Indira Gandhi International Airport

Indira Gandhi International Airport (<a href="/facts/IATA_airport_code/ogq7w5UQ">IATA</a>: DEL, <a href="/facts/ICAO_airport_code/KAU1V4MX">ICAO</a>: VIDP) is the primary <a href="/facts/International_airport/qRcp3RbY">international airport</a> serving <a href="/facts/New_Delhi/9UMpnDN8">New Delhi</a>, the capital of <a href="/facts/India/1kKHcnxM">India</a>, and the <a href="/facts/National_Capital_Region_(India)/zkmeWmWy">National Capital Region</a> (NCR). The airport, spread over an area of 5,106 acres (2,066 ha), is situated in <a href="/facts/Palam/Nt9oodeD">Palam</a>, <a href="/facts/Delhi/Xa6CKgnf">Delhi</a>, 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the <a href="/facts/New_Delhi_Railway_Station/oedMELt1">New Delhi Railway Station</a> and 16 km (9.9 mi) from <a href="/facts/New_Delhi/9UMpnDN8">New Delhi</a> city centre.
Named after <a href="/facts/Indira_Gandhi/6oq6fUpR">Indira Gandhi</a> (1917–1984), the former <a href="/facts/Prime_Minister_of_India/htYDwX0a">Prime Minister of India</a>, it is the <a href="/facts/List_of_busiest_airports_in_India_by_passenger_traffic/XHX1Kpam">busiest airport of India</a> in terms of passenger traffic since 2009. It is also the busiest airport in the country in terms of cargo traffic. In the financial year of 2023–24, the airport handled 7.36 <a href="/facts/Crore/goXA4nHv">crore</a> (73.6 million) passengers, the highest ever in the airport's history. As of 2024, it is the <a href="/facts/List_of_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic/RC2ySbmH">tenth-busiest airport in the world</a>, as per the latest rankings issued by the UK-based air consultancy firm, <a href="/facts/OAG_(company)/HkPYgvWN">OAG</a>. It is the second-busiest airport in the world by seating capacity, having a seating capacity of over 36 <a href="/facts/Lakh/FTocP0hn">lakh</a> (3.6 million) seats, and the fifth <a href="/facts/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Asia/33WagSxl">busiest airport in Asia</a>, handling over 6.55 crore (65.5 million) passengers in 2023. In fact, it is routinely one of the busiest airports in the world, according to the <a href="/facts/Airports_Council_International/2lxcFLUU">Airports Council International</a> rankings.
The airport was operated by the <a href="/facts/Indian_Air_Force/XbNJ5qcp">Indian Air Force</a> before its management was transferred to the <a href="/facts/Airports_Authority_of_India/lsyxWgdk">Airports Authority of India</a>. In May 2006, the management of the airport was passed over to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a consortium led by the <a href="/facts/GMR_Group/DlmqcKdJ">GMR Group</a>. In September 2008, the airport inaugurated a 4,430 m (14,530 ft) runway. With the commencement of operations at Terminal 3 in 2010, it became India's and South Asia's largest aviation hub. The Terminal 3 building has a capacity to handle 3.4 crore (34 million) passengers annually and was the <a href="/facts/List_of_largest_buildings_in_the_world/WTGwbffG">world's 8th largest passenger terminal</a> upon completion. The airport inaugurated a 4,400 m (14,400 ft) runway and the 2.1 km (1.3 mi) Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT) with dual parallel taxiways in July 2023. The airport uses an advanced system called <a href="/facts/Airport_Collaborative_Decision_Making/5CV70lXd">Airport Collaborative Decision Making</a> (A-CDM) to help keep <a href="/facts/Takeoff/kMbvceUo">takeoffs</a> and <a href="/facts/Landing/AcT1IShv">landings</a> timely and predictable.
The other airport serving NCR is the <a href="/facts/Hindon_Airport/6udWglnl">Hindon Airport</a>, which is much smaller in size and primarily handles regional flights out of the city under the <a href="/facts/UDAN/E5663Ja5">UDAN</a> Scheme. The former airport, which used to be the primary airport of NCR, <a href="/facts/Safdarjung_Airport/jEArMXb2">Safdarjung Airport</a> is now used mainly by VVIP helicopters and small charter helicopters due to its short runway. To offset the burgeoning traffic, the construction of a new airport, <a href="/facts/Noida_International_Airport/6vR9Tv3T">Noida International Airport</a>, is currently underway.

Indira Gandhi International Airport open-in-new

Indira Gandhi International Airport