# Madurai Airport
**Madurai Airport** is an airport about 12 km from Madurai city in [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu), India, operated by the [Airports Authority of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/airports-authority-of-india) (AAI) and which served as the gateway to the southern districts until [Thoothukudi](https://www.edgepedia.org/thoothukudi) airport opened in 1992[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611). The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved its declaration as an international airport, describing it as one of the oldest airports in the state and a crucial gateway to southern Tamil Nadu[2](https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/cabinet-approves-declaration-of-madurai-airport-tamil-nadu-as-an-international-airport/); the Ministry of Civil Aviation made the declaration effective by Notification S.O. 1321(E) dated 13 March 2026[3](https://gazettetracker.com/g/CG-DL-E-13032026-270933). The airport occupies a 1,045-acre site and handled 1.39 million passengers in 2024-25[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Mar/11/finally-madurai-airport-declared-international-airport) • [5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location and operator | About 12 km from Madurai city; operated by the Airports Authority of India on a 1,045-acre site[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611) • [4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Mar/11/finally-madurai-airport-declared-international-airport) |
| Status | Customs airport from January 1, 2012; declared an international airport with effect from 13 March 2026[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611) • [3](https://gazettetracker.com/g/CG-DL-E-13032026-270933) |
| Runway | 2,285 m, suitable for aircraft up to A321-200 and B737-800 (Code-C); CAT-I Instrument Landing System[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611) • [5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece) |
| Terminal | 17,560 sq m integrated terminal (2010) for 1,230 passengers at peak, including 314 international passengers[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece) |
| Traffic 2024-25 | 13,513 aircraft movements; 1.39 million passengers (1.16 million domestic, 0.23 million international)[5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece) |
| International routes | Colombo, Dubai and Abu Dhabi after Air India Express withdrew its Singapore service[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece) |
| Planned expansion | Runway extension to 3,810 m for Code-E widebodies at about ₹18.5 billion (₹1,850 crore), work expected from 2028[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-runway-work-to-begin-in-2028-after-ring-road-realignment/articleshow/134318654.cms) |
## History
The site was first used for aviation in 1942 as Madurai Airfield by the British Royal Air Force during World War II; after the war, the newspaper *The Hindu* used the airstrip to fly its papers from Chennai to Madurai[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611) • [6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece). The airport became a civil airport in 1952 and began commercial operations in 1957, with the Fokker Friendship flying to Trivandrum and Madras[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611).
Mid-1970s works strengthened and extended the runway for heavier aircraft; the first large type was the Indian Airlines B-737. In the 1980s [Indian Airlines](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-airlines) connected [Bangalore](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangalore) with HS-748 Avros and Vayudoot linked [Coimbatore](https://www.edgepedia.org/coimbatore), Trichy, and Madras. Paramount Airways made Madurai a hub in 2005 before ceasing operations[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611). Until the Thoothukudi airport opened in 1992, Madurai was the gateway to the southern districts[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece).
**Customs and international status.** A notification issued December 31, 2011 gave the airport customs status from January 1, 2012, as one of 35 non-metro airports selected for AAI modernization[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611). The first international aircraft, two Malaysian chartered flights, landed on August 25, 2012, and regular international service to Colombo began September 20, 2012[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611). *The Hindu* dates the customs designation to 2010 and describes the March 2026 international declaration as coming almost 16 years later[8](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/at-last-madurai-airport-becomes-international-terminal/article70726970.ece); the AAI record's 2011 notification date is the official one.
## Infrastructure and facilities
The runway is 2,285 meters long and can accommodate aircraft up to the A321-200 and B737-800, which places the airport in Code-C. AAI's page lists seven parking stands, two with aerobridges[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611), while reporting at the time of the international declaration describes 12 parking bays including night parking facilities[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Mar/11/finally-madurai-airport-declared-international-airport); the two counts have not been reconciled. The airside also includes a CAT-I Instrument Landing System[5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece).
The integrated terminal, built by AAI at a cost of ₹1.29 billion ($20 million), opened in September 2010 with 36 check-in counters, four baggage conveyors, and three aerobridges, processing 500 passengers an hour[9](https://www.airport-technology.com/projects/madurai-international-airport/). It can accommodate 1,230 passengers at peak, including 314 international passengers; after reconfiguration for international operations, check-in counters rose from 16 to 28 and 16 immigration counters are available[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece). The airport offers international cargo, Customs, immigration, Airport Health Organisation, and plant quarantine services[5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece).
## Airlines and destinations
At the time of the international-status declaration the airport had 242 scheduled weekly movements, with direct flights to Colombo, Dubai, and [Abu Dhabi](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-dhabi) and domestic connections to Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru[5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece).
The international record builds in stages: SpiceJet opened the Colombo route in September 2012, followed by Mihin Lanka; Dubai followed the next year; [Air India Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/air-india-express) began direct Singapore flights on September 15, 2017, daily by March 2018; and Abu Dhabi became the fourth international destination in 2025[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611) • [6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece). Air India Express later withdrew the Singapore service, leaving Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Colombo as the operating international routes[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece).
Route growth has been constrained by treaty terms. The lack of bilateral air service agreements (BASA) with other countries blocked services such as [Kuala Lumpur](https://www.edgepedia.org/kuala-lumpur), and coverage under an ASEAN Open Sky arrangement could allow connections from Madurai to 10 countries[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece). At present Colombo is the only destination for which Madurai serves as a designated point of call[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-traffic-dips-amid-gulf-tensions-indigo-disruptions/articleshow/131726203.cms).
## Traffic and cargo by the numbers
In 2016 the airport served 969,462 passengers, recorded 11,060 aircraft movements, and handled more than 1,545 tonnes of cargo[9](https://www.airport-technology.com/projects/madurai-international-airport/). In 2024-25 it handled 13,513 aircraft movements and 1.39 million passengers, of whom 1.16 million were domestic and 0.23 million international[5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece).
**2025-26 dip.** Aircraft movements fell from 13,820 in 2024-25 to 13,100 in 2025-26 and passenger traffic from 1.39 million (13.9 lakh) to 1.38 million (13.8 lakh), attributed to the Middle East crisis and IndiGo operational disruptions; Gulf services by IndiGo and [Air Arabia](https://www.edgepedia.org/air-arabia) were affected by the regional conflict[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-traffic-dips-amid-gulf-tensions-indigo-disruptions/articleshow/131726203.cms). (BusinessLine gives 13,513 movements for 2024-25 against the Times of India's 13,820; both figures are cited here as reported.) Cargo moved the other way: freight handled rose from 3,494 tonnes in 2024-25 to 4,444 tonnes in 2025-26, and operational losses narrowed from ₹130 million (₹13 crore) in 2023-24 to ₹27 million (₹2.7 crore) in 2025-26, aided by a higher user development fee[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-traffic-dips-amid-gulf-tensions-indigo-disruptions/articleshow/131726203.cms). A dedicated international cargo terminal was inaugurated in November 2017, with the first shipment dispatched in December 2017[9](https://www.airport-technology.com/projects/madurai-international-airport/).
## Expansion plans and disputes
AAI plans a 10,000-square-meter additional terminal exclusively for international passengers, and acquisition of over 500 acres for runway extension is at an advanced stage[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece). The new terminal is planned to handle nearly 2,000 passengers per hour[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Mar/11/finally-madurai-airport-declared-international-airport).
The runway project has been repeatedly delayed by land acquisition, ring road diversion, and waterbody issues. Work is expected to begin in 2028 after ring road realignment, at a revised cost of about ₹18.5 billion (₹1,850 crore), with about 97% of land acquisition completed[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-runway-work-to-begin-in-2028-after-ring-road-realignment/articleshow/134318654.cms). The extension would take the runway from 2,285 meters to 3,810 meters, allowing A-350 type aircraft to operate from Madurai[8](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/at-last-madurai-airport-becomes-international-terminal/article70726970.ece); the planned addition is a 1,524-meter-long, 45-meter-wide CAT-E standard runway for wide-body aircraft, of which 543.64 of 633.17 required acres have been handed over, with some land still pending[11](https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/tamil-nadu/madurai-airport-expansion-stalled-over-pending-land-handover-aai-217590).
AAI commenced 24-hour operations from October 1, 2024, but the night slots initially found few takers[5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece) • [6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece).
## Comparison with other Tamil Nadu airports
Madurai is ranked India's 40th-busiest airport, handling over 1.2 million passengers annually against capacity for up to 2 million, and it lags peers such as Coimbatore and Trichy in capacity, partly due to the stalled upgrades[11](https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/tamil-nadu/madurai-airport-expansion-stalled-over-pending-land-handover-aai-217590). By distance, the nearby airports are Trichy at 140 km, Tuticorin at 140 km, and Coimbatore at 230 km[1](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611). Madurai was the gateway to the southern districts until Thoothukudi airport opened in 1992[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece). On international access, Madurai's point-of-call rights currently cover only Colombo[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-traffic-dips-amid-gulf-tensions-indigo-disruptions/articleshow/131726203.cms), and BASA gaps have blocked routes such as Kuala Lumpur[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece).
## Recent developments
Four changes define the recent period. First, the Union Cabinet approved international airport status[2](https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/cabinet-approves-declaration-of-madurai-airport-tamil-nadu-as-an-international-airport/), made effective by the 13 March 2026 gazette notification[3](https://gazettetracker.com/g/CG-DL-E-13032026-270933). Second, 24-hour operations began on October 1, 2024[5](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece). Third, the route map shifted: Abu Dhabi joined as the fourth international destination in 2025[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece) while Air India Express withdrew Singapore[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece). Fourth, traffic dipped slightly in 2025-26 amid the Middle East conflict even as cargo grew and losses narrowed[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-traffic-dips-amid-gulf-tensions-indigo-disruptions/articleshow/131726203.cms). The terminal has been reconfigured for international operations, with check-in counters rising from 16 to 28 and 16 immigration counters available[6](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece).
## References
1. [Madurai, Airports Authority of India](https://www.aai.aero/en/node/70611)
2. [Cabinet approves Declaration of Madurai Airport, Tamil Nadu, as an International Airport, PMO India](https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/cabinet-approves-declaration-of-madurai-airport-tamil-nadu-as-an-international-airport/)
3. [Notification S.O. 1321(E) declaring Madurai Airport an International Airport, Gazette of India](https://gazettetracker.com/g/CG-DL-E-13032026-270933)
4. [Finally, Madurai airport declared international airport, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Mar/11/finally-madurai-airport-declared-international-airport)
5. [Centre declares Madurai airport as international airport, The Hindu BusinessLine](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/centre-declares-madurai-airport-as-international-airport/article70726981.ece)
6. [Gateway to the world, from Madurai, The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gateway-to-the-world-frommadurai/article70744484.ece)
7. ['Madurai airport runway work to begin in 2028 after ring road realignment', Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-runway-work-to-begin-in-2028-after-ring-road-realignment/articleshow/134318654.cms)
8. [At last, Madurai Airport becomes international terminal, The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/at-last-madurai-airport-becomes-international-terminal/article70726970.ece)
9. [Madurai International Airport, Airport Technology](https://www.airport-technology.com/projects/madurai-international-airport/)
10. [Madurai airport traffic dips amid Gulf tensions, IndiGo disruptions, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/madurai-airport-traffic-dips-amid-gulf-tensions-indigo-disruptions/articleshow/131726203.cms)
11. [Madurai airport expansion stalled over pending land handover: AAI, The Federal](https://thefederal.com/category/states/south/tamil-nadu/madurai-airport-expansion-stalled-over-pending-land-handover-aai-217590)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Transport and spaceflight › Aviation › Airports › Airports by region and status › Asian airports*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license