Why Are These Indian Airports Shutting Down? Here's What It Means For Your Next Trip

Indian Airports Update: If you're planning a trip, it's worth checking whether your departure or arrival airport is still operational. Across India, several airports have either shut down, stopped commercial flights or are being replaced by newer, larger facilities. While some airports are making way for modern replacements with better connectivity, others have lost commercial services because airlines found the routes commercially unviable. Here's what travellers need to know before booking their next flight.

Visakhapatnam Airport To Be Replaced By Bhogapuram International Airport: Travellers flying to or from Visakhapatnam will soon need to use the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram instead of the existing Visakhapatnam Airport. The current airport operates as a civil enclave inside the INS Dega naval airbase, meaning civilian flights have long been constrained by military operations and limited flight slots. 

The new Bhogapuram International Airport, located around 50-60 km from Visakhapatnam, has been developed by the GMR Group at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 5,000 crore. Commercial operations are expected to begin in the last week of July 2026, after which most civilian flight operations are likely to shift from the existing airport. For passengers, the move means round-the-clock flight operations without military restrictions, more domestic and international flight options, greater passenger capacity, with Phase I designed to handle about 6.3 million passengers annually and larger terminal and improved passenger facilities.

Ludhiana Passengers Shift To Halwara Airport: Punjab's Sahnewal Airport near Ludhiana is gradually being replaced by the newly developed Halwara International Airport. Sahnewal had become too constrained for future expansion, with limited space for runway extension or a larger terminal. The replacement airport, developed in partnership between the Punjab government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), is located about 32 km from Ludhiana within the Halwara Air Force Station. Halwara was inaugurated on February 1, 2026, while Air India started twice-daily Delhi-Halwara commercial services on May 15, 2026. Unlike Sahnewal, the new airport can accommodate larger aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, allowing airlines to operate more efficiently.

Six Uttar Pradesh Airports Have No Scheduled Flights: Several regional airports in Uttar Pradesh remain operational in terms of infrastructure but currently have no scheduled commercial flights. According to an RTI response from the Airports Authority of India, commercial services have been suspended at Kushinagar, Chitrakoot, Azamgarh, Aligarh, Moradabad and Shravasti. These airports were launched after 2021 but struggled to sustain commercial operations as passenger demand remained low after initial incentives and promotional fares were withdrawn.

Only Ayodhya Airport continues to operate successfully among the newer airports launched during that period. For travellers planning to visit these regions, the nearest practical alternatives are Ayodhya Airport or the Noida International Airport (Jewar), depending on the destination. At present, no revival plan or restart date has been announced for the six airports.

Pakyong Airport In Sikkim Remains Without Flights: Sikkim's Pakyong Airport, the state's only airport, has remained without scheduled commercial services since June 2024. Unlike other airports facing commercial challenges, Pakyong's problems are largely operational.

Located in the Himalayas, it functions under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), making flight operations highly dependent on weather conditions. Frequent fog, poor visibility and strong winds led to repeated cancellations and diversions, discouraging airlines from continuing services. The airport earlier offered flights to Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati. At present, no airline has sought flight slots, and there is no announced timeline for resumption of services. Travellers visiting Sikkim currently rely primarily on Bagdogra Airport in neighbouring West Bengal, followed by a road journey to the state.

Why These Closures Matter To Travellers? The reasons behind these airport closures fall into two broad categories. In Visakhapatnam and Ludhiana, passengers are moving to newer airports that offer better infrastructure, larger terminals, greater aircraft capacity and room for future expansion. While travellers may have to travel slightly farther to reach the airport, they are expected to benefit from more flight options, fewer operational restrictions and a better overall travel experience.

In contrast, airports in Uttar Pradesh and Pakyong have lost commercial flights because airlines found the routes financially or operationally unsustainable. Until airlines return, travellers heading to these destinations will need to plan journeys through nearby airports and complete the remaining distance by road.

Before booking flights, passengers travelling to these regions should verify the departure and arrival airport carefully to avoid confusion, particularly in Visakhapatnam and Ludhiana, where commercial services have shifted or are in the process of shifting to newer airports.