Air passengers in India

India: Air passengers was 180.42 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
180.42 million
Change on year
up 28.9%
World rank
4th
of 183 countries
All-time high
180.42 million
in 2023
All-time low
2.55 million
in 1971
Years of data
54
1970–2023

Air passengers in India, 1970–2023

050.0M100.0M150.0M200.0M197019962023

Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for air passengers in India is 180.42 million, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 28.9% on the previous year and up 138.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, air passengers in India peaked at 180.42 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.55 million, in 1971.

That places India 4th out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 4.11 million 2.55 million 6.55 million 10
1980s 10.29 million 6.60 million 12.86 million 10
1990s 12.99 million 9.44 million 16.52 million 10
2000s 31.96 million 16.86 million 54.45 million 10
2010s 105.86 million 64.37 million 167.50 million 10
2020s 118.33 million 68.96 million 180.42 million 4

Countries ranked near India

  1. 1 United States 941.56 million compare
  2. 2 China 619.22 million compare
  3. 5 Turkey 125.94 million compare
  4. 6 Japan 120.31 million compare
  5. 7 United Kingdom 118.95 million compare

See the full ranking of 183 places →

More reference data data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is air passengers in India?
Air passengers in India was 180.42 million in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest air passengers recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 180.42 million in 2023.
What is the lowest air passengers recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 2.55 million in 1971.
How does India rank for air passengers?
India ranks 4th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
Is air passengers rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is up 138.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Air passengers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Air passengers
Source
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
183 places, 7,925 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Domestic and international passengers of airlines registered in the country. Passengers counted each time they travel.