In a significant milestone for the city’s aviation sector, Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has emerged as India’s third-busiest airport for international passenger traffic, surpassing Chennai and Kochi airports. This marks a major achievement for the airport, which continues to expand its global connectivity and handle increasing passenger numbers.
As per the Airports Authority of India, data showed that international passenger traffic has increased enormously at KIA as it handled a total of 4.8 lakh passengers during October 2024. This is a growth of 24.3 per cent over the same month last year when the airport had 3.9 lakh international passengers. KIA’s move to rank third now puts it right behind Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport with 17.5 lakh passengers and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, with 12.5 lakh passengers.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport was previously at fifth position in terms of international passengers in September with 4.39 lakh. However, because of the introduction of international routes and demand for air travel, the airport has now overtaken Chennai (4.5 lakh) and Kochi (4.1 lakh) in the month of October. This rising international traffic gives a clearer indication of KIA growing into one of the country’s major aviation hubs, particularly as a single access point to and from South India.
Surge in International Connectivity and Expansion
Several factors have contributed to the increase in international passenger traffic at KIA, including the launch of new airline flights to trendy destinations. The airport is now linked to 29 foreign cities through 34 airlines, with the most prominent being Dubai, Singapore, and Doha. Recently, IndiGo started launching direct flights to Mauritius, and there are plans to launch new connectivity between Bengaluru and Langkawi, Malaysia, which will supplement international connectivity in the city. Direct flights from Bengaluru to Abu Dhabi will begin operations soon by Akasa Air.
KIA, operated by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), is witnessing an increase in traffic through an already bustling Terminal. In September 2023, Terminal 2 was opened. The extended terminal houses ever-increasing public facilities and more capacity for international flights within the airport. The segment of both leisure and business travel has been playing a very crucial role in the increase of total passenger counts.
According to a BIAL official, “There is huge potential in international traffic. We have witnessed a higher capacity at Bengaluru airport after international operations commenced at Terminal 2. The introduction of new routes by airlines and the rising number of international flights have correspondingly increased the number of passengers. The above three routes from Bengaluru are still the top ones among international destinations-Dubai, Singapore, and Doha.”
A Look Back at Kempegowda International Airport’s Growth
Kempegowda International Airport is located approximately 40 kilometers from the city center of Bengaluru, at Devanahalli, and commenced operations on May 24, 2008. Over the past 16 years, this airport has developed rapidly, achieving the mark of more than 300 million passengers by December 2023. As of October 2024, Kempegowda International Airport serves as a major hub for domestic and international flights and provides superlative state-of-the-art facilities for travelers.
Apart from this, KIA is also the 3rd international airport to handle domestic passenger traffic in India after Delhi and Mumbai. In October 2024 Bengaluru handled 30.8 lakh domestic passengers. This further establishes Bengaluru as a key player in India’s aviation industry. Overall, KIA had more than 35.7 lakh passengers traveling both internationally and domestically in October 2024.
What’s Next for Bengaluru’s Growing Airport?
Kempegowda International Airport is now set to take the next step in becoming a major one within the Asia segment. This is reflected by the expansion of international routes, partnerships with airlines, and increasingly growing demand for air travel at the airport. Boosting this demand would be increasing strategic location-benefiting infrastructure while making places like Dubai, Singapore and Doha more appealing travel destinations.
The success of KIA’s growth trajectory will also be influenced by ongoing investments in airport infrastructure and enhanced passenger services. As air travel in India rebounds post-pandemic, airports like Bengaluru’s KIA are well-positioned to benefit from the country’s rising middle class and growing demand for international travel.
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