the Make in India initiative. 

In addition, he said that DIAL has applied for approval to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at the airport to create an integrated logistics and cargo hub, expected to enhance efficiency.

Published on November 13, 2025