DIAL said dedicated systems have been developed to ensure the seamless segregation of domestic and international passengers | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

The national capital based IGI Airport handled nearly 7.5 million domestic-to-international transfer passengers during FY26 an increase from 4.1 million in FY25, according to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).

Speaking to businessline, DIAL Chief Executive Officer Pradeep Panicker said transfer passengers now account for a significant share of overall traffic handled at the airport.

According to Panicker, Delhi Airport handled close to 78.7 million passengers during the last financial year from 79.2 million in FY25, with approximately one in four passengers transiting through the airport.

“In FY26, we handled close to 7.5 million domestic-to-international passengers in both directions,” he said.

Increased Connectivity

The figures come at a time when Delhi Airport is expanding its hub-and-spoke connectivity framework to facilitate seamless domestic-to-international transfers through the national capital.

As per DIAL, the airport has introduced a range of infrastructure and process enhancements to support transfer traffic growth, including international-contact gates, dedicated international-to-international transfer areas, DigiYatra biometric e-gates and segregated passenger movement corridors.

Besides, Panicker said the new framework is expected to significantly reduce transfer times by allowing passengers to complete immigration formalities at the originating airport before arriving at Delhi.

Since passengers are only required to undergo security checks at the hub airport, transfer times are expected to remain well below one hour in most cases.

Hub-and-Spoke

Furthermore, DIAL said dedicated systems have been developed to ensure the seamless segregation of domestic and international passengers travelling on the same aircraft under the hub-and-spoke model.

The airport operator cited that the framework has been designed as an airport-wide capability that can be utilised by multiple domestic carriers.

Additionally, Panicker said wider adoption of the model could generate millions of additional transfer passengers over time as more travellers choose to connect through Delhi rather than foreign transit hubs.

In addition, he said that higher transfer traffic would support Delhi Airport’s efforts to strengthen its position among leading global hub airports.

“Our overarching goal is not about hitting any specific number, but about ensuring Delhi offers a world-class hub experience competitive with the best in the world,” Panicker said.

Published on June 30, 2026