India’s domestic air traffic rises 6% in 2024 to 16.13 crore Passengers
India’s domestic air traffic increased by 6.12% in 2024, with airlines carrying 16.13 crore passengers compared to 15.20 crore in 2023, according to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). In December alone, over 1.49 crore passengers flew on domestic routes, reflecting an 8.19% rise from the 1.38 crore recorded during the same month in 2023.
The DGCA report highlighted that India continues to be one of the fastest-growing aviation markets, driven by rising demand for air travel and the ongoing expansion of airline fleets and networks. IndiGo maintained its market dominance with a 64.4% share in December, followed by Air India at 26.4%. Akasa Air and SpiceJet held smaller shares of 4.6% and 3.3%, respectively.
The report also noted challenges with on-time performance (OTP) in December. IndiGo led with a 73.4% OTP, followed by Air India at 67.6%, Akasa Air at 62.7%, SpiceJet at 61.5%, and Alliance Air at 55.6%. These figures were based on operations at the four metro airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
Flight cancellations impacted 67,622 passengers in December, with airlines spending ₹1.26 crore on compensation and services. Additionally, delays affected 2,79,985 passengers, costing airlines ₹3.78 crore in facilitation efforts. During the same period, 2,147 passengers were denied boarding, and airlines provided ₹1.76 crore in compensation.
Despite operational disruptions, India’s aviation sector continues to show strong growth, underscoring its importance in meeting the country’s increasing travel needs. Industry experts anticipate further growth in domestic air traffic, with passenger volumes projected to reach 164-170 million in FY25.
