Delhi IGI tops 78 million passengers in 2025, ranks 11th globally
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport handled more than 78 million passengers in 2025, according to Airports Council International data. The airport was the only Indian facility in the global top 20, reinforcing its scale as a high-footfall gateway for travel retail, food and beverage, and convenience operators.
What happened
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport · Delhi IGI Airport handled more than 78 million passengers in 2025, ranking 11th globally in Airports Council
Key facts
- More than 78 million passengers
- 11th-busiest airport globally
- Only Indian airport in the global top 20
Why this matters
Delhi IGI’s unmatched Indian scale makes airport retail, foodservice and convenience partnerships or acquisitions strategically attractive for building national travel-channel exposure.
What to watch
- Delhi IGI monthly domestic versus international passenger growth and transfer-passenger mix.
- Terminal expansion, gate additions, security-processing upgrades and any changes to passenger dwell time.
- Duty-free sales per departing international passenger, F&B transaction counts and average basket values.
- Airline route additions, especially long-haul international services and low-cost carrier capacity growth.
- Changes in airport concession tendering, commercial rent terms, duty-free regulation or liquor allowance rules.
- Peak-hour queue times, flight delays and passenger satisfaction indicators that could constrain retail conversion.
- Prioritize additional high-throughput F&B, coffee, convenience and travel-accessory points near security exits, transfer routes and high-volume gates.
- Use flight-level passenger data to tailor assortment, staffing and promotions by domestic, international, long-haul and transit cohorts.
- Expand click-and-collect, pre-order duty-free and gate-delivery propositions to protect conversion when dwell time is constrained.
- Review lease structures and concession bids for sales-linked upside, while stress-testing labor, replenishment and cold-chain capacity at peak hours.
- Increase premium Indian gifting, beauty and packaged food assortments aimed at international departures and visiting-diaspora traffic.