Delhi Airport shut down Terminal 2 earlier this year, with me hoping the matchbox had been done with, and Terminal 4, which was supposed to take its place, coming online whenever it was ready. But like a cat with nine lives, Terminal 2 is coming back, and this time, Air India is taking it over.
Delhi will shut down part of Terminal 3 for conversion to International Operations.
Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3 currently has four piers and 43 contact stands. The airport uses two piers for international operations and two piers for domestic operations. But this is set to change, with one of its domestic piers being converted for global use. This will boost the airport’s overseas passenger capacity by 50% to 3 crore from the current two crore passengers annually. Work is expected to be completed by December 2025.
IGI Airport Delhi Terminal 3 Map
Air India/Express will relocate its operations partly out of Terminal 3 to facilitate the conversion.
Air India group today announced adjustments to its domestic operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The terminal enlargement works will reduce domestic capacity at T3, necessitating the relocation of certain domestic operations of Air India and Air India Express, effective October 26, 2025.
Air India will relocate 60 of its 180 daily domestic departures out of Delhi to the renovated Terminal 2 (T2). Concurrently, Air India Express will move all its domestic operations to the newly renovated and upgraded Terminal 1 (T1). All international flights of Air India and Air India Express will continue to operate from Terminal 3 (T3) at Delhi Airport.
How can one identify Air India flights to/from T2
Air India’s domestic flights departing from or arriving at T2 have been renumbered in four digits, starting with ‘1’ (e.g., AI1737, AI1787). This clear distinction will help travellers easily identify that their flight operates from/to T2.
Air India or Air India Express guests with connections, carrying boarding passes for their onward flights, will be provided with inter-terminal transfers between Terminals 1, 2, and 3. This service applies to connections between Air India flights, Air India Express flights, and on applicable codeshare connections. Any through-checked baggage will be transferred airside, eliminating the need to collect and recheck baggage during terminal transfers.
For all guests requiring transfers between T1, T2 and T3, Delhi International Airport provides a shuttle service running every 10 minutes, ensuring quick and easy connectivity between the terminals. Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRM) and those requiring special assistance can also opt for a comfortable buggy ride between Terminals 2 and 3.
Augmented guest support during transition
Air India and Air India Express will proactively notify all guests who hold bookings for flights relocating to T2 and T1 (for Air India Express guests) via their registered contact details.
Passengers making new Air India bookings on AI1XXX-series flights (departing from Terminal 2) will be clearly notified that their flight operates from Terminal 2. Guests booking Air India Express domestic flights for travel to or from Delhi will also receive notifications.
Passengers whose bookings continue to operate to/from T3 will receive a reminder to check their terminal if they have connecting flights. Additionally, all passengers checking in online for AI1XXX-series flights will receive an extra reminder that their flight departs from Terminal 2.
Air India is also deploying additional resources at both terminals to assist customers and help them navigate between the terminals, if required. Some of the airline’s ground staff, who are available to assist passengers with information, terminal transfers, and other services, will wear special t-shirts for easy recognition by passengers.
Bottomline
Air India will relocate one-third of its operations from Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 on October 26, 2025, and will redesignate the flight numbers to start with “1” and have four digits in the flight number (e.g., AI 1xxx). Air India Express will completely relocate from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 by 2025. All of this is being done to support Delhi Airport’s expansion of the terminal to increase international capacity, whereby three-fourths of the airport will be dedicated to international operations and one-fourth to domestic operations.
What do you think of this adjustment of operations around at Delhi Terminal 3?
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