Passenger traffic at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi experienced steady growth during the first half of the 2026-27 financial year, reaching a record 38.5 million travelers. The performance reflects a 5 percent increase over the corresponding six-month period of the previous fiscal year, when the country's busiest aviation hub handled 36.7 million flyers. The upward trajectory was underpinned by consistent passenger volumes across both domestic and overseas routes, signaling resilient demand for air travel alongside steady operational efficiency across the national capital’s aviation infrastructure.
The half-yearly figures, disclosed in operational filings by operator GMR Airports through Delhi International Airport Limited, highlight a broader recovery and expansion cycle for the facility. Parallel to the surge in passenger footfall, the airport recorded 2,33,331 Air Traffic Movements between April and September 2026, marking a 6.9 percent climb compared to the first half of the previous year. This growth in flight operations highlights expanded flight frequencies, improved aircraft turnaround times, and the introduction of new direct routes connecting the capital with major commercial hubs and regional destinations.
A granular breakdown of traffic data indicates that domestic flyers formed the bulk of passenger volumes at the airport. Out of the 38.5 million total passengers recorded during the six-month span, domestic fliers accounted for 28.1 million. Meanwhile, international passenger traffic climbed to 10.4 million, reflecting strong inbound leisure tourism, business transit, and outward overseas travel. Throughout the first six months of the financial year, the airport maintained an average monthly passenger volume of approximately 6.5 million travelers, establishing the period as the highest-ever first-half traffic performance recorded in the facility's history.
This strong growth follows a comparatively restrained performance in the first half of the 2025-26 fiscal cycle. During that previous period, overall footfall faced temporary headwinds caused by international airspace restrictions, sudden geopolitical developments that forced airline reroutings, and localized capacity limits stemming from extensive rehabilitation and modernization work on runway 10/28. With runway upgrades finished and airline networks stabilized, operational throughput gained momentum, allowing the airport to build upon the 78.7 million passengers it processed across the entire 2025-26 fiscal year.
The airport’s daily operations are supported by an integrated infrastructure consisting of three passenger terminals—Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3—alongside four operational runways. Together, these facilities provide an aggregate annual handling capacity of 106 million travelers. Terminal 1 features a designed annual capacity of 42 million passengers, while Terminal 2 accommodates up to 14 million travelers. Terminal 3, the flagship multi-level integrated facility, commands a processing capacity of 50 million passengers annually, divided between 19 million domestic travelers and 31 million international fliers.
Looking ahead, Delhi Airport’s physical footprint is set to expand further to meet long-term passenger demand. Under the airport's latest ten-year comprehensive master plan, total annual handling capacity is slated to scale up to 125 million passengers. This eventual ceiling will allocate 86 million passenger slots for domestic journeys and 39 million for cross-border international transit, cementing the facility's position as a premier global aviation megahub capable of accommodating expanding airline fleets and wide-body aircraft deployments.
The sustained momentum at the capital’s hub also helped drive aggregate gains across GMR Airports’ wider operating network. The airport operator—which manages facilities in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mopa in Goa, Nagpur, and Bhogapuram, as well as Medan in Indonesia—reported handling 58.2 million total passengers across its global portfolio during the first half of FY27, representing a 0.5 percent year-on-year increase. The steady figures across both domestic and overseas locations reflect ongoing consumer confidence in commercial aviation and highlight Delhi's central role as the primary international gateway and domestic transit engine for the subcontinent.