Kempegowda International Airport Achieves Strong Growth in 2025
Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru closed the year 2025 with impressive growth in both passenger and cargo operations. The airport solidified its position as a major aviation and logistics hub in India.
Passenger Traffic Soars
Passenger traffic at KIA increased by 8% year-on-year. The airport handled over 43.8 million passengers in 2025, up from about 40.7 million in 2024. Strong domestic demand and expanded international connectivity drove this growth.
The airport recorded its highest single-day passenger footfall on November 23, 2025. On that day, 1,37,317 passengers passed through KIA. Air traffic movements also reached a peak of 837 Air Traffic Managements (ATM) on October 19, 2025. The average daily number of ATMs stood at 765 throughout the year.
Rising National Ranking
In October 2025, KIA moved from third to second place nationally in the number of domestic flights operated. This shift highlights the airport's growing importance in India's domestic aviation network.
International operations accelerated significantly. Average daily departures rose from 38 in 2024 to 51 in 2025. This expansion resulted in a 28.7% increase in international passenger traffic.
Leadership Comments
Girish Nair, chief operating officer of Bangalore International Airport Limited, commented on the performance. He stated that disciplined operations and strategic capacity expansion helped the airport maintain stability and growth despite sectoral volatility. Nair added that rising airline and passenger confidence reinforced KIA's role as the "new gateway to India."
Expanded Connectivity
By the end of December 2025, KIA connected to 113 passenger destinations. This included 79 domestic and 34 international cities. The airport added five domestic and five international routes during the year.
Top domestic destinations included:
- Delhi
- Mumbai
- Kolkata
- Hyderabad
- Pune
Leading international destinations were:
- Dubai
- Abu Dhabi
- Singapore
- London Heathrow
- Kuala Lumpur
Airlines Expand Operations
Several airlines expanded their operations in Bengaluru during 2025. Air India Express established KIA as its largest hub. Other carriers launching new routes or increasing frequencies included:
- IndiGo
- Akasa Air
- Lufthansa
- KLM
- Japan Airlines
- Gulf Air
- Virgin Atlantic
These expansions focused particularly on routes to West Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Cargo Operations Grow Steadily
Cargo operations at KIA also posted steady gains in 2025. The airport handled over 5.2 lakh tonnes of cargo during the year. It recorded its highest single-day cargo throughput of 2,207 tonnes on August 7, 2025.
KIA now connects to 37 cargo destinations. Growth drivers included shipments of:
- Agri-perishables
- Pharmaceuticals
- Auto components
- Electronics
- E-commerce goods
The strong performance across both passenger and cargo segments underscores KIA's rising stature as a comprehensive aviation hub. The airport's strategic expansions and operational discipline continue to attract more airlines and passengers, positioning Bengaluru as a key gateway for India's growing aviation market.
