Delhi Airport's Global Rise: 34% Surge in International Transit Passengers

In the 12 months from September 2024 to August 2025, Delhi Airport handled over 6.7 lakh (670,000) East-West-East transit passengers, marking a 34 per cent year-on-year increase compared to 4.98 lakh (498,000) in the previous year.

According to the release, of this, East-to-West passenger traffic grew 34 per cent, while West-to-East traffic rose 35 per cent, underscoring Delhi's growing relevance as a preferred international transit and transfer point between Asia and Europe.

Among airlines facilitating this growth, Air India contributed 67 per cent of East-to-West transit/transfer traffic, followed by IndiGo with 25 per cent, reaffirming the strong partnership between Indian carriers and Delhi Airport in enhancing global connectivity, as per IATA data. Air India and IndiGo together handle over 90 per cent of the total passenger traffic through Delhi.

DIAL has been closely collaborating with both carriers to strengthen East-West hub connectivity and position Delhi Airport as a leading global transfer hub.

"With its unmatched network spanning Europe, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, Delhi Airport continues to strengthen India's position on the global aviation map. Whether it's business travel to London, tourism to Bangkok, or cultural exchange with Tokyo, Delhi Airport connects India to the world, truly serving as the Gateway between the East and the West. The sharp rise in East-West passenger flows is a strong testament to the airport's growing role as a global transit/transfer hub," said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO, DIAL.

He added, "We remain focused on expanding connectivity, enhancing convenience, and offering greater choice for international travellers across continents."

Delhi Airport has further consolidated its position as India's leading gateway to Thailand, now operating 120 weekly departures to four destinations, Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang), Phuket, and Krabi, representing 26 per cent of India's total flights to Thailand as per IATA/DIAL data.

A new route to Krabi commenced on October 26, 2025, expanding leisure connectivity to one of Southeast Asia's most sought-after destinations. Across India, airports operate a total of 458 weekly flights to Thailand, led by Delhi (26 per cent share), followed by Mumbai (21 per cent) and Bengaluru (11 per cent).

Beyond Thailand, Delhi Airport's Southeast Asia network continues to grow rapidly with expanded frequencies and new routes: Air India will increase flights on the Delhi-Kuala Lumpur (DEL-KUL) route from 7 to 10 weekly, effective November 16, 2025. Air India will also increase flights on the Delhi-Denpasar (Bali) (DEL-DPS) route from 7 to 10 weekly, effective December 1, 2025. IndiGo will launch daily services between Delhi and Hanoi (DEL-HAN) from December 20, 2025, enhancing connectivity to Vietnam. IndiGo will also start daily flights between Delhi and Guangzhou (DEL-CAN) from November 10, 2025, marking the first scheduled passenger service between India and China post-COVID.

As per the press release, Delhi Airport offers the widest and most frequent connectivity to the United Kingdom among all Indian airports, commanding a 38 per cent national share of India-UK flights, with Air India launching its fourth daily service between Delhi (DEL) and Heathrow (LHR). With 63 weekly departures to London Heathrow (56x), Birmingham (3x), and Manchester (4x), Delhi remains the only Indian airport directly linked to three major UK cities.

A major milestone in this expansion will be the launch of IndiGo's first long-haul international service, Delhi-Manchester, starting November 15, 2025, operated four times weekly using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The route is expected to handle 65,000 passengers annually, further enhancing Delhi's role as the premier gateway for business, tourism, and student traffic to the UK.

Delhi leads India's air connectivity to Japan, operating 28 weekly flights to Tokyo's Haneda (21x) and Narita (7x) airports, commanding a 70 per cent share of all India-Japan flights. From January 18, 2026, Japan Airlines is expected to launch a daily Delhi-Tokyo Narita service using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which is expected to carry approximately 49,000 passengers annually.

With this addition, Delhi will host four daily flights to Tokyo, making it the only Indian airport connected to both Haneda and Narita, the press release said.

- ANI