Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Punjab’s Amritsar has reached a historic milestone, breaking multiple previous records for passenger footfall.
An analysis of recent data released by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) reveals that the airport welcomed an astounding total of 3,40,408 (approximately 3.40 lakh) passengers in the month of December 2024.
This includes 2.29 lakh domestic passengers and a record 1.11 lakh international passengers, marking only the second time international footfall has crossed the 1-lakh mark, surpassing the previous record of 1.06 lakh international passengers.
This figure surpasses the previous record of 3,38,712 passengers set in December 2023.
Sameep Singh Gumtala, global convener of FlyAmritsar Initiative, an advocacy group dedicated to promoting and enhancing connectivity at Amritsar airport, said, “The airport not only achieved its highest-ever monthly passenger footfall in December 2024 but also recorded unprecedented yearly traffic for the same year.”
Achieving another milestone, the calendar year 2024 became the busiest year in the airport’s history, with total passenger traffic reaching 34,25,657 (approximately 34.26 lakh). This figure surpasses the previous highest of 29,44,916 (approximately 29.4 lakh) passengers recorded in 2023, including 23.12 lakh domestic and 11.14 lakh international passengers, marking the first time international traffic has crossed 10lakhs in a calendar year.
This represents an impressive 16.3 per cent growth compared to 2023, with international passenger numbers surging by 21.3 per cent and domestic traffic rising by 14.1 per cent.
“We are proud to share this milestone with the Punjabi community worldwide, which increasingly prefers to fly directly from the current 10 global destinations, including London, Birmingham, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Milan, Rome, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Amritsar, rather than transiting through Delhi or traveling by road to Punjab,” Gumtala stated.
Yogesh Kamra, convener (India), FlyAmritsar Initiative, pointed out that a significant portion of the domestic traffic comprises international passengers connecting via Delhi or Mumbai.
“There is an urgent need for infrastructure upgrades and connectivity. The airport has seen an annual increase of approximately 5 lakh passengers, and we estimate it will surpass the 40-lakh passenger mark in 2025,” said Kamra.
“To support this growth, the current terminal capacity requires immediate expansion, with further upgrades planned over the next five years. Improved parking facilities, other passenger amenities should be enhanced. The Punjab government should initiate to introduce intercity bus services from various cities across the state to enhance airport accessibility,” he added.
