Surat: Surtis have demonstrated that even with flight operations halved at Surat International Airport, passenger numbers can still reach new heights. The airport recorded an all-time high of 18.14 lakh passengers in 2025-26, surpassing the previous record of 17.24 lakh set in 2024-25.
Record Amidst Challenges
Experts highlight the significance of this milestone, as the airport faced flight cancellations in December due to the IndiGo crisis and in March due to the Iran war. Despite these setbacks, passenger traffic continued to grow.
Sanjay Jain, a member of the We Work for Working Airport At Surat (WWWAS) advocacy group, noted that Surat has been consistently adding 2 to 3 lakh passengers annually. He emphasized the need for increased flights, pointing out that average daily flight movements have dropped from 52 before COVID-19 to just 28 now. Yet, Surat has broken its past record, indicating that the government and airlines are not providing adequate flight services consistently.
Route Closures and Reduced Frequencies
Aviation experts reported that several sectors such as Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Jaisalmer have been closed by airlines. Flights to Delhi, Goa, Jaipur, and Kolkata have also been reduced. At one point, Surat had eight daily flights to Delhi, but that number has declined.
Aviation enthusiast Rajesh Modi remarked that Surat airport crossing 18 lakh passengers for the first time is not just a statistic but a signal of the city's strong economic growth and rising global connectivity demand. He noted that this milestone was achieved despite limited flight frequency, showcasing the untapped potential of Surat's aviation market. If more domestic and international routes are introduced with better scheduling, Surat can easily emerge as one of the fastest-growing aviation hubs in India. He urged authorities and airlines to match this demand with capacity and vision, stating that Surat can easily outperform many Tier 2 airports in India.
Industry Calls for Better Connectivity
Recently, industrialists raised concerns about poor connectivity at Surat airport during a meeting between the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) and Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Linesh Shah, chairman of the SGCCI aviation committee, flagged the need to include Surat in bilateral agreements to enable more international flights from the city.
Passenger Traffic Data (2018-2026)
The following table shows the annual passenger numbers at Surat International Airport:
- 2018-19: 12,38,724 (Domestic: 12,35,840; International: 2,884)
- 2019-20: 15,15,557 (Domestic: 14,71,406; International: 44,151)
- 2020-21: 5,64,260 (Domestic: 5,64,260; International: 0)
- 2021-22: 9,33,817 (Domestic: 9,19,866; International: 13,951)
- 2022-23: 12,39,913 (Domestic: 12,04,695; International: 35,218)
- 2023-24: 13,80,752 (Domestic: 13,01,191; International: 79,561)
- 2024-25: 17,24,821 (Domestic: 15,66,426; International: 1,58,395)
- 2025-26: 18,14,572 (Domestic: 16,06,882; International: 2,07,690)
This data underscores the consistent growth in passenger traffic, particularly in international travel, which has surged from negligible numbers to over 2 lakh passengers annually.
