Archive · 13 Nov 2025
Chennai Airport Surges to 3rd in Cargo Handling, Overtaking Bengaluru
Imagine airports are like big warehouses that handle packages sent by planes.
For the first half of this year, Chennai's airport became the third busiest in India for international packages, moving ahead of Bengaluru's airport.
This happened because more important items like car parts and electronics, including iPhones, were sent through Chennai.
Last year, Bengaluru handled more packages, but this year Chennai's package volume grew a lot faster.
Delhi's airport is still the busiest, with Mumbai second.
This shows that Chennai is becoming a more important place for shipping goods by air.
Chennai Airport ranked third in international cargo handling for April-September 2025, overtaking Bengaluru.
Chennai handled 1,66,440 tonnes of international cargo, while Bengaluru handled 1,65,899 tonnes during this period.
Chennai's international freight volume saw a 15% growth, compared to Bengaluru's 2.4% growth in the same period.
Key drivers for Chennai's cargo increase include imports of engineering goods, automobile parts, electronics, and exports of items like Apple iPhones.
Delhi airport remains the leader in international cargo handling, followed by Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
- Who
- Chennai Airport and Bengaluru Airport
- What
- Chennai Airport surpassed Bengaluru Airport in international cargo handling for the first half of the fiscal year 2025-2026.
- When
- April to September 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- Increased import of engineering goods, automobile parts, and electronics, including Apple iPhones, contributed to the rise in Chennai's cargo volume.
- Period
- April - September 2025 (H1'26)
- Chennai Cargo Handled
- 1,66,440 tonnes
- Bengaluru Cargo Handled
- 1,65,899 tonnes
- Chennai Growth Rate
- 15%
- Bengaluru Growth Rate
- 2.4%
- Top Cargo Handlers (H1'26)
- 1. Delhi, 2. Mumbai, 3. Chennai, 4. Bengaluru, 5. Hyderabad