Located on the Eastern coast of the country, Odisha is known for its rich culture, famous temples and economically lucrative mineral resources. Connecting this state to the rest of the country and several important international destinations are the six airports located throughout the state. These airports play a massive role in facilitating economic growth in the state by boosting infrastructure and tourism. In this article, we will explore the airports of Odisha, their key features and the destinations accessible from each of these airports.
See also: Kolkata Airport: Facts, infrastructure and expansion
International airport in Odisha
Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar
This airport, located in the state’s capital, is the only international airport of the state. Apart from facilitating access to prominent domestic locations, it serves as the state’s link to international destinations like Dhaka, Dubai, Bangkok and Singapore. Bhubaneswar Airport is the 17th busiest airport in the country. Here are the key details:
| Names | Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar International Airport |
| IATA | BBI |
| ICAO | VEBS |
| Owner/operator | Airports Authority of India |
| Established | 17 July 1962 |
| Area | 6265 sqm |
| Terminals | 2 |
| Annual footfall (April 2022 – March 2023) | 36,24,905 |
| Location | Airport Rd, Aerodrome Area, Bhubaneswar, Odisha – 751020 |
| Distance from city centre | 6 km |
| Destinations | Domestic: Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, Jeypore, Jharsuguda, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Rourkela, Utkela, Varanasi
International: Bangkok, Dhaka, Dubai, Singapore |
| Airlines | AIX Connect, Alliance Air, IndiaOne Air, IndiGo, Starlight Airlines, Vistara |
Domestic airports in Odisha
Alongside the international airport in the state’s capital, Odisha also houses several domestic airports, boosting the state’s connectivity to the rest of the country. Here is a list of the domestic airports of Odisha:
Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda
Located in the Jharsuguda district in north-west Odisha, this airport serves the surrounding locations like Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Bargarh and Debagarh. Here are the important details about the airport:
| Names | Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda Airport |
| IATA | JRG |
| ICAO | VEJH |
| Owner/operator | Airports Authority of India |
| Established | 22 September 2018 |
| Area | 5500 sqm |
| Terminals | 1 |
| Annual footfall (April 2022 – March 2023) | 2,32,564 |
| Location | SH10, Durlaga, Jharsuguda, Odisha – 768204 |
| Distance from city centre | 8.5 km |
| Destinations | Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Kolkata |
| Airlines | Alliance Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet |
Rourkela Airport
Rourkela is the industrial hub of Odisha and home to one of the most prominent steel plants of the country. Alongside Rourkela, this domestic airport facilitates accessibility to the various other districts located in the northern region of the state. Key details as follows:
| Names | Rourkela Airport |
| IATA | RRK |
| ICAO | VERK |
| Owner | Rourkela Steel Plant |
| Operator | Airports Authority of India |
| Established | 7 January 2023 |
| Area | 537 sqm |
| Terminals | 1 |
| Annual footfall (April 2022 – March 2023) | 9057 |
| Location | Chhend Colony, Rourkela, Odisha – 769015 |
| Distance from city centre | 6 km |
| Destinations | Bhubaneswar, Kolkata |
| Airlines | Alliance Air |
Jeypore Airport
Yet another industrial hub of the state, the southern district of Jeypore has witnessed immense infrastructural development due to the presence of Hindalco Aeronautic Limited industries in the district. Alongside Jeypore, this domestic airport also caters to the nearby Koraput district. Following are the key details about the airport:
| Names | Jeypore Airport, Jayapur Airport |
| IATA | PYB |
| ICAO | VEJP |
| Owner | Public Works Department |
| Operator | Airports Authority of India |
| Established | 1962 |
| Terminals | 1 |
| Annual footfall (April 2022 – March 2023) | 4584 |
| Location | VHJ3+6MC, Bankobija, Jeypore, Odisha – 764002 |
| Distance from city centre | 3 km |
| Destinations | Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam |
| Airlines | IndiaOne Air |
Utkela Airport
Utkela Airport is one of the several regional airports across the country that fall under the government’s UDAN Scheme. It is located in the Kalahandi district, falling in the south-west region of the state. Here are the key details:
| Names | Utkela Airport |
| IATA | UKE |
| ICAO | VEUK |
| Owner | Government of Odisha |
| Operator | Airports Authority of India |
| Established | August 2023 |
| Terminals | 1 |
| Location | Airstrip Road, Utkela, Kalahandi, Odisha – 766011 |
| Distance from city centre | 15 km |
| Destinations | Bhubaneswar, Raipur |
| Airlines | IndiaOne Air |
Malkangiri Airport
Yet another regional airport developed under the UDAN Scheme, the newest airport of the state, Malkangiri Airport was opened on 9 January 2024. It serves the southern region of the state and is owned by the Government of Odisha and operated by Airports Authority of India. Located in Nilimari, it is around 8 km away from the city centre.
Real estate impact of Odisha’s airports
Enhancing connectivity to various important commercial destinations, the regional airports in Odisha are a boon for the real estate industry in the surrounding districts. The presence of the airports has played a major part in the economic growth and development of transport infrastructure in the city and given a major boost to the tourism industry, thereby also enhancing the quality of life there. More and more people prefer settling in such economically developed and well-connected regions and it leads to the betterment of the real estate market as well.
The employment opportunities created with the development of the airport has led to a rise in the demand of real estate in the surrounding regions and the availability of infrastructural amenities is an added advantage. All these factors have made the region surrounding these airports an appealing prospect for investors. Regions like Utkela and Malkangiri are bound to witness ribbon development due to the presence of the airports.
FAQs
How many international airports are there in Odisha?
Odisha has one international airport, namely Biju Patnaik Airport, located in the capital city of Bhubaneswar.
How many regional airports are there in Odisha?
Alongside the international airport in Bhubaneswar, Odisha has five regional airports located in Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Jeypore, Utkela and Malkangiri respectively.
Which was the first airport of Odisha?
Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar was the first airport to be established in Odisha.
Which airports in Odisha fall under the government’s UDAN Scheme?
The Utkela and Malkangiri Airports were developed under the government’s UDAN scheme.
Which international destinations is Odisha connected to?
Odisha is connected to Bangkok, Dhaka, Dubai and Singapore via the Bhubaneswar Airport.
Which domestic destinations can be accessed from Odisha by air?
Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Varanasi and Visakhapatnam are the domestic destinations accessible from Odisha by air.
Which airline companies function in Odisha’s airports?
AIX Connect, Alliance Air, IndiaOne Air, IndiGo, Starlight Airlines, SpiceJet and Vistara are the airline companies that conduct flight operations from the airports in Odisha.
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Riddhi Chatterji is currently pursuing a master’s degree in English literature from University of Delhi. Her meticulous attention to detail and the desire to make a learning experience out of every opportunity has allowed her to work with different forms of textual content for digital platforms, ranging from social media to news desks. When not working or studying , you can find her with her head buried in a book, discovering new music and movies, or out and about exploring the city on the metro.
