Delhi airport becomes Indias only hub connected to 32 states, UTs – The Tribune

The national capital’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has expanded its domestic network to 90 destinations with the launch of direct scheduled flights to Daman, becoming the only airport in the country with non-stop connectivity to 32 of India’s 36 states and Union Territories, said the officials on Tuesday.

Operated by Alliance Air, the new Delhi-Daman service strengthens air connectivity to the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu while supporting the Centre’s regional connectivity push.

With the addition of Daman, Delhi Airport now offers direct flights to 27 states and five Union Territories. The airport handles more than 1,050 domestic flights daily and over 5 million domestic passengers every month, including around 1 million domestic-to-domestic transfer passengers.

The airport said the new route will improve access to Daman for tourists and business travellers while providing seamless onward domestic and international connections through Delhi, India’s largest aviation hub.

“The launch of direct flights to Daman marks another significant milestone in Delhi Airport’s journey towards strengthening domestic air connectivity across India. Reaching 90 domestic destinations and becoming the only airport in the country to provide direct connectivity to 32 of India’s 36 states and Union Territories — reflects our continued commitment to enhancing accessibility, supporting regional economic growth and providing passengers with a wider range of travel options,” DIAL CEO Pradeep Panicker said.

He said Delhi Airport would continue working with airline partners to further expand its domestic network and enhance passenger connectivity.

Delhi Airport remains the country’s largest domestic aviation hub, with Maharashtra emerging as the best-connected state through seven direct destinations, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh with six destinations each.

Scheduled domestic services from Delhi Airport are operated by Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Alliance Air.

DIAL said the continued expansion of the airport’s domestic network is aimed at improving regional connectivity, supporting economic growth and making air travel more accessible across the country.