•Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru overtakes Mumbai’s CSMIA to become India’s second busiest airport for domestic passengers in April 2026, handling 31.79 lakh passengers.
•Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport remains the busiest domestic airport with 49.30 lakh passengers, while CSMIA retains second place in international passenger traffic.
•KIA has previously held the second position during the COVID-19 pandemic and briefly in 2025, highlighting its growing influence in India’s aviation sector.
•KIA recently celebrated 18 years of operations and surpassed 400 million cumulative passengers, operating flights to 78 domestic and 34 international destinations.
•The domestic network expanded in FY 2025-26 to include new destinations such as Navi Mumbai, Jaisalmer, Bidar, Silchar, and Dimapur.
•BIAL is set to begin Phase-2 of Terminal 2 construction within three to four months, with completion expected by late 2029 or early 2030.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to become the second busiest airport in India for domestic passenger traffic. According to the latest data from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), KIA handled 31.79 lakh domestic passengers in April 2026, compared to CSMIA’s 28.93 lakh. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport continued to lead the domestic segment with 49.30 lakh passengers.
The shift in rankings comes amid a notable redistribution of domestic air traffic, partly influenced by the operationalisation of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, which handled 5.25 lakh domestic passengers during the same month. In the international sector, CSMIA retained its position as the second busiest airport, handling 11.54 lakh passengers, while KIA served 5.06 lakh international travelers. Delhi remained the busiest airport overall, handling 66.52 lakh passengers, followed by Mumbai with 40.47 lakh and KIA with 36.85 lakh.
This is not the first time KIA has surpassed CSMIA in domestic passenger traffic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, KIA briefly held the second position, and it also achieved this status for a short period in 2025. In terms of aircraft movements in April 2026, KIA recorded 20,718 domestic flights, ahead of Mumbai’s 19,281. The Navi Mumbai International Airport handled 4,355 flights during the month.
KIA, which is South India’s busiest airport and the third largest in the country, recently marked 18 years of operations. In April 2026, the airport achieved another milestone by surpassing 400 million cumulative passengers since its inauguration in 2008. Currently, KIA operates non-stop flights to over 78 domestic and 34 international destinations.
On the domestic front, the top sectors from Bengaluru include Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Pune. During the financial year 2025-26, the domestic network expanded to include new destinations such as Navi Mumbai, Jaisalmer, Bidar, Silchar, and Dimapur.
Looking ahead, Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), the operator of KIA, is preparing to commence the second phase of Terminal 2. Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO of BIAL, stated that the design for the project has been finalised and the construction contract has already been awarded. Construction is expected to begin within the next three to four months, with completion targeted for the end of 2029 or early 2030.
With these developments, KIA continues to strengthen its position as a key aviation hub in India, reinforcing Bengaluru’s role as a major gateway for both domestic and international travel.
