New Delhi: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has emerged as one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, ranking 11th globally after handling more than 78 million passengers in 2025, according to the latest passenger traffic data released by the Airports Council International (ACI).
The airport is the only Indian entry to feature among the world’s top 20 busiest airports, surpassing several major international hubs, including Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, Incheon International Airport in Seoul, and Los Angeles International Airport.
As per ACI’s data, IGI Airport served 78,148,081 passengers through 2025, marking a rise of 0.42 per cent over the 77.8 million passengers it handled in 2024. This places the Delhi airport just behind Denver International Airport in the United States and ahead of Seoul’s Incheon Airport, which recorded 74,126,912 passengers, Los Angeles International Airport with 73,709,594 passengers, and Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport, which handled 72,029,407 passengers during the same period.
The rankings underline Delhi airport’s growing significance as a global aviation hub, reflecting the steady rise in air travel demand in India driven by expanding domestic and international connectivity, a growing middle class, and increased business and leisure travel.
The achievement comes months after IGI Airport also strengthened its standing in service quality rankings. According to the Skytrax 2026 World Airport Awards, Delhi’s airport climbed to 28th position globally, up from 32nd in 2025, making it India’s sole representative among the world’s top 30 airports. The airport was also named the Best Airport in India and South Asia for the eighth consecutive year.
Globally, Singapore’s Changi Airport retained its position as the world’s best airport for the thirteenth time, according to the Skytrax rankings, with several Asian and European hubs, including Seoul Incheon, Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita and Paris CDG, dominating the top ten.
Among other Indian airports, Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport secured the 41st position globally, followed by Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 43rd, further reflecting the broader upward trajectory of India’s aviation infrastructure on the world stage.
With passenger volumes continuing to rise steadily, aviation experts say Delhi airport’s dual recognition, in terms of both traffic volume and service quality, cements its position as one of the key gateways connecting India to the rest of the world.