DGCA Data: Domestic Air Traffic Expands by 3% in 2025 Despite Turbulence
Domestic air traffic in India showcased a modest growth of 3% in 2025, according to the latest DGCA data. The total number of air passengers reached approximately 16.69 crore. However, December experienced a decline in the number of passengers, with only 1.43 crore flying that month, largely due to disruptions at important carrier IndiGo.
Market Share Dynamics
The Air India Group reported an increase in its market share, climbing to 29.6% in December from 26.7% in November. In contrast, IndiGo saw its market share decrease from 63.6% to 59.6% over the same period.
Other Airlines’ Performance
- Akasa Air increased its market share to 5.2%, up from 4.7%.
- SpiceJet’s share grew to 4.3%, from 3.7%.
- Alliance Air maintained its share at 0.4%.
Cancellations and Passenger Impact
The cancellations by scheduled domestic airlines reached 6.92% in December, with IndiGo specifically recording a higher cancellation rate of 9.65%. Over 10.46 lakh passengers were significantly affected due to these cancellations.
Compensation expenses paid by airlines exceeded ₹24 crore during the month. Additionally, a notable 29,212 passenger-related complaints were logged for December 2025.
Annual Growth and Trends
Throughout the year 2025, domestic airlines reported carrying around 1,669.46 lakh passengers, reflecting an annual increase of 3.48%. However, December’s statistics indicated a monthly decline of 4.14% compared to previous figures.
On-Time Performance
On-time performance metrics varied among the airlines, as observed across six major airports in India: Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.
- Air India Group: 66.3%
- IndiGo: 62.7%
- Alliance Air: 62.1%
- Akasa Air: 55.6%
- SpiceJet: 46.9%
As the industry continues to adapt to evolving challenges, the insights gathered from DGCA data will be crucial for airlines operating in the domestic market.
