NEW DELHi: India achieved its highest single-day air traffic on November 23, 2025, when 5,38,249 passengers took to the skies, said the Civil Aviation Ministry. A total of 3,356 planes flew across the country on the day.
In a clear sign of India’s booming domestic aviation, the 5-lakh daily patronage has been breached multiple times in the last three years. The overall flights that took off represent 88.66% of the approved scheduled flights, said a release from the Ministry which detailed the achievements of the civil aviation sector in 2025.
“The passenger count has been increasing continuously after the UDAN – `Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik’ Scheme, which was launched by PM Narendra Modi on October 21, 2016,” it said.
New airports and terminal facilities were inaugurated at Navi Mumbai, Patna, Datia and Satna (in Madhya Pradesh), Amravati, Tuticorin, Purnea (Bihar) and Guwahati, boosting the aviation infrastructure in the country.
“They are significantly enhancing regional connectivity and accelerating economic growth across Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu,” the Ministry said.
The newly completed Integrated New Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati is India’s first nature-themed airport terminal. “The airport’s design draws inspiration from Assam’s biodiversity and cultural heritage under the theme `Bamboo Orchids’,” it said.
Record number of Commercial Pilot Licenses issued
The DGCA has issued 1,628 Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPLs) in 2024, marking an all-time high in the history of Indian civil aviation. The number of CPLs issued in India over the preceding years is as follows: 640 in 2018, 744 in 2019, 578 in 2020, 862 in 2021, 1,165 in 2022, 1,622 in 2023 and 1,347 in 2024.
By invoking its regulatory powers, the Ministry ensured passengers were not fleeced during the IndiGo crisis. “The Ministry continues to closely monitor fare levels through real-time data and active coordination with airlines and online travel platforms. Any deviation from the prescribed norms will attract immediate corrective action in the larger public interest,” it added.
Permanent Passenger Assistance Control Room
MoCA also established a permanent 24x7 Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) to accelerate grievance redressal. The Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025 became a law on April 16, 2025. The Act aligns India’s aircraft leasing and financing ecosystem with global standards.
Strengthening India’s accident investigation capability, a cutting-edge Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder Laboratory (Black Box Lab) was launched at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) at Udaan Bhawan on April 9.
India released the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Feasibility Study for India on September 3. India’s readiness to become self-sufficient in SAF production, targeting 1% blending by 2027, 2% by 2028 and 5% by 2030, was spelt out.
The proposal from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for development of a greenfield airport at Kota-Bundi (Rajasthan) was approved on August 19, 2025 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,507 crore.
The Prayagraj Airport terminal area was expanded to 18,500 square metres and this helped manage the movement of over 5,80,000 passengers during the peak Mahakumbh pilgrimage period.
The ‘Fare Se Fursat’ scheme of Alliance Air, a government-owned regional carrier, was launched on October 13. It offered a single, fixed fare that remained constant regardless of the booking date, even on the day of departure.