Conceived as a major international gateway for Buddhist pilgrims, Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh today presents a picture far removed from the optimism surrounding its launch. Official government data shows that the airport has not handled a single scheduled commercial flight for over two years, despite substantial public investment and steadily increasing maintenance expenses. What was envisioned as a catalyst for religious tourism now remains largely inactive.
Information obtained through the Right to Information Act reveals a sharp contrast between the ambitious projections made at the time of the airport’s inauguration in October 2021 and its current operational reality. Data supplied by the Airports Authority of India confirms that scheduled airline services from Kushinagar have entirely ceased since November 2023, leaving the runway mostly unused.
When the airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was promoted as a global hub for Buddhist pilgrimage, intended to connect Kushinagar with other key spiritual destinations such as Lumbini, Sarnath and Bodh Gaya. The inaugural event reflected these global aspirations, with an international flight bringing Buddhist monks and senior Sri Lankan dignitaries, alongside representatives from several Asian nations. The messaging was unmistakable, projecting Kushinagar as an international entry point for pilgrims from across the Buddhist world.
However, official records paint a different picture. While there was some activity in 2022 and the early part of 2023, flight operations declined rapidly thereafter. The airport’s busiest month was March 2022, when 54 scheduled flights were recorded. By late 2023, this number had dropped to single digits, and November 2023 marked the final instance of any scheduled commercial flights, with only six services that month. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the airport did not see even one scheduled flight.
The financial investment behind the project has been significant. According to the RTI response, the total cost of building the airport was approximately Rs 327 crore, with funding shared between the Airports Authority of India and the Uttar Pradesh government. A substantial portion of this amount went into civil construction, while the rest was spent on technical infrastructure, electrical systems, and navigation and communication facilities. Despite this, the terminal buildings and associated infrastructure now remain largely unused.
Even in the absence of regular airline operations, the cost of running and maintaining the airport has continued to rise sharply. Annual operating and maintenance expenses have more than doubled over four years, climbing from around Rs 1.35 crore in 2021–22 to over Rs 3.4 crore in 2024–25. These figures do not include staff salaries and certain other costs, which are accounted for separately, suggesting the true financial burden may be even higher.
The airport’s limited use is further reflected in the data on non-scheduled flights. Several months in both 2024 and 2025 recorded no such flights at all, indicating that even chartered or special-purpose aircraft rarely use the facility. This underscores the extent to which the airport remains underutilised.
There was, however, a brief and unusual spike in activity in November 2025, when 50 non-scheduled flights were recorded. This increase coincided with large-scale funeral ceremonies for a prominent Buddhist leader in Kushinagar, which drew thousands of devotees from dozens of countries. Many of these visitors are believed to have arrived on chartered flights, making the surge a one-off event rather than a sign of sustained revival.
In response to questions about the airport’s status, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has said that Kushinagar is owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India and was included under the regional connectivity scheme. Additional funds were spent on upgrading and reviving the airport, including improving its landing capabilities to allow operations in low-visibility conditions and at night. Authorities have stated that airlines have been informed of these upgrades, but no firm commitments have been received so far.
Officials have also confirmed that earlier regional flights were discontinued due to aircraft shortages faced by the operator. While new routes have been proposed under subsequent connectivity rounds and at least one airline has shown interest in starting services, no regular operations have resumed to date, and timelines remain uncertain.
Once imagined as a cornerstone of India’s Buddhist tourism strategy, Kushinagar International Airport now stands as an example of infrastructure where ambition has moved faster than execution. With empty terminals, mounting maintenance bills and no scheduled flights for years, the airport highlights the growing disconnect between grand policy visions and on-ground realities.
