No commercial flights since Nov 2023: How Kushinagar airport took off, then fell silent
The Kushinagar airport was intended to establish strong connections to important Buddhist sites like Lumbini, Sarnath, and Bodh Gaya.
- Jan 20, 2026,
- Updated Jan 20, 2026 4:21 PM IST
Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh, launched with high hopes as a hub for Buddhist pilgrimage, remains largely unused according to recent government data. Since November 2023, no scheduled commercial flights have operated from the airport despite investments exceeding Rs 327 crore and ongoing maintenance expenses.
The airport, inaugurated in October 2021, was promoted as a key centre for international Buddhist tourism, but its terminals are mostly idle, showing a gap between expectations and reality. It was intended to establish strong connections to important Buddhist sites like Lumbini, Sarnath, and Bodh Gaya.
The inauguration attracted leaders and diplomats from across Asia, with the first Sri Lankan Airlines flight marking its international ambitions. However, after reaching a peak of 54 scheduled flights in March 2022, traffic steadily declined. By late 2023, scheduled flights had reduced to six in November, after which all scheduled operations stopped. No scheduled flights have been recorded during 2024 and 2025, as per the information by Airports Authority of India, obtained under the Right to Information Act.
Operational and maintenance costs have increased even as flight activity disappeared. Annual expenditure rose from Rs 1.35 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 3.42 crore in 2024-25, an increase of about 152 per cent over four years. These figures exclude staff salaries and some other costs, suggesting the actual financial burden may be higher, it said.
The RTI responses show that, besides the lack of scheduled flights, unscheduled and VIP flights are also rare. Several months in 2024 and 2025 recorded no non-scheduled flights, highlighting severe underutilisation of the airport infrastructure and raising concerns about return on investment and operational sustainability.
An exception occurred in November 2025 when the airport recorded 50 non-scheduled flights. This was linked to the funeral ceremonies of Mahasthavir Bhadanta Gyaneshwar, president of the Kushinagar Bhikkhu Sangh, which drew over 10,000 devotees, monks, and followers from about 40 countries. Delegations from Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Nepal arrived by chartered aircraft, marking a one-time event rather than ongoing aviation activity.
Ministry of Civil Aviation officials had earlier stated that Kushinagar airport is owned by the Airports Authority of India and was included in the third round of the UDAN scheme. An additional Rs 108.22 crore has been spent on upgrades and revival under the regional connectivity programme, but regular operations have seen limited impact.
The ministry confirmed that SpiceJet operated Delhi–Kushinagar flights under UDAN until November 4, 2023, but stopped services due to aircraft shortages. Since then, the airport has been upgraded to instrument flight rules allowing night landings, and airlines have been informed, but no new flight slots have been requested.
Plans under the latest UDAN bidding round aim to connect Kushinagar with Agra, Bareilly, Gaya, and Kanpur, though start dates are not finalised. Air India Express has expressed intent to launch Delhi–Kushinagar flights, expected to begin in March 2026. For now, Kushinagar airport remains mostly inactive, with minimal commercial aviation and rising operational costs.
Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh, launched with high hopes as a hub for Buddhist pilgrimage, remains largely unused according to recent government data. Since November 2023, no scheduled commercial flights have operated from the airport despite investments exceeding Rs 327 crore and ongoing maintenance expenses.
The airport, inaugurated in October 2021, was promoted as a key centre for international Buddhist tourism, but its terminals are mostly idle, showing a gap between expectations and reality. It was intended to establish strong connections to important Buddhist sites like Lumbini, Sarnath, and Bodh Gaya.
The inauguration attracted leaders and diplomats from across Asia, with the first Sri Lankan Airlines flight marking its international ambitions. However, after reaching a peak of 54 scheduled flights in March 2022, traffic steadily declined. By late 2023, scheduled flights had reduced to six in November, after which all scheduled operations stopped. No scheduled flights have been recorded during 2024 and 2025, as per the information by Airports Authority of India, obtained under the Right to Information Act.
Operational and maintenance costs have increased even as flight activity disappeared. Annual expenditure rose from Rs 1.35 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 3.42 crore in 2024-25, an increase of about 152 per cent over four years. These figures exclude staff salaries and some other costs, suggesting the actual financial burden may be higher, it said.
The RTI responses show that, besides the lack of scheduled flights, unscheduled and VIP flights are also rare. Several months in 2024 and 2025 recorded no non-scheduled flights, highlighting severe underutilisation of the airport infrastructure and raising concerns about return on investment and operational sustainability.
An exception occurred in November 2025 when the airport recorded 50 non-scheduled flights. This was linked to the funeral ceremonies of Mahasthavir Bhadanta Gyaneshwar, president of the Kushinagar Bhikkhu Sangh, which drew over 10,000 devotees, monks, and followers from about 40 countries. Delegations from Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Nepal arrived by chartered aircraft, marking a one-time event rather than ongoing aviation activity.
Ministry of Civil Aviation officials had earlier stated that Kushinagar airport is owned by the Airports Authority of India and was included in the third round of the UDAN scheme. An additional Rs 108.22 crore has been spent on upgrades and revival under the regional connectivity programme, but regular operations have seen limited impact.
The ministry confirmed that SpiceJet operated Delhi–Kushinagar flights under UDAN until November 4, 2023, but stopped services due to aircraft shortages. Since then, the airport has been upgraded to instrument flight rules allowing night landings, and airlines have been informed, but no new flight slots have been requested.
Plans under the latest UDAN bidding round aim to connect Kushinagar with Agra, Bareilly, Gaya, and Kanpur, though start dates are not finalised. Air India Express has expressed intent to launch Delhi–Kushinagar flights, expected to begin in March 2026. For now, Kushinagar airport remains mostly inactive, with minimal commercial aviation and rising operational costs.