Lucknow
Passenger traffic at Uttar Pradesh airports grew by 14.6 per cent year-on-year to 60 lakh travellers between April and August 2025, state government officials said today.
During this period, the state’s share in India’s total air traffic rose to 3.52 per cent, an increase of 34 basis points over 2024, indicating one in every 30 air passengers in India travels from Uttar Pradesh. The state’s expanding air connectivity and rising passenger volumes have made it a key player in India’s aviation growth story, the officials said.
The surge in passenger traffic reflects not just statistical growth but the success of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s visionary “Connected UP, Prosperous UP” mission, which seeks to ensure that every district has access to modern transport infrastructure to drive tourism, trade, and employment, they claimed.
With the upcoming launch of the Noida International Airport, this momentum is set to accelerate further, enhancing connectivity across Uttar Pradesh and benefiting neighbouring states alike.
In 2016–17, a total of 59.97 lakh passengers travelled through Uttar Pradesh’s airports. By FY 2024–25, the number had surged to 142.28 lakh, comprising 129.29 lakh domestic and 12.99 lakh international passengers. The state registered a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1 per cent, underscoring strong momentum in its aviation sector.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, passenger numbers dipped to 48.35 lakh in FY 2020–21. However, the state achieved one of the fastest recoveries in the country, doubling its traffic within two years.
Compared to 2023–24, there was a 25.9 per cent increase in total air passengers, with traffic during April–August alone rising by 14.6 per cent. Domestic passenger growth stood at 15.7 percent, while international travellers increased by 4.3 per cent.
Several cities have driven this growth momentum. Between 2023–24 and 2024–25, air traffic increased by 34.4 per cent in Varanasi, 76.4 per cent in Prayagraj, 27.6 per cent in Gorakhpur, and 13.3 per cent in Kanpur.
The Ayodhya Airport, dedicated by the Chief Minister in the name of Maharshi Valmiki, has emerged as one of North India’s fastest-growing terminals. Passenger traffic there grew from over 200,000 in 2023–24 to more than 11 lakhs in 2024–25.
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