Inaugurated by PM Modi in October 2021 with an international flight from Sri Lanka and pitched as a Buddhist-circuit gateway, the airport peaked at 54 scheduled flights in March 2022 before traffic collapsed. Its last scheduled commercial flight was on November 4, 2023, and per AAI data no scheduled flights were recorded through 2024 and 2025, even as annual upkeep costs rose from ₹1.35 crore to ₹3.42 crore. Its only recent activity was around 50 non-scheduled charter flights in November 2025 for funeral/religious purposes.
On record
The official record states: "SpiceJet, the sole UDAN operator on the Delhi-Kushinagar route, "stopped services due to aircraft shortages"; Air India Express has since expressed intent to launch a new Delhi-Kushinagar service targeted for March 2026."
Filed as "Ghost infrastructure (no flights)" and dated to Inaugurated October 2021, this entry sits under the "₹327 crore (initial) + ₹108.22 crore (later upgrades/revival attempts) = approx ₹435 crore" line of the public accounts.
What to expect
- A terminal built for a passenger rush that never boarded.
- A departures board with more staff than flights, most days none of either.
- A conveyor belt kept in working order out of sheer optimism.
- A runway whose length remains a subject of expert disagreement.
Sourcing
2 public sources — news reports, RTI replies and civic archives — corroborate this entry. The citation trail is listed below for anyone who would like to follow up with the department concerned.
“Two ribbons cut, one structure, zero completions.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/no-commercial-flights-since-nov-2023-how-kushinagar-airport-took-off-then-fell-silent-511776-2026-01-20
- https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!state/a-ghost-international-airport-without-flights-in-uttar-pradesh-nearly-4-years-after-inauguration-by-pm-modi-enn25062403090
Visitor reviews
“Came out here to settle a bet. The ambition is retained for the brochure and nowhere else.”
“Arrived at closing time and found there was no closing time to speak of. It has an excellent online presence and a weak physical one.”
“Went on a weekday morning and had the entire place to myself. The overrun now has an overrun of its own.”