India's International Airports by State 2026

As of 2026, India has somewhere between 30 and 33 international airports, spread across more than 20 states and union territories. That range isn't a typo. It reflects genuine disagreement between sources on exactly what counts as "international," something we'll unpack properly below. This guide covers the full list of international airports in India by state, 2026 picture, region by region, plus the newest additions and what's still under construction.

Key Facts at a Glance

• The total number of international airports: About 30-33 from various sources and definitions.
• The busiest airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.
• The newest major addition is Navi Mumbai International Airport, launched in October 2025.
• The states with the most international airports are Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with 4 each.
• Cochin International Airport, located in Kerala, is the first international airport of the world to be built under the PPP model.

How Many International Airports Does India Have in 2026?

Here's the honest answer. It depends on who you ask. The Airports Authority of India's own portal cites a notably lower figure, likely because it only counts airports it directly manages, excluding privately run hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, all operated by private consortiums rather than AAI itself. Most independent aggregators, tracking every airport with genuine international flight status regardless of operator, land in the 30 to 33 range instead. Treat any single, ultra-precise number with a bit of healthy scepticism, since airports get upgraded to international status fairly regularly.

International vs Customs vs Domestic Airports 

An international airport has full customs, immigration, and security clearance to handle flights crossing national borders. A customs airport is a smaller step below that, cleared for limited international cargo or charter operations, but not full scheduled passenger service. A domestic airport handles only flights within India, with no customs or immigration infrastructure at all.

Complete State-Wise List of International Airports in India (2026)

North India

Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan anchor this region, with Uttar Pradesh alone now home to four operational international airports, more than almost any other northern state.

South India

Kerala and Tamil Nadu dominate here, tied at four international airports each, alongside Karnataka's two and Telangana's one major hub in Hyderabad.

East India

The region has one international airport each in West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar, the primary one being Kolkata.

West India

This region is dominated by Maharashtra and Gujarat, with Maharashtra boasting two airports in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area (MMA) after Navi Mumbai was opened in 2025.

Northeast India

Guwahati in Assam remains the northeast's primary international gateway, though regional connectivity here continues to lag behind the rest of the country.

Which State Has the Most International Airports?

Kerala and Tamil Nadu currently share the top spot, each running four international airports. Kerala's four sit unusually close together geographically, giving much of the state genuinely easy access to international air travel, a rare setup anywhere in India.

Newest International Airports in India (2025-2026)

Navi Mumbai International Airport opened in October 2025, becoming Mumbai's second airport and easing serious congestion at the older Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport. Ayodhya's Maharishi Valmiki International Airport opened in December 2023, tied closely to the city's religious tourism boom. Alluri Sitharamaraju International Airport at Bhogapuram, in Andhra Pradesh, completed construction and became operational in 2026, effectively taking over scheduled commercial flights from the older Visakhapatnam airport nearby.

Busiest International Airports in India

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi holds the title of India's busiest, by a clear margin. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai follows close behind, even with some traffic now shifting toward the new Navi Mumbai facility.

Upcoming & Greenfield International Airports (2026 and Beyond)

Noida International Airport, widely known as Jewar Airport, is under construction in Uttar Pradesh and expected to become one of the largest airports in all of Asia once complete. Dholera International Airport in Gujarat and further greenfield projects continue moving through various stages of planning and construction, part of a broader national push to add serious aviation capacity well beyond the current metro-city hubs.

Conclusion 

India's international airport network has grown fast, and it shows no real sign of slowing down. Kerala and Tamil Nadu currently lead by count, Uttar Pradesh has quietly become a genuine northern hub, and greenfield giants like Jewar are still to come. Whatever the exact number turns out to be this year- 30, 31, 33- the bigger story is clear. India's skies are getting a lot more connected, a lot faster than most people realize.

FAQs

1. Which was India's first international airport?

   Kolkata's airport, now known as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, is often cited as India's oldest operating international gateway, though Mumbai's airport also has a long-standing claim to early international status.

2. Which is the largest international airport in India?

   That is the title of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, both in terms of its physical size and number of passengers.

3. Which states in India do not have an international airport?

   But several smaller states and UTs don't have one, and that too in some parts of the northeast and a few central Indian states, although it is decreasing with time as the regional airports are getting upgraded.

4. What is the UDAN scheme's role in airport growth?

   UDAN, short for "Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik," is a government scheme designed to make air travel more affordable and connect smaller, underserved towns to the wider network, indirectly feeding growth toward eventual international upgrades for some regional airports.

5. Which state has the most international airports in India?

   Currently, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are tied for first place with 4 airports each.

6. Has this Navi Mumbai International Airport become operational?

   Yes, it opened in October 2025 and has gradually expanded its domestic and international services since then; it is the second major airport in Mumbai after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

7. Why do the figures for the number of airports in India differ in different sources?

   As definitions differ, some sources only consider AAI-managed airports, rather than privately run airports such as Delhi and Mumbai. Some count every airport that has actual passenger scheduled international air service, irrespective of its operator and get noticeably higher figures.

8. When is the opening of Noida International Airport (Jewar)?

   Still under construction as of 2026, it will be one of the biggest airports in Asia when it's up and running, and full-scale operation dates have been pushed back and forth in the past, but can be checked with news updates closer to the opening date.