Prayagraj Airport set a new record during the Mahakumbh-2025, with a total of 5,60,174 passengers traveling by air between January 11 and February 26. The passengers were ferried on 5,225 flights during the religious fair, which officially began on January 13 with the Paush Purnima snan.
The data reveals a surprising trend, showing a significant rise in air travel after the conclusion of the three major bathing festivals, known as ‘amrit snans,’ which are key attractions during the Mahakumbh.
The fair included six major bathing festivals, with the three most important being Makar Sankranti (January 14), Mauni Amavasya (January 29), and Basant Panchami (February 3). These festivals traditionally draw the largest crowds. While air travel numbers increased gradually throughout the Mahakumbh, the surge in passenger numbers was most pronounced after the key bathing festivals.
Between January 13 and January 31, the number of passengers traveling by air remained under 1 lakh. However, by February, the figure surged, reaching four times the January total. In total, 97,943 passengers traveled by air in January, while between February 1 and February 26, that number jumped to 4,62,174.
Due to the increased demand, aviation companies quickly secured landing permits and began operating additional flights, including charter planes and helicopter services. The total number of air travelers for the 47 days of Mahakumbh exceeded 5.60 lakh.
Before the fair, only a few airlines operated flights from Prayagraj, including Indigo, Alliance Air, and Air India. But as demand soared, SpiceJet and Akasa Airlines also launched services, with Star Air joining in on February 25. These services are expected to continue until February 28, after which some airlines may end their operations.
Prayagraj Airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 16, 2018, began flight operations on January 1, 2019, just ahead of the Kumbh-2019.
One of the standout records during Mahakumbh-2025 occurred just before the Mahashivratri bathing festival, with 27,573 passengers boarding 166 planes in a single day—a milestone that may stand for years to come.
