Amritsar Airport was on Tuesday, 28 July inaugurated as India's second Hub and Spoke international flight operations centre, giving passengers in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh seamless access to more than 20 international destinations through a single check-in and a single baggage tag. The move makes Amritsar the second airport after Varanasi to be integrated into the government's Hub & Spoke framework for international passenger movement.

What the Hub & Spoke Model Changes

Until now, passengers flying out of Amritsar had direct international connectivity to just seven destinations. Under the new model, Delhi Airport serves as the hub, and Amritsar passengers can complete check-in, immigration, and customs formalities at Amritsar itself before departure. Their baggage is checked through to the final international destination, allowing a seamless transfer at Delhi without repeating immigration or customs procedures.

This effectively extends Delhi's global network — one of the broadest in South Asia — to travellers originating from Amritsar and the wider north-western region.

What the Civil Aviation Minister Said

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, addressing the launch via a video message, said: 'Travellers will be able to access more than 20 international destinations with a single check-in and a single baggage tag, making the entire journey far more seamless.' He added that Delhi will serve as the hub while Amritsar will emerge as a major international gateway for the region. 'With its strong diaspora connections and vast regional catchment, Amritsar is among the Indian cities that stand to benefit the most from this transformation in global connectivity,' Naidu said.

Scale of the Opportunity

The scale of latent demand is significant. At present, nearly 1.5 lakh passengers travel from Amritsar to Delhi every year solely to board international flights, while another 1.5 lakh passengers arrive from overseas via Delhi to reach Amritsar. The minister said passenger traffic is expected to grow rapidly as travel becomes significantly easier under the integrated system.

Amritsar's position as a gateway for pilgrims, diaspora travellers, business visitors, and tourists from Punjab and neighbouring states makes it a natural candidate for the Hub & Spoke expansion.

Varanasi Precedent and Economic Projections

The Amritsar launch follows the successful rollout of India's first Hub & Spoke operations from Varanasi on 25 June. Over the past month, Varanasi passengers have been connected through Delhi to 18 international destinations, validating the model's effectiveness.

According to studies undertaken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the development of aviation hub operations could generate nearly 0.4 million direct and indirect jobs and contribute an additional $30 billion to India's economy by 2030. By 2047, the cumulative impact is projected to support approximately 16 million direct and indirect jobs while contributing nearly USD 1.4 trillion to the national economy.

Beyond passenger convenience, the initiative is expected to strengthen tourism, trade, investment, and regional development across north-western India. With the Varanasi model now proven and Amritsar operationalised, the government is expected to expand the Hub & Spoke framework to additional tier-2 and tier-3 airports in the coming months.