Flying high: Bengaluru airport clocks 43.8 million passengers in 2025; international flights surge 28.7%

BENGALURU: Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) closed the calendar year 2025 with strong growth in both passenger and cargo operations, reinforcing its position as a major aviation and logistics hub in India.Passenger traffic rose 8% year-on-year to over 43.8 million, from about 40.7 million in 2024, buoyed by strong domestic demand and a sharp expansion in international connectivity. The airport recorded its highest single-day passenger footfall of 1,37,317 on Nov 23, while air traffic movements touched a peak of 837 Air Traffic Managements (ATM) on Oct 19. The average daily number of ATMs stood at 765 in 2025. In Oct 2025, KIA moved from third to second place nationally in the number of domestic flights operated. International operations also gathered pace, with average daily departures rising from 38 in 2024 to 51 in 2025, resulting in a 28.7% rise in international passenger traffic.Girish Nair, chief operating officer of Bangalore International Airport Limited, said that despite sectoral volatility, disciplined operations and strategic capacity expansion helped the airport maintain stability and growth, adding that rising airline and passenger confidence reinforced its role as the "new gateway to India".By the end of Dec 2025, the airport was connected to 113 passenger destinations, including 79 domestic and 34 international cities. Five domestic and five international routes were added during the year. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune led domestic traffic, while Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, London Heathrow, and Kuala Lumpur were the top international destinations.Several airlines expanded operations in Bengaluru, with Air India Express making it its largest hub, and IndiGo, Akasa Air, Lufthansa, KLM, Japan Airlines, Gulf Air, and Virgin Atlantic launching new routes or increasing frequencies, particularly to West Asia, Europe and Southeast Asia.Cargo operations also posted steady gains, with KIA handling over 5.2 lakh tonnes in 2025 and recording its highest single-day cargo throughput of 2,207 tonnes on Aug 7. The airport is now connected to 37 cargo destinations, driven by growth in agri-perishables, pharmaceuticals, auto components, electronics and e-commerce shipments.