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  • DEL climbs 11 places to 28th in OAG Megahubs 2026
  • 1.5million transfer passengers every month underline its growing hub role

New Delhi, September 23, 2026: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, operated and managed by the GMR Aero-led consortium, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), is strengthening its position as India's principal global aviation gateway, connecting 160 destinations — 70 international and 90 domestic — through a network of 70 airlines.

The airport's growing hub strength is reflected in the OAG Megahubs Index 2026 (https://www.oag.com/megahubs-2026), where Delhi Airport has climbed 11 places to 28th globally, from 39th in 2025 in just one year. Delhi Airport also emerged as the world's leading LCC Mega hub, with 11,045 potential connections.

Delhi's hub model is distinctly Indian: a vast domestic network feeding an expanding international network. The airport handles approximately 50,000 transfer passengers every day, or nearly 1.5 million a month, highlighting its growing role as the connecting bridge between India's cities and the world.

Expanding both the breadth and depth of connectivity

Delhi Airport has recently added international connectivity to Beijing and Namangan, Uzbekistan, while strengthening its domestic network with new connections to Bareilly, Daman, Ambikapur, Halwara (Ludhiana) and Kishangarh.

With 70 airlines, including six domestic carriers, Delhi's network increasingly brings India's metros, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities into the global aviation system. Passengers from cities such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, Indore, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati can use Delhi as a gateway to markets across Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Central Asia.

New international gateways on the horizon

Delhi is simultaneously expanding its international footprint towards the East and West:

  • Philippine Airlines is expected to launch Delhi–Manila services by mid-November 2026, making Delhi its first Indian destination.
  • EVA Air will commence Delhi–Taipei services from December 1, 2026, establishing Delhi's first direct connectivity to Taiwan.
  • Discussions are underway with airlines from Russia and Mongolia for potential direct connectivity.
  • Delhi Airport is also engaging with African carriers to strengthen India–Africa air connectivity.

These developments will further expand the airport's international catchment while creating new opportunities for trade, tourism and business.

A global hub powered by India's domestic market

Unlike hubs that rely predominantly on international-to-international transit, Delhi's strength comes from connecting India's growing domestic aviation market with the world.

The model is straightforward: a deeper domestic network creates a larger international catchment, which attracts more airlines and destinations, further strengthening Delhi's hub proposition.

The OAG ranking provides an independent validation of this growth. Delhi is the only Indian airport in the global Top 30 most-connected airports, ahead of the likes of Dubai, with its 11-place improvement demonstrating the increasing scale of its connectivity.

Commenting on the development, CEO-DIAL, Mr. Pradeep Panicker, said: “Delhi Airport's hub strength is rooted in the scale of India's domestic aviation market. Our model connects India's cities with the world, while bringing global destinations closer to India's vast and growing passenger base. The improvement in our OAG Megahubs ranking is an important independent validation of this journey. With 160 destinations today and new connectivity emerging across East Asia, Central Asia, Africa and other markets, we remain focused on strengthening Delhi's position as India's principal global connecting gateway.”

With 160 destinations, 70 airlines and around 1.5 million monthly transfer passengers, Delhi Airport is increasingly evolving from India's largest aviation gateway into a global hub powered by India's domestic growth.

To improve passenger convenience, DIAL is also considering airside transfer of passengers from Terminal-1 to Terminal-3. This will greatly improve passenger experience and eliminate landside transfer between the two terminals, which takes up valuable time. This proposal is under the active consideration of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

About GMR Airports Limited (Formerly GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited)

GMR Airports Limited (GAL) is a leading global airport platform company with over two decades of experience in designing, constructing, and operating world-class sustainable airports. Under the brand name “GMR AERO”, it offers pioneering aviation solutions in retail, aero services, and real estate. Groupe ADP joined the journey in 2020 as a strategic partner and is now a co-promoter in GAL.

As a platform business, GAL also provides a range of aero services including Duty Free, Retail, F&B, Cargo, Car Parking, O&M, and PMC services. Through its innovative Aerotropolis concept, it develops cutting-edge airport cities, shaping best-in-class real estate developments in South Asia. GAL operates India's largest third-party Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility through its subsidiary, GMR Air Cargo and Aerospace Engineering Limited ensuring operational excellence across the Asia Pacific region.

GMR Innovex, a GMR Group entity, is developing and introducing a range of digital solutions to enhance the passenger journey and airport experience. Through GMR Aero Academy and GMR School of Aviation, the company is creating the talent pool necessary to drive the growth of the aviation sector in India (the third largest in the world).

As one of the largest private airport operators in the world, GMR Airports Limited (GAL) served over 121 million passengers in FY26. Its commitment to operational excellence and service quality has been consistently recognized by ACI and Skytrax. With seven operational airport assets across India and overseas, GAL manages key aviation gateways including Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa, Nagpur, Bidar, and Visakhapatnam (Vizag) Airport in India, as well as Medan Airport

in Indonesia. It is also extending technical services to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the Philippines. Further strengthening its global footprint, GAL is developing a transformative greenfield airport project in Crete, Greece.

GMR Group, the promoter of GAL has a significant presence in Energy, Transportation, Urban Infrastructure, and Sports. Through its CSR arm, GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, GMR supports local communities, reflecting its commitment to improving quality of life by enhancing skills, providing education, and developing healthcare infrastructure and services.

Groupe ADP develops and manages airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, and Paris-Le Bourget. In 2025, the group handled through its brand Paris Aéroport 107 million passengers at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly, and nearly 379 million passengers in airports in France and abroad. Boasting an exceptional geographic location and a major catchment area, the Group is pursuing its strategy of adapting and modernizing its terminal facilities and upgrading the quality of services; the group also intends to develop its retail and real estate businesses. In 2025, group revenue stood at €6,704 million and net income at €382 million.

For further information about GMR Group, visit http://www.gmrgroup.com

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For further details, please contact:

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  • Subhendu Ray
  • Sarvottamjee M Jaipuriar
  • Corporate Communications, GMR Group
  • Corporate Communications, GMR Group

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