Pondicherry Airport PNY

Pondicherry (Puducherry) Airport is in Lawspet, on the edge of the city, in the Union Territory of Puducherry on India’s southeast coast. It opened in 1989 and is run by the Airports Authority of India. It was largely inactive between 1991 and 2017, until regular flights returned under the UDAN regional scheme. Today it is a small airport with a 1,500-metre runway, and it handled about 103,000 passengers between April 2025 and March 2026.

Terminals

There is a single terminal, with arrivals and departures in the same building. It is small, with no transfers or long distances to walk.

Airlines and destinations

IndiGo operates here, with flights to Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Rajahmundry. There are plans to lengthen the runway to take larger aircraft, and even international flights, but for now the offer is regional. Most people arriving here are heading to Puducherry’s French Quarter, Auroville (about 8 km from the airport) or the Tamil Nadu coast; for more frequencies and destinations, Chennai is the usual alternative by road.

Services

As a small airport, do not expect many shops or restaurants. Bring what you need for the journey and leave meals for the city.

Tips

A Coast Guard air enclave with helicopters was opened on the airport grounds in 2024, so the airport is not exclusively civilian. With few flights a day, check your schedule before leaving and allow time for check-in.