Indira Gandhi International Airport (IATA: DEL, ICAO: VIDP) is the primary international airport serving New Delhi, the capital of India, and the National Capital Region. It is the busiest airport in India by passenger traffic and the largest aviation hub in South Asia. The airport is located approximately 16 kilometres southwest of the city centre and covers an area of 5,106 acres.
The airport was originally opened as Palam Airport in 1962 and was renamed Indira Gandhi International Airport in 1986. It is operated by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a joint venture between GMR Airports, the Airports Authority of India, and Fraport AG. The airport serves as the primary hub for Air India and IndiGo, and is a focus city for Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air.
DEL features three passenger terminals — T1, T2, and T3 — supported by four runways, including the 4,430-metre Runway 11R/29L, one of the longest in Asia. Terminal 3 is the largest and most modern, handling all international flights and the majority of domestic traffic, while T1 and T2 primarily serve domestic operations.
In 2025, Indira Gandhi International Airport handled a record 78,148,081 passengers, a 0.42% increase over 77.8 million in 2024. The airport ranked 11th globally among the world’s busiest airports, making it the only Indian airport to feature in the world’s top 20. It also became the 5th busiest airport in Asia Pacific, surpassing Singapore Changi and Seoul Incheon. The airport’s overall design capacity is approximately 100 million passengers per year.