Nanded is one of those cities where aviation’s purpose is unmistakable. The Gurudwara Hazur Sahib — Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib — is one of the five Takhts of Sikhism and one of the most sacred sites in the faith, drawing hundreds of thousands of Sikh pilgrims every year from Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, and the global Punjabi diaspora. The city also holds the Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation limits, significant pharmaceutical manufacturing, and a growing student population at Swami Ramanand Teertha Marathwada University. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport — named after the tenth Sikh Guru — exists primarily to serve that pilgrimage demand. Carrying IATA code NDC and ICAO code VAND, built in 1958, commercially inaugurated in October 2008, and revived after a three-year dormancy in 2023, the airport recorded 1,46,731 passengers in 2024–25 — a 130.9% year-on-year surge. Star Air and Fly91 now connect Nanded to nine domestic destinations including Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Goa, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Ghaziabad.
Quick Overview: Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport
| Detail | Information |
| Official Name | Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport |
| Also Known As | Nanded Airport |
| Location | Sangvigaon, Hingoli Road, Nanded, Maharashtra – 431605 |
| IATA Code | NDC |
| ICAO Code | VAND |
| Owner | Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) |
| Operator | Nanded Airport Private Limited (NADL) |
| Built | 1958 |
| Commercially Inaugurated | 4 October 2008 |
| Elevation | 374 m / 1,227 ft AMSL |
| Coordinates | 19°10′55″N, 77°19′07″E |
| Distance from City Centre | ~5–8 km |
| Distance from Hazur Sahib | ~6 km |
| Passengers (2024–25) | 1,46,731 (+130.9% YoY) |
| Current Airlines | Star Air, Fly91 |
| Active Routes | Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Goa-Mopa, Ahmedabad, Ghaziabad (Hindon) |
| Notable Route | Nagpur–Nanded–Goa (Star Air, launched 31 March 2026) |
Nanded Airport Location: Marathwada’s Pilgrimage Gateway
Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport is located at Sangvigaon on the Hingoli Road, approximately 5 to 8 kilometres from Nanded city centre. The elevation is 374 metres above sea level, in the flat basalt terrain of the Marathwada division. The airport is northwest of the city — positioned away from the main commercial core toward the Hingoli district border.
The defining geographic reality for this airport is the proximity to Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib — approximately 6 kilometres from the terminal. The gurudwara, built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the 19th century over the site where Guru Gobind Singh Ji breathed his last in 1708, draws pilgrims from across India and from significant Sikh diaspora populations in Canada, the UK, and the United States. The airport was named in Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s honour specifically to reflect that spiritual relationship. Special charter flights operate during major Sikh festivals including Gurpurab and Hola Mohalla, when the pilgrimage surge exceeds the airport’s normal operating scale.
Beyond pilgrimage, Nanded’s catchment includes Latur (approximately 125 km east), Osmanabad, and the broader Marathwada hinterland — a region of 18 to 20 million people where Nanded Airport is the primary aviation access point.
Nanded Airport Code: IATA NDC and ICAO VAND
The IATA code is NDC and the ICAO code is VAND. NDC is the booking identifier used across Star Air and Fly91 platforms for Nanded. VAND places the airport in the VA western India block. The DGCA issued a provisional aerodrome licence on 5 April 2010 and a permanent licence on 1 October 2010, enabling scheduled commercial operations. The airport entered its current active phase after Star Air, Fly91, and TruJet announced routes in July 2023 following three years of commercial dormancy.
Nanded Airport Terminal: Small Building Serving a Growing Network
The terminal at Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport is modest in scale — sized for regional turboprop operations and UDAN-scheme connectivity rather than jet-class volume. It handles check-in, security, a departure waiting area, arrivals, and baggage claim within a single compact building. Basic passenger amenities include seating, restrooms, a Wi-Fi connection, and car rental services. The airport’s compact layout means processing is typically efficient — check-in to boarding in under 30 minutes at normal volumes is common.
The airport has a short operational history compressed into a few distinct phases. Kingfisher Airlines flew the inaugural 2008 commercial flight using an ATR-72 from Mumbai via Nanded. Kingfisher’s subsequent financial collapse ended services. The airport lay commercially dormant for years before the UDAN revival. The 130.9% passenger growth in 2024–25 to 1,46,731 reflects the acceleration once Star Air and Fly91 established consistent routes under the scheme.
A significant 2026 development is the Nagpur–Nanded–Goa route launched by Star Air from 31 March 2026 — a triangular service connecting Nanded to two major hubs simultaneously. The Nagpur leg departs at 12:40 PM and arrives at 1:30 PM; the Nanded–Goa sector departs at 2:00 PM and lands at 3:20 PM on the return schedule. This creates a practical same-day route for pilgrims connecting through Nagpur or for Goa-bound travellers using Nanded as a hub — an unusual configuration for a small regional airport that reflects Star Air’s UDAN network creativity.
Nanded Airport Connectivity: Star Air and Fly91 to Nine Cities
By Air: Star Air is the primary carrier at Nanded, operating ATR-72 and Embraer 175 aircraft on routes to Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Goa-Mopa, Ahmedabad, and Ghaziabad (Hindon Airport near Delhi). Fly91 operates seasonal Bengaluru and Goa routes. As of July 2026, nine domestic destinations are served by two airlines — a network breadth unusual for an airport at Nanded’s passenger scale. The Bengaluru route is the most frequent, with approximately 31 weekly flights making it the dominant corridor. The Ghaziabad (Hindon) route at approximately 2 hours 30 minutes is the longest from NDC, particularly valuable for Sikh pilgrims from the Delhi-NCR belt avoiding a full journey by rail. Confirm current schedules directly with Star Air and Fly91 before booking as UDAN routes adjust seasonally.
By Road: Nanded city is approximately 5 to 8 km from the airport. Local taxis and auto-rickshaws cover this in 15 to 20 minutes. MSRTC buses connect Nanded to Hyderabad (approximately 3.5 hours), Aurangabad (approximately 5 hours), Pune (approximately 6 hours), and Nagpur (approximately 6 hours). The Hingoli Road that fronts the airport connects to the broader Maharashtra highway network.
By Rail: Nanded Railway Station is on the Aurangabad–Nanded–Hyderabad line of the South Central Railway zone. The Hazur Sahib Nanded Express and other trains connect to Hyderabad, Aurangabad, and through trains to Mumbai and beyond. The station is approximately 7 to 10 km from the airport.
Nanded Airport Amenities: Functional Terminal for Pilgrimage and Regional Travel
The terminal at Nanded Airport covers the basics that its passenger profile requires. Check-in counters serve Star Air and Fly91. Security screening is in place. A departure lounge with seating handles departing passengers. Wi-Fi is available. Car rental services operate from the arrivals area. Restrooms are maintained. Basic food and beverage counters serve tea, snacks, and light meals — adequate for the short processing times at this scale of airport.
There is no commercial premium lounge, no duty-free, and no large food court. The scale is appropriate: an airport handling 1.46 lakh passengers annually does not need the amenity footprint of a metro hub. What pilgrims arriving for Hazur Sahib require is easy access, efficient processing, and reliable onward taxi connectivity — all of which the airport provides.
FAQs: Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport
Q1. What is the IATA code for Nanded Airport?
The IATA code is NDC and the ICAO code is VAND. The airport’s full official name is Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport, located on Hingoli Road, Sangvigaon, approximately 5 to 8 km from Nanded city.
Q2. Why is Nanded Airport named after Guru Gobind Singh Ji?
Nanded is where Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru, spent his final days and attained Jyoti Jot (eternal light) in 1708. The Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib gurudwara at this site is one of the five Takhts of Sikhism. The airport is named in his honour to reflect the city’s sacred Sikh heritage.
Q3. Which airlines currently fly from Nanded Airport?
Star Air and Fly91 operate from NDC. Star Air serves Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Goa-Mopa, Ahmedabad, and Ghaziabad. Fly91 operates seasonal Bengaluru and Goa routes. Confirm current schedules before booking.
Q4. What is the new Nagpur–Nanded–Goa route?
Star Air launched a triangular Nagpur–Nanded–Goa (Mopa) route from 31 March 2026, operating five days a week (except Monday and Saturday). The Nagpur–Nanded sector takes approximately 50 minutes; Nanded–Goa takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Fares were in the ₹4,000–₹8,000 range at launch.
Q5. How far is the airport from Hazur Sahib?
Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib is approximately 6 km from the airport — about 15 to 20 minutes by taxi. It is the most visited pilgrimage site in Nanded and the primary reason the airport exists at the scale it does.
