India’s international air traffic rises 6.1% to 78.7 million in FY-26 despite airspace closures and conflicts

Domestic passenger numbers also increased by 1.1%, reaching 167.4 million, as IndiGo dominated both domestic and international routes.

Edited by Sandeep Gupta, Editor · SafarSamachar Desk10 Nov 2026, 11:53 am IST

Illustration

Illustration: SafarSamachar Pix Desk, created with AI assistance. Not a photograph of the event.

Key facts at a glance

1International air passenger traffic grew 6.1% to 78.7 million in FY-26
2Indian airlines accounted for 44.4% of international passenger traffic
3IndiGo had the largest share among individual operators at 20.8%
4Air India had a 12.9% share of international passenger traffic
5Domestic passenger traffic increased 1.1% to 167.4 million in FY-26

India’s international air passenger traffic grew by 6.1% to 78.7 million in the financial year ending March 2026, despite airspace closures and geopolitical conflicts, according to reports.

Indian airlines accounted for 44.4% of this international traffic, with IndiGo having the largest share among individual operators at 20.8%. Air India followed with a 12.9% share of international passenger traffic.

Domestic passenger traffic also saw a modest increase of 1.1%, reaching 167.4 million in FY-26. IndiGo dominated the domestic market, accounting for 63% of all domestic passenger traffic, while Air India had a 13.6% share and Air India Express held 6.3%.

Overall air passenger growth rose 2.7% to 246.1 million in FY-26. However, the number of aircraft accidents increased in CY 2025, with 11 incidents reported—up from six in CY 2024. Of these, one involved a scheduled airline.

Sources

This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above, following our accuracy rules; it has not yet been individually reviewed by an editor. Read our editorial policy.Rules and schedules change - confirm with the airline or embassy before you travel. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Source Verification

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