Delhi, Mumbai airport user charges may jump up to 22x soon

India Dec 01, 2025

Flying from Delhi or Mumbai could get a lot pricier.
Thanks to a new tribunal ruling, airport user charges might shoot up by as much as 22 times—meaning airports need to recover over ₹50,000 crore from passengers.
This could push ticket prices higher and slow down travel growth.

What's happening and what's next?

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) and airlines like Lufthansa and Air France are fighting this decision in the Supreme Court, with a hearing set for December 3, 2025.
If the ruling stands, domestic fees at Delhi Airport could jump from ₹129 to ₹1,261 and international ones from ₹650 to ₹6,356.
The move has also raised fresh concerns about how airport assets are valued after privatization.