Thiruvananthapuram Airport Expansion: Extended Runway, Bigger Terminal & The Rs 1,300-Crore Plan

Last Updated:September 10, 2025, 15:58 IST

Thiruvananthapuram Airport Expansion: The work is expected to begin by year-end, officials told News18, adding that the total cost of the first phase will be Rs 1,300 crore

The proposed Thiruvananthapuram airport expansion plan. (News18)

Terminal capacity up by five times, longer runway and increased taxiways for smoother and increased air traffic movements, phase one of expansion of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala is expected to reduce congestion, make operations smoother and accommodate more passengers.

The expansion work is expected to begin by year-end, officials told News18, adding that the total cost of the first phase will be Rs 1,300 crore.

The airport has two terminals – T1 and T2 that have a total capacity to hold 4.5 million passengers per annum. The footfall recorded at the airport between 2024 and 2025 was already recorded at 4.9 million, raising a need for the expansion.

Officials aware of the expansion plan told News18 that T2 will undergo expansion work starting November 2025.

“Keeping passenger convenience in mind, the terminal will be operational throughout and expansion will be carried out in parts. The terminal will not be shut completely at any time and operations will continue. This is why it is estimated to take five years for completion. Once the expansion is complete, the total capacity of both terminals together will go up to 27 million passengers per annum, five times the present capacity," said a senior official from the airport.

Other than the terminal, the expansion is also planned on the air side.

The runway of the airport at present is 3.4 kilometres. It will also be extended by 145 meters on both sides. This is being done in accordance with DGCA’s safety compliance, the official said.

The airport handles 85 air traffic movements every day and caters to 14 international and nine domestic destinations. Officials believe that once the runway is upgraded and the number of taxiways is increased, more flights can be accommodated and routes be increased.

As part of the phase one expansion, a new apron building is also planned along with the upgradation of infrastructure including the drainage system. An apron is the part of an airport where aircraft are parked, loaded, unloaded, and refuelled.

The officer added that this is the first phase of expansion. Once it is complete, the overall masterplan of the airport also includes bringing in a new ATC tower and expansion of T1 at a later stage.

The total estimated cost of the masterplan is Rs 8,707 crore, the officer said.

Anvit Srivastava

Anvit Srivastava, Principal Correspondent at CNN-News18, covers crime, security, policing and society in Delhi. His impactful ground reports have helped him make his mark among the select credited journalists i...Read More

Anvit Srivastava, Principal Correspondent at CNN-News18, covers crime, security, policing and society in Delhi. His impactful ground reports have helped him make his mark among the select credited journalists i...

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