Passengers Handled by Indian Civil Aviation from 2012 to 2025

India’s civil aviation sector has experienced remarkable growth, faced unprecedented challenges, and demonstrated impressive resilience in recent years. The long-term trajectory reflects rising air travel demand, major infrastructure upgrades, and supportive policy reforms. Yet, short-term disruptions—like the COVID-19 pandemic—have highlighted the sector’s vulnerabilities. Between 2012-13 and 2018-19, passenger traffic surged from 159.4 million to 344.7 million, marking an impressive 116% growth. The years 2015-16 and 2016-17 saw the steepest annual increases of 17.8% and 18.3%, respectively, driven by affordable airfares, growing disposable incomes, and the government’s push to enhance regional connectivity. By 2018-19, India celebrated its highest pre-pandemic passenger count, underscoring the nation’s aviation boom. However, 2019-20 saw a marginal dip to 341.0 million passengers, signaling early signs of a slowdown. The real shock came in 2020-21 when passenger numbers plummeted to 115.3 million—a sharp 66% decline caused by lockdowns and strict travel restrictions during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Recovery began in 2021-22, with passenger numbers rising to 188.8 million, fueled by a resurgence in domestic travel and the gradual easing of international restrictions. The momentum continued in 2022-23 with a significant rebound to 327.2 million passengers, nearly matching pre-pandemic levels. The sector hit a new milestone in 2023-24, recording 376.4 million passengers, surpassing pre-COVID numbers and underscoring robust demand for air travel. However, the provisional estimate for 2024-25 presents a cautious outlook. Passenger traffic is projected to fall to 230.6 million—a steep 38.7% decline from the previous year. This unexpected dip could be attributed to a combination of economic slowdowns, geopolitical uncertainties, or infrastructure limitations affecting air travel demand. Interestingly, the rise of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) airports has been a significant trend since 2020. These airports have witnessed robust growth, handling 357.4 lakh passengers in 2023-24, a dramatic increase from just 66.9 lakh in 2020-21. Despite the projected decline in 2024-25, this growth signals the increasing role of PPPs in shaping India’s aviation landscape.

Looking ahead, the long-term outlook for Indian aviation remains optimistic. Continued expansion of airport infrastructure, progressive government initiatives like the UDAN scheme, and the growing aspirations of India’s middle class are expected to drive sustained growth. However, addressing economic uncertainties, enhancing airport capacities, and ensuring affordability will be critical to maintaining momentum and ensuring the sector’s resilience in the years to come.