Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has achieved a major milestone by overtaking Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in monthly domestic passenger traffic for the first time. According to April 2026 aviation data, Bengaluru handled 3.17 million domestic passengers, while Mumbai recorded 2.89 million travellers during the same period.
The development highlights Bengaluru’s rapid rise as one of India’s fastest-growing aviation hubs. The city’s expanding technology sector, increasing corporate travel demand, and growing airline operations have contributed significantly to the airport’s strong performance in recent years.
Despite a slight decline of 0.2% in Bengaluru’s year-on-year domestic traffic, Mumbai witnessed a much sharper fall of 12.1% compared to April 2025. This drop allowed Bengaluru Airport to move ahead of Mumbai in domestic passenger numbers for the month.
Kempegowda International Airport has also benefited from major infrastructure upgrades, particularly the expansion of Terminal 2. The airport currently offers direct connectivity to more than 78 domestic destinations and 34 international locations, making it an important gateway for both business and leisure travellers.
Mumbai Airport’s decline is largely linked to operational constraints and the growing shift of airline services to the newly launched Navi Mumbai International Airport. Several carriers, especially IndiGo, have expanded operations from Navi Mumbai, leading to a redistribution of passenger traffic across the Mumbai metropolitan region.
Although Bengaluru surpassed Mumbai in domestic traffic, Mumbai still handled more total passengers overall due to its strong international operations. Industry experts believe Bengaluru’s continued expansion plans and increasing airline connectivity could further strengthen its position in India’s aviation sector in the coming years.