IndiGo, AI Express drive passenger surge at Hindon Airport with new low-cost routes

New Delhi: Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), is attracting more passengers and airlines. According to AAI data, aircraft movements surged 137.9% in FY24 to 3,080, while departing passengers jumped 184.6% to 83,964.

Until March this year, the domestic airport was primarily used by regional carriers like FlyBig and Star Air under the government’s UDAN scheme. That changed in March 2025, when Tata Sons-owned low-cost carrier Air India Express became the first airline to operate from both airports in the National Capital Region.

AI Express now flies from Hindon to Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Kolkata, Mumbai, Jaipur, Varanasi, and Patna.

“We have expanded our operations to over 60 weekly departures and in May we started flights to Jaipur, Varanasi, and Patna,” an Air India Express spokesperson told Mint. “The expansion to Hindon also underscores our confidence in the burgeoning demand for air travel from Uttar Pradesh, making this our fourth major airport in the state.”

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share and fleet size, will follow suit with over 70 weekly departures to nine cities starting 20 July. It will operate flights from Hindon to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Varanasi, and Goa.

“Our expansion into Hindon is a strategic move offering an additional gateway for millions in the wider catchment area. The ever-developing airport infrastructure in India allows us to provide convenient flight options and enhanced connections,” said Vinay Malhotra, head of global sales at IndiGo, had said in a statement issued in June.

Cost advantage

One of the reasons Hindon is gaining traction is cost.

Designated as an UDAN airport, a regional airport development programme, Hindon offers aeronautical charges—like landing and parking fees—at 20–25% lower rates compared to Delhi Airport.

An airline executive who did not wish to be named said carriers can save up to ₹6,000 per flight depending on aircraft type.

The user development fee (UDF) at Hindon is also zero, making it cheaper for passengers. A Skyscanner comparison showed flights from Hindon are 20–30% cheaper, with ticket prices lower by ₹1,000–3,000.

Delhi Airport handled 57.7 million domestic passengers in FY25, while Hindon Airport saw just 83,964. Similarly, in April and May 2025, Delhi handled 4.8 million and 4.5 million domestic passengers, compared to Hindon’s 58,058 and 43,741, respectively.

Aviation analyst Ameya Joshi noted that Hindon helps ease slot constraints at Delhi Airport. “Since Hindon is closer to Delhi than Jewar, it might eat into the traffic of Jewar Airport. Since Hindon caters to east Delhi largely and if the airlines see good footfalls and revenue, they would want to increase focus,” he said.

Ajay Prakash, president of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), added that low-cost airports like Hindon are key to supporting budget airlines. “Low cost airlines need to have low cost fare, it is a welcome step to see airlines increasing their focus on Hindon. If there are more such facilities, where price is lower, it should help in promoting traffic and will be good for passengers as tickets are cheaper,” he said.

Joshi noted that other airlines may stay away. “Hindon is very small and has limited capacity to offer. Akasa and SpiceJet have limited capacity unlike IndiGo or AI Express, so they may not want to scatter their ops,” he said.

Once IndiGo begins operations later this month, Hindon’s daily flights will rise 56%, from 16 to 25. Weekly departures will increase to 175 from 112.