Delhi Airport Sees a Massive 244% Surge in International Transit Traffic, ETTravelWorld

Delhi Airport, operated by the GMR Aero-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), has consolidated its position as a key global transit hub with international-to-international (I-to-I) transfers rising 244 per cent in two years. According to IATA, passenger volumes increased from 388,000 in FY 2023 to 1.34 million in FY 2025.

The airport is now recognised as the best directly connected gateway to North America and Europe from South and Southeast Asia, reflecting its role as a strategic international layover hub. Delhi’s location on the East–West corridor, combined with enhanced facilities and expanding airline operations, has been pivotal in this transformation.

The growth has been supported by the expansion of services from Air India and IndiGo, which are adding wide-body aircraft and launching new routes. One example is the Central Asia–Thailand corridor, where IndiGo’s services connecting Bangkok and Phuket with Almaty, Tashkent, Tbilisi and Baku led to a nearly 500 per cent increase in I-to-I transfers.

Overall transfer traffic at Delhi Airport rose 30.6 per cent between FY 2023 and FY 2025, growing from 15.6 million to 20.3 million passengers. Domestic-to-domestic transfers also posted a strong rise, reaching 10.5 million during the same period.

DIAL has invested in expanding its dedicated I-to-I transfer zone under the Phase 3A expansion, offering additional retail outlets, security booths, and X-ray machines to streamline passenger flows. Facilities such as transit lounges, the Holiday Inn Express hotel at Terminal 3, nap and shower services, buggy assistance, porter support and lounge access have been designed to cater to long-haul passengers. Digital navigation maps, enhanced signage, and inter-terminal connectivity via shuttle services and metro lines further simplify the transfer process.

In addition, cultural programmes such as the “DEL Vibes” initiative at Terminal 3 and services like biometric registration kiosks for e-visa holders aim to enhance passenger comfort and efficiency.

“The exponential growth of 244 per cent in International-to-International transfers at Delhi Airport is a strong testament to our emergence as a global transit hub. This achievement is the result of our focused efforts and commitment to providing seamless connectivity, best-in-class infrastructure, and a world-class passenger experience,” said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of DIAL.

Delhi Airport currently connects to nearly 150 global destinations and is the only Indian airport to feature among the top 10 hub airports in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region, as per the 2024 Air Connectivity Ranking released by Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East.