IndiGo has launched commercial operations from Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad on Sunday 20 July 2025, marking a significant milestone in National Capital Region’s aviation expansion. The airline becomes the second major carrier, after Air India Express, to operate scheduled services from the civil enclave that shares a runway with the Hindon Air Force base.
The new operations include 70 weekly flights connecting Hindon to nine cities: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Patna, Varanasi, Indore, Ahmedabad, and Goa. An initial daily Kolkata service, flight 6E 2588/2589, takes off at 5:50 am from Kolkata, arriving Ghaziabad at 8:00 am, returning at 8:50 am.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu officiated the inauguration. He described the move as an “UDAN of the ambitions and aspirations of common Indians,” calling Hindon a success story for Ghaziabad, western Uttar Pradesh and the nation. Naidu highlighted exponential growth in regional aviation: over the past decade, aircraft fleets, airport infrastructure, terminal capacity and passenger numbers have essentially doubled. He added: “During 2024‑2034, civil aviation in tier II and III cities will grow and we will have to unlock the potential. Hindon will serve as an example”.
Hindon Airport, formerly underutilised, has seen dramatic expansion since being redeveloped in 2019 under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme with a ₹50 crore investment. Annual passenger traffic surged from around 8,000 in 2019 to over 80,000 in 2025. Currently, the civil enclave handles around 600 passengers daily across 12 existing routes operated by Air India Express, Star Air and FlyBig, with plans to scale up terminal capacity to around 700–800 passengers per day on the horizon.
The Airports Authority of India has upgraded the terminal’s capacity from an original 300 passengers per hour to around 500, adding staff and enhancing baggage handling to manage larger volumes. Ghaziabad MP Atul Garg confirmed that an additional nine hectares have been identified for long term expansion, with AAI and the Ministry of Civil Aviation actively surveying the area.
Industry analysts say IndiGo’s debut at Hindon will alleviate pressure on Delhi’s IGI Airport and offer greater convenience to millions in Ghaziabad, Noida, East and Central Delhi, as well as western Uttar Pradesh. The airline’s head of global sales, Vinay Malhotra, stated the move “offers an additional gateway for millions in the wider catchment area”.
The expansion is in line with the government's updated UDAN 2.0 plan, which calls for 40 million passengers to be transported over the next ten years to 120 new destinations. To support this ambitious development plan, increased support for domestic aviation infrastructure was promised in the most recent Union Budget (2025–26).
With IndiGo's arrival, Hindon's status as a dual gateway for the NCR alongside Delhi's IGI Airport is cemented. More flexibility, less traffic, and an improvement in the region's economy and connectivity are all benefits for regional travelers.
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