India's postion as fast growing market confirmed by OAG

Both airports and airlines in India are making significant strides in global rankings and connectivity.

According to the recent OAG’s Megahubs 2024 report, the major metropolitan airports of India are poised for a significant breakthrough in their status as global Megahubs.

Delhi Airport (DEL) has risen to 24th position while Mumbai (BOM) now stands at 44th. The unique rankings are generated by comparing the number of scheduled connections to and from international flights with the number of destinations served from the airport. New routes and increased flight frequencies from existing airlines have strengthened each airport’s position.

This year 1,047 airport pairs will be connected across both the Indian domestic and international markets, an impressive 116 more than in 2019. Scheduled airline capacity from India is up almost 9% this year with 240 million seats across both domestic and international markets. This growth places India as one of the fastest major growth markets in the world outpacing China, where growth has fallen below 5%.

“The opening of the new Navi Mumbai airport will result in several new domestic and international air services as airlines capitalise on new market opportunities,” said Mayur Patel, OAG’s head of ASPAC.

 “This development, along with some of the largest aircraft orders in the world from Air India and IndiGo Airlines, further signals confidence in the long-term growth prospects of India's aviation industry.”

Remarkably for a market of such growth, punctuality continues to be exceptional. Despite the high volume of scheduled flights—64,000 in August—66% of IndiGo Airlines’ flights arrived on time. Furthermore, only 156 flights were cancelled during this period, showcasing a strong operational performance.