Delhi Airport to boost international capacity by 50% as T3 Pier C goes global in May

New Delhi: Indira Gandhi International Airport is set to significantly ramp up its international handling capacity, with Pier C at Terminal 3 (T3) slated to begin international operations from the first week of May.

Currently, T3 is the only terminal at the airport handling international flights, with an annual capacity of around 20 million passengers. With the conversion of Pier C from domestic to international use, that capacity is expected to rise to 30–32 million passengers per annum — a jump of nearly 50%, according to airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited.

T3 has four piers, of which A and B have so far been used for international operations, while C and D handled domestic traffic. The addition of Pier C to international operations is expected to add capacity for around 10 million more passengers annually.


DIAL said the expansion comes at a time when India’s international air traffic is projected to grow at about 7% in the medium term. As the country’s largest international gateway, Delhi airport is expected to play a key role in handling this surge.

The upgraded pier is also expected to improve airside efficiency. With 16 Code C aircraft stands and associated gates, Pier C will allow faster aircraft turnaround and better gate allocation. The number of wide-body aircraft stands for international operations is set to increase by around 40%.

DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said the move will strengthen the airport’s ability to support long-haul connectivity and airline expansion plans, while aligning with the government’s push to position Delhi as a global aviation hub.

Additional upgrades are also underway at T3. These include the addition of 12 new self-baggage drop counters, taking the total to 26, conversion of 16 boarding gates for international use, and the installation of 40 more immigration counters in the arrivals section.

Delhi airport, operated by the GMR Group-led DIAL consortium, has a total annual passenger handling capacity of around 106 million across its three terminals — T1, T2 and T3.