21 airports, 5 international gateways: Uttar Pradesh's grand bet on the skies

Uttar Pradesh is in the middle of a quiet aviation revolution. From just a handful of airports a decade ago, the state is now building a network of 21 airports including five international gateways transforming how millions of people travel across India’s most populous state.

For decades, the vast state relied heavily on railways and highways to move people and goods across its more than 75 districts. Air travel remained limited to a few cities, leaving large parts of Uttar Pradesh without direct aviation access. That picture has begun to change rapidly in recent years as the state pushes an ambitious plan to expand its airport network and improve regional connectivity.Officials say the aviation push is aimed at doing more than just adding new runways.

The expansion is expected to strengthen tourism, support industrial growth, reduce travel time between cities and make smaller districts more accessible. Alongside new expressways and industrial corridors, airports are becoming a key part of Uttar Pradesh’s infrastructure transformation.At the heart of this effort is the plan to create a network of 21 airports across the state, ranging from large international gateways to smaller regional airstrips.

Together, they are expected to link pilgrimage centres, industrial hubs and emerging cities with major domestic and global destinations.

International airports leading the expansion

Lucknow: Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport

The Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow remains the backbone of aviation connectivity in Uttar Pradesh. Located in Amausi, around 12 km from the city centre, the airport serves as the main gateway for travellers across central Uttar Pradesh.

Over the past decade, the airport has undergone major expansion, with new terminals, upgraded runway infrastructure and improved passenger facilities.

Today, it handles a large volume of domestic traffic connecting Lucknow with major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.The airport also operates international flights to destinations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, making it an important departure point for migrant workers, business travellers and tourists.

Varanasi: Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport

Located at Babatpur, about 26 km from the city, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport serves as the primary aviation hub for eastern Uttar Pradesh.Named after former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, the airport connects the ancient city of Varanasi with major domestic and international destinations.

With millions of visitors arriving every year to see the ghats of the Ganges, visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple or explore nearby Buddhist sites like Sarnath, the airport plays a crucial role in sustaining the city’s tourism economy.

Kushinagar International Airport

Inaugurated in 2021, Kushinagar International Airport was developed to strengthen India’s Buddhist tourism circuit.Kushinagar is believed to be the place where Gautama Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana, making it one of the most sacred pilgrimage destinations for Buddhists worldwide.

The airport is expected to attract pilgrims from countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan and Myanmar, boosting tourism and economic activity in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Ayodhya: Maharishi Valmiki International Airport

The recently inaugurated Maharishi Valmiki International Airport marks a new chapter in the state’s aviation expansion.Designed with architectural elements inspired by temple styles, the airport reflects the cultural heritage of Ayodhya.

With the opening of the Ram Mandir drawing millions of pilgrims to the city, the airport is expected to play a crucial role in handling the surge in religious tourism.

Jewar: Noida International Airport

Among the most ambitious aviation projects in the country, the Noida International Airport at Jewar is being developed as a massive greenfield airport near Greater Noida.Once operational, it will complement the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and is expected to handle tens of millions of passengers annually.

The project is also planned as a major cargo hub and is likely to trigger large-scale development in the surrounding region, including logistics parks, industrial zones and new residential corridors.

Domestic airports connecting key cities

While international airports serve as global gateways, domestic airports play an equally important role in linking different regions of Uttar Pradesh with major Indian cities.

These airports reduce travel time, support tourism and strengthen economic activity across the state.

Agra airport

Located about 12 km from the city, Agra Airport—also known as Kheria Airport—operates as a civil enclave within an Indian Air Force base.

Though commercial operations remain limited, the airport serves tourists visiting the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and other Mughal-era landmarks.

Prayagraj airport

Earlier known as Bamrauli Airport, Prayagraj Airport is among the country’s oldest aviation facilities.Located around 12 km from the city centre, the airport has seen major upgrades in recent years, including a modern terminal building. Its importance rises significantly during events like the Kumbh Mela, when millions of pilgrims arrive in the city.

Gorakhpur airport

Situated about 8 km from the city, Gorakhpur Airport operates as a civil enclave within an Indian Air Force station.

It provides a key air link for eastern Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring regions of Bihar, with regular flights to cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

Kanpur airport

Also known as Chakeri Airport, Kanpur Airport is located at the Chakeri Air Force Station around 16 km from the city centre.

The airport provides connectivity for one of Uttar Pradesh’s major industrial centres. Infrastructure upgrades in recent years have helped revive commercial operations and improve passenger facilities.

Bareilly airport

Bareilly Airport in the Rohilkhand region was revived under the government’s regional connectivity scheme.

Operating from an Indian Air Force base, the airport now runs flights connecting Bareilly with cities such as Delhi, significantly improving accessibility for nearby districts.

Hindon airport

Located in Ghaziabad near the National Capital Region, Hindon Airport functions as a civil enclave at Hindon Air Force Station.It mainly handles regional flights under the government’s UDAN scheme and serves passengers from western Uttar Pradesh who previously relied almost entirely on Delhi’s main airport.

Emerging regional airports

To extend aviation connectivity to smaller districts, several regional airports are being developed across the state. These include facilities in Azamgarh, Moradabad, Shravasti, Chitrakoot and Aligarh.These airports are expected to operate under regional connectivity programmes aimed at linking smaller cities with major aviation hubs through affordable air travel.

Smaller airstrips and aviation facilities

Apart from full-scale airports, Uttar Pradesh also has several smaller airstrips used for government flights, pilot training and emergency operations.

These include facilities in Meerut, Jhansi, Lakhimpur Kheri and Ghazipur.While these airstrips currently handle limited aviation activity, they remain important components of the state’s broader aviation infrastructure and could see upgrades in the future.

The bigger picture

Together, the growing network of airports reflects Uttar Pradesh’s broader push to modernise transport infrastructure. Aviation projects are being developed alongside expressways, industrial corridors and logistics hubs to create an integrated mobility network.

If the current plans are completed on schedule, Uttar Pradesh could soon emerge as one of India’s most connected states in terms of aviation infrastructure—linking pilgrimage centres, industrial hubs and emerging cities through a rapidly expanding air network.