Dholera is India’s most ambitious smart city project — a greenfield planned city being built from scratch on 920 square kilometres of reclaimed Rann flats south of Ahmedabad, designed as India’s first planned smart city under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. At its centre is an airport that matches the scale of that ambition: Dholera International Airport, a greenfield project designed with dual 4,500-metre runways, ultimate capacity for tens of millions of passengers annually, and a Phase 1 runway of 3,200 metres capable of handling wide-body aircraft. Phase 1 civil construction was completed in December 2025. As of mid-2026, the airport is in licensing, calibration, and operational trial stages, with full passenger operations targeted for late 2026 — though no IATA code has been assigned and no airline has announced scheduled service as of this writing.
Quick Overview: Dholera International Airport
| Detail | Information |
| Airport Name | Dholera International Airport |
| Location | Navagam village, Dholera Special Investment Region, Ahmedabad district, Gujarat |
| Airport Type | Public — International (Greenfield, under commissioning) |
| IATA Code | Not Assigned |
| ICAO Code | Not Assigned |
| Owner | Airports Authority of India (AAI) |
| Operator | Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL) |
| Total Land Area | ~1,426 hectares (~3,500 acres) |
| Phase 1 Runway Length | 3,200 metres (Code 4E; wide-body capable) |
| Ultimate Runway Length | 4,500 metres (two runways planned) |
| Phase 1 Passenger Capacity | 1.5 million per year |
| Ultimate Passenger Capacity | 50 million per year |
| Phase 1 Cost | ₹1,378 crore |
| Coordinates | 22°21′25″N, 72°18′12″E |
| Distance from Ahmedabad | ~100 km via Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway (~90 min) |
| Phase 1 Civil Construction | Completed December 2025 |
| Operational Target | December 2026 |
| Scheduled Flights | None commenced as of mid-2026 |
Dholera International Airport Location: Dholera SIR Between Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar
Dholera International Airport is located near Navagam village within the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), in Ahmedabad district, Gujarat. The coordinates are 22°21′25″N, 72°18′12″E. The airport sits on the Dholera peninsula, bordered by the Gulf of Khambhat and its tidal flats — a landscape that required massive land preparation and drainage engineering before construction could begin.
The distance from central Ahmedabad is approximately 100 kilometres, accessed via the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway (approximately 88 kilometres long) in roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours. The airport is strategically positioned between Ahmedabad (to the north) and Bhavnagar (to the south), giving it a catchment that covers both Gujarat’s commercial capital and the Saurashtra peninsula’s industrial belt.
The Dholera SIR context is central to understanding this airport’s purpose. The 920-square-kilometre smart city zone is being developed as a hub for electric vehicle manufacturing, semiconductor fabrication, drone production, defence manufacturing, and heavy engineering — all sectors with significant air cargo and executive aviation needs. The airport is designed as much for industrial cargo operations as for passenger connectivity, with dedicated cargo facilities built into Phase 1.
Dholera International Airport Code: No IATA, No ICAO Assigned Yet
Dholera International Airport has no assigned IATA code and no assigned ICAO code as of mid-2026. Both codes are assigned after an airport enters active commercial operations — IATA codes when scheduled airline service begins, ICAO codes when the aerodrome is formally registered with ICAO. Phase 1 civil works being complete does not trigger code assignment; actual flight operations do.
IATA and ICAO codes will be issued in the period surrounding the airport’s formal inauguration and first commercial flights. Travellers seeking to book to Dholera via standard airline platforms should monitor airline announcements for the first route launches.
Dholera International Airport Terminal: Phase 1 Infrastructure Status
Phase 1 of Dholera International Airport includes the following completed or near-completed infrastructure elements as of mid-2026:
Runway: A 3,200-metre Code 4E runway — capable of handling wide-body aircraft including Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 class — was completed as part of Phase 1 civil works. Code 4E designation allows for the widest range of commercial aircraft including long-haul widebodies.
Terminal Building: The integrated passenger terminal building was awarded to YashNand Engineers and Contractors under a ₹333 crore contract in January 2024. The terminal structure was part of the civil works completed by December 2025. Phase 1 terminal capacity is designed for 1.5 million passengers annually.
ATC Tower: The Air Traffic Control tower was included in the YashNand contract alongside the terminal and cargo complex.
Cargo Facility: A dedicated cargo handling facility was built as part of Phase 1, aligned with the airport’s industrial logistics mission.
Phase 2 and Beyond: Future phases will add taxiways, a second runway (ultimately 4,500 metres each), and additional terminal capacity targeting 30 to 50 million passengers annually in later phases. The ultimate vision — multiple runways, multiple terminals, comprehensive cargo infrastructure — positions Dholera as a potential peer to major Indian hub airports over a multi-decade horizon.
The airport was in licensing, calibration flights, and operational trials through early to mid-2026, with full passenger operations targeted by December 2026. This date should be treated as a target rather than a guarantee, as timeline slippage is common in large Indian infrastructure projects.
Dholera International Airport Connectivity: Expressway Access, No Flights Yet
By Air: No scheduled commercial flights operate from Dholera International Airport as of mid-2026. Airlines have not announced routes. The airport is in pre-operational commissioning. When flights begin, expected initial routes would connect Dholera to Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi, and other major domestic hubs, with international routes to Gulf destinations likely in medium-term development phases.
By Road: The Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway (approximately 88 km) is the primary road access, connecting the airport to Ahmedabad in roughly 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on traffic. The expressway significantly reduces what would otherwise be a 100+ km journey on conventional roads. Public transport options to the airport from Ahmedabad are currently limited — private vehicle or cab is the practical approach.
By Rail (Future): Rail connectivity to Dholera is being developed as part of the broader DMIC infrastructure, though a direct rail link to the airport was not operational as of mid-2026.
For Ahmedabad’s Airport: The opening of Dholera International Airport is expected to provide meaningful relief to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) in Ahmedabad, which was handling over 1.34 crore passengers in 2024–25 and is above its current terminal capacity.
Dholera International Airport Amenities: Under Development
As the airport moves through its commissioning phase, the amenity profile of the Phase 1 terminal has not been publicly detailed in confirmed operational form. The terminal design — based on AAI tender documents — includes a standard integrated passenger terminal layout with check-in counters, security screening, departure lounges, baggage claim, and commercial areas.
Given the Dholera SIR’s positioning as an industrial-executive hub, the airport is expected to provide business-oriented amenities alongside standard passenger services. Cargo handling facilities are built into Phase 1. Specific retail brands, food court operators, and lounge partners had not been announced publicly as of mid-2026.
Once operational, ground transport to and from the terminal will be primarily via the expressway and dedicated taxi services. A longer-term vision includes integrating the airport with the planned metro and mass transit connectivity for the Dholera smart city zone.
FAQs: Dholera International Airport
Q1. Does Dholera International Airport have an IATA or ICAO code?
A: No. Neither has been assigned as of mid-2026. Codes are issued when commercial operations formally begin. Monitor airline announcements for the first route launches.
Q2. When will Dholera International Airport open for commercial flights?
A: Full passenger operations are targeted for December 2026. Phase 1 civil construction was completed in December 2025, with calibration flights and operational trials ongoing through 2026. Treat December 2026 as a target, not a confirmed date.
Q3. What is the runway length at Dholera International Airport?
A: Phase 1 features a 3,200-metre Code 4E runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft. The ultimate master plan includes two runways of up to 4,500 metres each.
Q4. How far is Dholera Airport from Ahmedabad?
A: Approximately 100 km via the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway, with road travel time of 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on traffic.
Q5. What is the annual passenger capacity of Phase 1?
A: Phase 1 is designed for 1.5 million passengers annually. Future phases are planned to ultimately scale to 50 million passengers per year across expanded terminals and a dual-runway configuration.
