Indira Gandhi International Airport
International airport in Palam, Delhi, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
International airport in Palam, Delhi, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Indira Gandhi International Airport (IATA: DEL, ICAO: VIDP) is the primary international airport serving New Delhi, the capital of India, and the National Capital Region (NCR). The airport covers an area of 5,106 acres (2,066 ha).[6] It is located in Palam, Delhi, 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the New Delhi railway station and 16 km (9.9 mi) from the New Delhi city centre. [7][8]
Indira Gandhi International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Airports Authority of India[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL)
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| Serves | National Capital Region (NCR) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Palam, Delhi, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1962 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Elevation AMSL | 237 m / 777 ft | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 28°34′07″N 077°06′44″E | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 DEL/VIDP Location of airport in India  DEL/VIDP DEL/VIDP (India) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (April 2023 – March 2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Named after Indira Gandhi (1917–1984), the former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport of India in terms of passenger traffic since 2009.[9] 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 crore (73.6 million) passengers, the highest ever in the airport's history.[3][10] As of 2024, it is the tenth-busiest airport in the world, as per the latest rankings issued by the UK-based air consultancy firm OAG.[11][12] It is the second-busiest airport in the world by seating capacity,[13][14][15] having a seating capacity of over 36 lakh (3.6 million) seats, and the busiest airport in Asia by passenger traffic, handling over 6.55 crore (65.5 million) passengers in 2023.[14][15] In fact, it is routinely one of the busiest airports in the world, according to the Airports Council International rankings.[16]
Established by the British during the Second World War as RAF Palam, the airport served as a staging ground for Allied aerial efforts in Asia. After India was granted independence, the Indian Air Force assumed operational management of the airport. It remained under their control before its management was eventually transferred to the Airports Authority of India.[17] In May 2006, control of the airport was subsequently entrusted to Delhi International Airport Limited, a consortium led by the GMR Group.[18]
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 world's 8th largest passenger terminal upon completion.[8] 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 aircraft bridges in July 2023.[19] The airport uses an advanced system called Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) to help keep takeoffs and landings timely and predictable.[20]
The former primary airport of Delhi, Safdarjung Airport, is now reserved for usage by VVIP and small charter helicopters due to its short runway. To accommodate burgeoning air traffic, the construction of a new airport, Noida International Airport, is currently underway 63 kilometres southeast of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.[21]
The other airport serving NCR is the Hindon Airport, which is much smaller in size and primarily handles regional flights out of the city under the UDAN Scheme.[22]
Palam Airport, known as RAF Palam when established, was the precursor to the modern-day Indira Gandhi International Airport. Founded during the Second World War by the British Raj to support Allied military operations in Asia, it served as a staging ground for Royal Air Force flights.[23] After the British withdrawal from India, the Royal Indian Air Force, which was later rechristened as the Indian Air Force, took over the airport.
In 1962, commercial passenger operations were relocated from Safdarjung Airport—Delhi's first airport—to Palam Airport.[24] At that time, Palam had a peak capacity of approximately 1,300 passengers per hour.[6] In 1979–80, a total of 30 lakh (3 million) domestic and international passengers flew into and out of Palam Airport.[25] Owing to an increase in air traffic in the 70s and 80s, an additional terminal with nearly four times the area of the old Palam terminal was constructed. On May 2, 1986, with the inauguration of the new international terminal, designated Terminal 2, the airport was renamed Indira Gandhi International Airport.[6]
The old domestic airport (Palam) is known as Terminal 1 and was divided into separate buildings – 1A, 1B, and 1C. Blocks 1A and 1B handled international operations while domestic operations took place in Block 1C. Block 1A and 1B later became dedicated terminals for domestic airlines and were eventually closed. They were subsequently demolished to pave way for the construction of a new terminal that was rechristened Terminal 1. Block 1C was also turned into a domestic arrivals terminal, and was rebuilt and opened on 24 February 2022. Terminal 1D is now used by all domestic low-cost airlines (IndiGo, and SpiceJet). A separate technical area exists for VIP passengers. The domestic arrivals terminal 1C was demolished and rebuilt into a brand-new domestic arrivals terminal. While the expansion works were underway, GoAir's operations and select flights of IndiGo were moved to Terminal 2, while select flights of SpiceJet and IndiGo were relocated to Terminal 3.
In October 2001, Canada 3000 commenced its service to Toronto.[26] This was the maiden nonstop service between India and North America.[27] Russia's decision to open its airspace after the Cold War allowed the airline to save time by flying a direct route over the Arctic.[28] Even though the 11 September attacks precipitated a global decline in air travel, Canada 3000 was hoping that the service would help it bolster and improve its financial standing.[26][29] Nevertheless, the company collapsed one month later.[30]
Significant growth in the Indian aviation industry led to a major increase in passenger traffic. The capacity of Terminal 1 was estimated to be 71.5 lakh (7.15 million) passengers per annum (mppa). The actual throughput for 2005-2006 was an estimated 1.04 crore (10.4 million) passengers. Including the then-closed international terminal (Terminal 2), the airport had a total capacity of 1.25 crore (12.5 million) passengers per year, while the total passenger traffic in 2006-2007 was 1.65 crore (16.5 million) passengers per year.[31] In 2008, the total passenger count at the airport reached 2.4 crore (23.97 million). To ease the traffic congestion on the existing terminals, and in anticipation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games,[32] a significantly-larger Terminal 3 was constructed and inaugurated on 3 July 2010.[33] Terminal 3's construction lasted for 37 months, and, upon becoming operational, increased the airport's total passenger capacity by 34 million.[33]
Apart from the three budget domestic airlines handled by Terminals 1 and 2, all other airlines operate their flights from Terminal 3. In June 2022, Delhi International Airport became the first in India to operate entirely on hydro power and solar energy.[34]
On 31 January 2006, the Minister of Civil Aviation, Praful Patel, announced that the empowered Group of Ministers agreed to sell the management rights of Delhi Airport to the DIAL consortium and Mumbai Airport to the GVK Group.[35] On 2 May 2006, the management of Delhi and Mumbai airports were transferred to the private consortia.[36] At the time of ownership transfer, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) was a consortium comprising the GMR Group (54%), Fraport (10%) and Malaysia Airports (10%),[37] whereas the Airports Authority of India held a 26% stake.[38]
Nine years later, in May 2015, Malaysia Airports chose to exit the DIAL venture and sold its entire 10% stake to the majority shareholder, GMR Infra, for $79 million, increasing GMR Group's stake in DIAL to 64%.[39] Earlier, GMR indicated its interest in buying out Fraport's 10% stake.[40]
_Interior_of_New_Delhi_Airport.jpg)
| Runway number | Length | Width | Approach lights/ILS[8][19] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11R/29L | 4,430 m (14,530 ft) | 60 m (200 ft) | CAT III-B / CAT II |
| 11L/29R | 4,400 m (14,400 ft) | 45 m (148 ft) | CAT III-B / CAT II |
| 10/28 | 3,813 m (12,510 ft) | 46 m (151 ft) | CAT I / CAT III-B |
| 09/27 | 2,816 m (9,239 ft) | 45 m (148 ft) | CAT I / CAT I |
Delhi Airport has four near-parallel runways: runway 11R/29L, measuring 4,430 m × 60 m (14,530 ft × 200 ft); runway 11L/29R, measuring 4,400 m × 45 m (14,436 ft × 148 ft); runway 10/28, measuring 3,813 m × 46 m (12,510 ft × 151 ft); and runway 09/27, measuring 2,816 m × 45 m (9,239 ft × 148 ft). The 09/27 runway, the airport's first-ever runway, was constructed by the British in the pre-independence era. It spans 2,816 meters in length and 60 meters in width, and was used during World War II.[41]
In addition to Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow and Jaipur Airport in Jaipur, Delhi Airport is the only airport in India to have been equipped with the CAT III-B ILS, as of 2017.[42]In the winter of 2005, Delhi Airport experienced a record number of disruptions due to fog and smog. Since then, some domestic airlines have trained their pilots to operate under CAT-II conditions, with a minimum visibility of 350 m (1,150 ft). On 31 March 2006, IGI became the first Indian airport to simultaneously operate two runways, following a test run in which a SpiceJet plane landed on runway 28 and a Jet Airways plane took off from runway 27 at the same time.
The initially proposed mode, which involved simultaneous takeoffs in a westerly flow to increase handling traffic capacity, resulted in several near misses over the west side of the airport, where the centerlines of runways 10/28 and 9/27 intersect.[43] The runway use was changed to a segregated dependent mode on 25 December 2007, just a few days after a near miss involving an Airbus A330-200 of Qatar Airways and an IndiGo A320 aircraft. The new method designated runway 28 for all departures and runway 27 for all arrivals. This more streamlined model was implemented during daylight hours (0600–2300 IST) until 24 September 2008.
On 21 August 2008, the airport inaugurated its third runway, 11R/29L, which cost ₹1,000 crore[44] and is 4,430 m (14,534 ft) long. The runway features one of the world's longest paved threshold displacements, measuring 1,460 m (4,790 ft). As a result, the available landing length on runway 29L is reduced to 2,970 m (9,744 ft). The long threshold displacement was necessitated by the presence of a 263 m high Shiv statue located near runway 29L.[45][46] The new runway increased the airport's capacity to handle up to 100 flights per hour, up from the previous 45–60 flights per hour. It was opened for commercial operations on 25 September 2008 and gradually began full round-the-clock operations by the end of October of the same year.[47]
Since 2012, all three runways have been operated simultaneously to handle traffic during daytime hours.[48] During night hours (2300–0600 IST), only runways 11R/29L and 10/28 are operated, with a single runway landing restriction during westerly traffic flow. The landing direction is rotated late at night (0300 IST) and reversed weekly to help distribute and mitigate nighttime landing noise over nearby residential areas.[49]
To accommodate the growing demand for air traffic, the master plan for constructing a fourth parallel runway next to the existing runway 11R/29L was approved in 2017[50], along with the Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT) – a pair of elevated parallel aircraft bridges linking the northern part of the airport with the southern runways. Spanning 2.1 km (1.3 mi) in length, each taxiway is 44 m (144 ft) wide, with a 47 m (154 ft) gap between them, making the consolidated structure capable of handling Airbus A380s and Boeing 747s. This new addition reduces the duration to reach the southern runways from 9–10 minutes to just two minutes, while also reducing pollution and traffic. The fourth runway and the ECT were inaugurated on 14 July 2023.[19][51]
IGI Airport serves as a major hub or focus destination for several Indian carriers, including Air India, Alliance Air, IndiGo, and SpiceJet. Approximately 80 airlines operate at the airport. Currently, there are three active passenger terminals and a dedicated cargo terminal.
In 2021, DIAL introduced an e-boarding facility at all three terminals of the airport. This feature includes contactless e-boarding gates with boarding card scanners at each gate, allowing passengers to scan their physical or electronic boarding cards to verify flight details before proceeding to security checks.[52] Terminal 3 is an integrated terminal serving both international and domestic flights. Indian carriers operating international flights from this terminal include Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet.
The domestic section of Terminal 3 is utilised by Air India, Air India Express, and select flights of SpiceJet and IndiGo. Additionally, certain domestic flights of IndiGo are operated from Terminal 2.
Terminal 1 is used by low-cost domestic carriers, including SpiceJet and IndiGo. In 2022, Terminal 1D underwent a full expansion, incorporating an arrivals hall, with the aim of increasing its annual passenger handling capacity from 18 million (1.8 crore) to 40 million (4 crore).[53][54]
Terminal 2 was inaugurated on 1 May 1986, at a cost of ₹95 crores[6], and initially served international flights until July 2010, when operations were moved to Terminal 3. Following this, the terminal remained operational for only three months annually, catering to Hajj flights.[55] In 2017, after a revamp costing ₹100 crores,[55] DIAL shifted all GoAir operations and select IndiGo operations to Terminal 2, allowing for continued expansion work at Terminal 1.[56][57]
Designed by HOK in consultation with Mott MacDonald,[58] Terminal 3 spans 54 lakh (5.4 million) square feet (approximately 502,000 square meters), making it the 15th largest terminal globally. The terminal consists of two levels: the lower floor serves as the arrivals area, while the upper floor is designated for departures. It is equipped with 168 check-in counters, 78 aerobridges at 48 contact stands, 54 parking bays, 95 immigration counters, 18 X-ray screening areas, duty-free shops, and more.
International flights depart from gates 1–26 (gates 2, 4, and 6 are bus gates), while domestic flights leave from gates 27–62 (gates 42 and 44 are bus gates).[59][60] The terminal was completed in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, held in Delhi, and is connected to the city via the eight-lane Delhi–Gurgaon Expressway and the Delhi Metro's Airport Express Line.
Officially inaugurated on 3 July 2010, it began handling international flights in late July 2010 and full-service domestic carriers in November 2010. The arrivals area is equipped with 14 baggage carousels. Additionally, Terminal 3 features India's first automated parking management and guidance system, located in a multi-level car park comprising seven levels and a capacity of 4,300 cars.
Terminal 3 represents the first phase of the airport's expansion, which tentatively includes the construction of additional passenger and cargo terminals (Terminals 4, 5, and 6).[61]
Domestic full-service airlines Air India operates from Terminal 3.[62] Although Air India Express is a low-cost carrier, it also operates its domestic flights from this terminal. Additionally, some flights of SpiceJet and IndiGo temporarily operated out of Terminal 3 while the expansion of Terminal 1 was underway.
On 16 December 2024, Indira Gandhi International Airport became the first in India to directly connect to 150 airports and destinations, both domestic and international. This milestone was marked by the launch of a Thai AirAsiaX direct flight between Delhi and Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport.[63]
India's first general aviation terminal was commissioned at Indira Gandhi International Airport in September 2020. The terminal is designed to support the movement and processing of passengers traveling through chartered flights or private jets from the airport.[64][65]
The air cargo complex at Indira Gandhi International Airport is located 1 km (0.62 mi) from Terminal 3. It consists of both brownfield and greenfield cargo terminals.[66] The brownfield terminal's cargo operations are managed by Celebi Delhi Cargo Management India Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between Delhi International Airport Private Ltd (DIAL) and the Turkish company Celebi Ground Handling (CGH).[67] CGH was awarded the contract by DIAL in November 2009 to develop, modernise, and finance the existing cargo terminal, with operations scheduled for a period of twenty-five years.[68] Operations at the terminal began in June 2010.[68]
Additionally, a new greenfield terminal is being developed in phases by Delhi Cargo Service Centre (DCSC), another joint venture between DIAL and Cargo Service Center (CSC).[68] The greenfield project consists of two terminals built on plots of 48,000 square meters and 28,500 square meters, respectively. Phase 1A of the greenfield terminal has been completed and is fully operational.[66] Once the entire project is completed, the new terminals will have an annual handling capacity of 1.25 million tonnes (12.5 lakh tonnes).[68] In recognition of its innovative advancements, the cargo operations of the airport received the "e-Asia 2007" award for "Implementation of e-Commerce / Electronic Data Interchange in the Air Cargo Sector".[69]
Terminal 1A
Terminal 1A was constructed in 1982 as a temporary facility for international VIPs attending the 1983 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Delhi. After the event, the terminal remained unused until Indian Airlines commenced operations with Airbus A320 aircraft in 1988. The terminal underwent significant refurbishment following a fire that damaged the interior in October 1996[70] , and further upgrades were carried out by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL). The terminal was eventually closed when Air India transferred its operations to the new Terminal 3 on 11 November 2010.[71] DIAL had initially intended to repurpose the terminal for Hajj operations and charter flights; however, these plans were never realised. The terminal remained unused until 2018, when DIAL decided to demolish it.[72]
Terminal 1B
Terminal 1B was constructed in the late 1980s and was used exclusively for domestic departures. Following the inauguration of the new domestic departures terminal, Terminal 1D, in 2009, Terminal 1B was closed. It is anticipated that Terminal 1B will be demolished upon the completion of newer terminal constructions.
Terminal 1C
Terminal 1C was also constructed in the late 1980s and served exclusively for domestic arrivals. The terminal underwent upgrades, including an expanded greeting area and a larger baggage reclaim area with eight belts. On 24 February 2022, Terminal 1C was shut down, demolished, and rebuilt into a completely new domestic arrivals hall.
Terminal 1D
Terminal 1D was developed by DIAL and inaugurated on 27 February 2009[73] as a domestic departures terminal, with a total floor area of 53,000 m² (570,000 sq ft) and a capacity to handle 1.5 crore (15 million) passengers annually.[74] The terminal commenced operations on 19 April 2009.[75] It is equipped with 72 Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE)-enabled check-in counters, 16 self check-in counters, and 16 security channels.[75]
 | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
IGI complex has three commercial passenger terminals, one general aviation terminal, one cargo terminal, and a commercial hub known as Aerocity. Terminal 1, located in the northeast corner, caters to domestic flights. Aerocity, the commercial hub, is situated in the southeast corner. Terminal 2, serving domestic budget airlines, and Terminal 3, which handles international flights, are located in the southwest corner. The cargo terminal is positioned between the northern fringes of Terminal 3 and Aerocity, whereas the general aviation terminal is flanked by the southern fringes of Terminal 3 to its west and Aerocity to its east.
IGI Airport has three metro stations. Terminal 1 in the northeast corner of the airport is served by the Terminal 1-IGI Airport metro station on the Magenta Line of Delhi Metro.[219]
Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 are co-located in the southwest. Both are served by the same IGI Airport metro station on the Airport Express Line. The Airport Express Line runs from New Delhi metro station—which connects to the Yellow Line and New Delhi railway station—to the Dwarka Sector 21 metro station. The latter connects to the Blue Line, Bijwasan railway station, and the Dwarka ISBT Bus Terminal. The metro service runs every 10 minutes.[220][221]
To the east of IGI, the Airport Express Line connects to the Yellow Line of Delhi Metro and the New Delhi Railway Station of the Indian Railways network at the New Delhi metro station. The line also links to the Pink Line at the Dhaula Kuan metro station, with a skyway between Dhaula Kuan and the Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus metro station.
Bijwasan railway station, located immediately to the west of IGI on the Delhi–Jaipur line, is currently undergoing major redevelopment to transform it into a state-of-the-art regional multimodal transport hub. Although construction for the ₹270.83 crore project began in 2022, it is yet to become operational despite the original schedule for completion in 2024.[222]
The planned Hisar International Airport-IGI Airport line (HIAIGI Line) has received the assent of the Government of Haryana and will directly connect IGI Airport with Hisar Airport. In the first phase, the missing Garhi Harsaru-Farukhnagar–Jhajjar rail link will be constructed. The second phase will involve the construction of a short rail spur from the Jakhal–Hisar line to Hisar Airport.[223]
Air-conditioned, low-floor buses operated by Delhi Transport Corporation provide scheduled, recurring, and regular public transit services between the airport and the city.[224]
As of 2024, two Inter-State Bus Terminals are under construction to serve long-haul bus routes at IGI Airport.
In September 2024, DIAL issued tenders for the construction of an elevated and at-grade Automated People Mover (APM) system, with an expected completion date by the end of 2027. The 7.7 km line will feature four stops: T2/3, T1, Aerocity, and Cargo City. This APM system will be the first of its kind at an Indian airport and is proposed to be implemented under the design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) model.[227]
The airport is situated in South Delhi, close to the Haryana state border. It is connected to Delhi to the north and Gurgaon in Haryana to the south by two major expressways, each with eight lanes. The first, the Delhi–Gurgaon Expressway (NH 48), is 27.7 km long and runs at ground level, passing through Gurgaon. This expressway, part of the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway, is the older and busier route. The second, the Dwarka Expressway (NH-248BB), is a 26.7 km long elevated expressway that runs to the west of Gurgaon.[228]
Urban Extension Road-II is a 75.7 km-long, six-lane expressway that connects IGI Airport to the southern, southwestern, and western suburbs of Delhi. It also provides access to the Delhi-Hisar NH-9.[229]
In 2010, IGI Airport was ranked as the Fourth Best Airport in the world in the 15–25 million passenger category by the Airports Council International. It was also recognized as the Most Improved Airport in the Indo-Pacific region.[230]
In 2015, the airport was rated as the Best Airport in the world in the 25–40 million passengers category by the Airports Council International.[231][232] Additionally, the IGI Airport was awarded the title of the Best Airport in Central Asia and Best Airport Staff in Central Asia at the Skytrax World Airport Awards in 2015.[233] The airport also secured the first place in the 2015 Airport Service Quality Awards, conducted by the Airports Council International, reflecting its excellence in customer service.[234]
The airport, along with Mumbai Airport, was named the World's Best Airport at the Airport Service Quality Awards 2017, in the highest category for airports handling more than 40 million passengers annually.[235]
In 2020, the airport was recognized as the Best Airport in the Asia-Pacific region for airports with over 40 million passengers per year, an award granted by the Airports Council International.[236]
In 2023, the airport was honored as the Cleanest Airport in the Asia-Pacific Region. Additionally, it ranked first again in the 2022 Airport Service Quality Awards in the category of airports handling over 40 million passengers annually, as conducted by Airports Council International.[237]
The newer domestic arrivals and departures terminals, 1C and 1D, were consolidated into a single domestic terminal through a major redevelopment project. The newly created Terminal 1 is now capable of handling up to 40 million passengers annually.
Terminals 4, 5, and 6 will be constructed in later stages, triggered by the growth in passenger traffic. Once completed, all international flights will be transferred to these three new terminals, while Terminal 3 will be dedicated solely to handling domestic air traffic. A new cargo handling facility is also part of the planned expansion. According to Delhi International Airport Limited, these new terminals will increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity to 100 million (10 crore).[61]
In 2016, DIAL submitted a plan to the then aviation secretary, R.N. Choubey, outlining the expansion of the airport with the construction of a new fourth runway and Terminal 4 in a phased manner.[53] The Master Plan of the airport, initially drafted in 2016, was later reviewed and updated by DIAL in consultation with the Airports Authority of India.[238] According to the plan, construction of Terminal 4 was to begin after the completion of the fourth runway and the expansion of Terminal 1.[53] However, the conversion and expansion of Terminal 2 into a fully international terminal has been postponed and put on hold.[239]
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