Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru on Monday said it will expand international connectivity, add capacity and deepen airline partnerships in 2026, after closing calendar year 2025 with higher passenger volumes and moderate cargo growth.

The operator said its focus will be on scaling both passenger and cargo operations while supporting wider network expansion. Total passenger traffic stood at 43.82 million in 2025, up from 40.73 million in 2024. The airport also recorded its highest-ever single-day passenger movement of 137,317 travellers on 23 November 2025. Daily aircraft movements peaked at 837 in October, with an annual daily average of 765.

One of the year’s key milestones was the airport’s rise from third to second place nationally in terms of domestic flights operated in October 2025. International traffic delivered the strongest growth, with average daily international departures rising from 38 in 2024 to 51 in 2025, translating into a 28.7 per cent year-on-year increase in international passengers. During the year, the airport added five new domestic routes and five new international routes.

Girish Nair, Chief Operating Officer at Bangalore International Airport Limited, said 2025 was a demanding year for India’s aviation sector, and BLR Airport was no exception. He said the airport’s disciplined and resilient response helped maintain operational stability, support airline partners and strengthen network connectivity. As the year progressed, passenger and cargo operations were scaled responsibly, with a strong focus on future readiness. He added that the growth reflected rising demand as well as the confidence of airlines and travellers in BLR Airport as a critical hub supporting Bengaluru’s emergence as a leading global city.

As of 31 December 2025, the airport was connected to 113 destinations, including 79 domestic and 34 international. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune led domestic traffic, while Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, London Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur were among the top international destinations. New domestic additions included Hindon, Bidar, Jaisalmer, Silchar and Navi Mumbai, while new international links covered Dammam, Ho Chi Minh City, Krabi, Hanoi and Riyadh.

Airline activity from Bengaluru also increased through the year. Air India Express expanded its operations, IndiGo added new international connections, Akasa Air launched services to Phuket and Jeddah, while VietJet and Vietnam Airlines joined the airport’s network. Long-haul carriers including Lufthansa, KLM, Japan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic increased frequencies on existing routes.

Cargo volumes reached 520,985 metric tonnes in 2025, marking a 5 per cent increase over the previous year. The airport achieved its highest-ever single-day cargo throughput of 2,207 metric tonnes on 7 August 2025. It is now connected to 37 cargo destinations through 15 cargo airlines, with shipments dominated by agri-perishables, pharmaceuticals, auto components, electronics and e-commerce goods. New cargo infrastructure became operational during the year, including a domestic cargo terminal developed by Menzies Aviation and the AISATS BLR Logistics Park, which added fresh warehousing capacity.

Looking ahead to 2026, the airport operator expects international passenger traffic and cargo demand to remain the primary growth drivers, supported by the addition of new routes and increased flight frequencies.