Air traffic soars as more passengers opt for direct flights to & from India

In 2023, around 37 million international passengers booked direct flights, an increase of 2 million compared to 2019, according to UK-based air consultancy firm OAG

The number of passengers flying directly between India and the rest of the world has reached a new high, according to UK-based air consultancy firm OAG.

In 2023, India recorded approximately 65 million international air travellers, just 600,000 fewer than in 2019 (pre-pandemic). Of these, around 37 million passengers flew non-stop, an increase of 2 million compared to 2019, revealed the OAG's analysis as quoted in a report by The Times of India.

Meanwhile, the number of travellers opting for indirect routes fell by 2.5 million, bringing the total to 27 million. As a result, the proportion of passengers flying directly rose from 54 per cent in 2019 to 57 per cent in 2023.

Direct flights gain popularity

The substantial growth in international flights offered by IndiGo and Tata's Air India Group, along with new entrants such as Akasa and other foreign airlines, has transformed air traffic patterns. Increasingly, more passengers are opting for non-stop flights instead of journeys involving one or two stopovers at hub airports, said the OAG report.

Separately, Indian airports are also becoming more prominent as transfer hubs, with 1 million passengers using them to connect to other destinations. For instance, travellers might fly from Kathmandu to New York via Delhi. Furthermore, with countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia now offering direct flights to India, one-stop journeys are becoming less necessary unless travellers prefer that option.

Gulf hubs lose ground

OAG’s report shows a notable decline in traffic through Gulf countries, which lost around 1 million indirect passengers between 2019 and 2023. Other hubs experienced a combined loss of 2.8 million indirect passengers, while Indian hubs gained 1 million during this period.

Over the past four years, Indian airlines have launched 52 new international routes, further boosting the country's global connectivity.

Data from Crisil Ratings revealed that Indian airlines accounted for approximately 43 per cent of the international passenger traffic originating from, transiting through, or destined for India in 2023-24. This marks a significant increase from the pre-pandemic share of less than 35 per cent, reflecting the growing demand for international travel among Indian citizens.

Record domestic passenger traffic

India’s aviation sector has also witnessed a surge in domestic travel. From January to June 2024, Indian airlines carried 79.35 million passengers, marking a 4 per cent increase compared to the same period the previous year, according to DGCA data.

This represents the highest-ever domestic passenger traffic for a half-year period, surpassing the previous record of 76.09 million passengers in 2023. The growth has been remarkable, as domestic passenger numbers have more than doubled over the past decade — from 38.83 million in 2015 to the current figures.