Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA)’s oldest terminal, Terminal 2  will be closed from Monday-Tuesday midnight for what is likely to be the last renovation of its 1986-era building for approximately four months to facilitate repair and upgrade work. During this period, all flights that were previously operated from T2, including those by airlines such as IndiGo and Akasa Air, will be relocated to Terminal 1 (T1). The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by DIAL, has three terminals and four runways. It is also the country’s largest and busiest airport.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has confirmed that T1 will operate at full capacity to accommodate the additional flights. “Starting from 15th April 2025 (0001 hrs), all flights operating from Terminal 2 will be relocated to Terminal 1 until further notice. Passengers are encouraged to verify their flight terminal information before travelling to the airport to avoid any inconvenience.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by DIAL, has three terminals and four runways. It is also the country’s largest and busiest airport. T2 will be closed temporarily to carry out maintenance works from April 15, and one runway is already shut for maintenance works.

IGIA has a capacity to handle close to 11 crore passengers annually and saw 7.8 crore last year. So there is no real hurry demolish T2 now as Noida Airport will open with a capacity of 1.2 crore passengers annually, which will increase to 7 crore in the next few years.

Effective April 15, IndiGo said its flights arriving to and departing from T2 will operate to/from T1. IndiGo on Monday said it has taken proactive measures to ensure that customers are well-informed about the change in terminals.

“The airline is reaching out to all passengers and their respective travel agents through SMS, calls, and emails to notify them. IndiGo recommends retrieving PNR on the airline’s website or mobile app to check departure/arrival terminal before heading to the airport,” it said in a statement. On January 10, DIAL said the four-decade-old T2 will be closed for four to six months in the next financial year for refurbishment works, which are expected to be completed in the September quarter. Akasa Air has also notified that starting April 15, 2025, all its flights to and from Delhi will operate from Terminal 1 (1D). Passengers are urged to check their flight status before proceeding to the airport.

Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam on Monday said Terminal 3, along with the fully operational Terminal 1, at the Delhi airport will be able to handle passenger traffic, emphasising that there is unlikely to be congestion due to the closure of Terminal 2 for maintenance works. 

“T1 has now become fully operational... Proper assessment has been done. So, T1 will cover whatever capacity is required. “Between the T1 fully expanded and fully operational and T3, we should be able to meet the passenger requirements whatever is there,” he said.

DIAL is conducting trials to facilitate the transfer of check-in baggage between Terminal 3 (T3), which handles international flights, and the all-domestic Terminal. This initiative aims to ease the process for passengers with connecting flights between domestic and international terminal.

Currently, there is no air train system in place, making transfers between T1 and T3 challenging. IGIA has achieved a remarkable milestone by securing the 9th position in Airports Council International (ACI) World’s preliminary 2024 rankings of the world’s busiest airports. Delhi Airport witnessed a record-breaking passenger traffic of 7.7 crore in CY 2024, reflecting its consistent year-over-year growth. This achievement follows its previous rankings of 10th in 2023, 13th in 2021, and 17th in 2019, showcasing its steady ascent as a global aviation hub. Earlier this year, Delhi Airport was honoured with the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award for Best Airport in Asia-Pacific for the 7th consecutive year, reaffirming its leadership in delivering superior passenger experiences.