Prayagraj Airport is stepping up to handle the massive influx of pilgrims and tourists for Maha Kumbh 2025. With the festival's key dates approaching, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed airlines to ensure airfares remain reasonable and capacity is sufficient to meet demand.
Akasa Air and SpiceJet have responded with significant additions to their schedules. Starting January 28 and 29, Akasa Air will connect Prayagraj with Ahmedabad and plans to operate nine flights from Ahmedabad and 12 from Bangalore in February, adding approximately 4,000 seats.
SpiceJet is launching flights from Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jaipur, and Hyderabad, contributing an additional 43,000 seats in February 2025.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued clear guidelines to airlines, ensuring smooth travel during peak festival days, including the Shahi Snan on January 29 and February 3, and other significant dates on February 4, 12, and 26.
Prayagraj has transformed into a major travel hub due to the largest religious gathering for Maha Kumbh 2025. Currently, the airport handles 132 flights with 80,000 monthly seats, up from 8 direct connections in December 2024 to 17 today. Including connecting flights, the city now links with 26 destinations, including Srinagar and Visakhapatnam.
The modernisation of Prayagraj Airport has played a crucial role in accommodating this surge. Terminal space expanded from 6,700 sq. m. to 25,500 sq. m., with the old terminal upgraded to handle 1,080 peak-hour passengers and a new terminal operational for 1,620 passengers. For the first time in 106 years, night flights were introduced, enabling 24/7 operations.
Efficiency upgrades include tripling parking capacity from 200 to 600 vehicles, increasing check-in counters from 8 to 42, and enhancing aircraft movement with additional taxi tracks and parking bays (from 4 to 15). Security and baggage handling were also improved with 10 XBIS-HB machines and 5 conveyor belts. In just one week of Maha Kumbh operations, the airport handled 30,172 passengers and operated 226 flights, exceeding 5,000 passengers in a single day for the first time.