Khowai is a district in Tripura’s central zone — a moderately sized town on the Khowai River that became a separate district in 2012 when Tripura reorganised from four to eight districts. It sits roughly between Agartala to the south and Kamalpur to the northeast, on the plains of the Khowai basin. The town’s most noted cultural association is with Rabindranath Tagore — he visited the region and wrote some works during his stays in the erstwhile Tripura princely state. Khowai Airport carries IATA code IXN and ICAO code VEKW. It is small, non-operational, managed by AAI, and has a short recorded history. A 1955 accident at the airport — when a Dacota (DC-3) belonging to Airways (India) overran a wet runway and ended up in a ditch — is the most notable event in its aviation history, albeit one with no fatalities. The airport has one runway in the 18/36 orientation and is included in the broader UDAN Northeast revival list alongside Kailashahar and Kamalpur.
Quick Overview: Khowai Airport
| Detail | Information |
| Airport Name | Khowai Airport |
| Location | Khowai, Khowai district, Tripura, India |
| Airport Type | Public — Non-operational |
| IATA Code | IXN |
| ICAO Code | VEKW |
| Operator | Airports Authority of India (AAI) |
| Runway Designation | 18/36 |
| Elevation | 29 m / 95 ft AMSL |
| Coordinates | 24°03′42″N, 91°36′14″E |
| Notable Incident | 29 March 1955 — Airways (India) Dacota (DC-3) overran wet runway; no casualties |
| Nearest Airstrip | Kamalpur Airport (~27 km) |
| Nearest Weather Station | Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka (~125 km) |
| Flight Information Region | Kolkata FIR |
| Scheduled Commercial Flights | None |
| UDAN Listing | Northeast 30 unserved airports/airstrips (UDAN 4.0) |
Khowai Airport Location: Central Tripura’s River Basin
Khowai Airport is located in Khowai town at coordinates 24°03′42″N, 91°36′14″E, elevation 29 metres — the flat plains of the Khowai River basin in central Tripura. The town lies approximately 70 km north of Agartala by road, a manageable surface distance that explains why Khowai has never been a high priority for aviation revival — Agartala’s MBB Airport is reasonably accessible.
The airport is within the shortest travel distance of any Tripura town to both Agartala and the Bangladesh border zones. Khowai district borders Dhalai (where Kamalpur Airport is located) to the north, Sipahijala to the south, and West Tripura (Agartala zone) to the west. The formation of Khowai as a separate district in 2012 gave it administrative identity but did not change the airport’s dormant status.
Rabindranath Tagore’s association with the Tripura royal family — he visited the state multiple times at the invitation of the Maharajas and wrote poetry and prose during these stays — gives the broader region a literary heritage that tourism promotion has highlighted.
Code, Terminal and Status
IATA IXN and ICAO VEKW are the assigned codes. No METAR weather data is published. The nearest weather station is Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, approximately 125 km away. No navigational aids are recorded.
The airport is listed in UDAN 4.0’s Northeast 30 unserved airports/airstrips for potential operationalisation. However, given Khowai’s relative proximity to Agartala (70 km), the commercial case for a standalone Khowai aviation revival is weaker than for Kailashahar (which serves a more isolated northern Tripura zone) or Kamalpur (which covers Dhalai’s central hill district).
Connectivity and Amenities
By Air: No scheduled flights. MBB Airport Agartala (IXA) is the nearest commercial airport — approximately 70 km south (1 to 1.5 hours by road).
By Road: Khowai to Agartala is approximately 70 km — 1 to 1.5 hours by road. To Kamalpur approximately 27 km. TRTC buses serve inter-district routes in Tripura.
No public passenger amenities for commercial aviation exist.
FAQs: Khowai Airport
Q1. What is the IATA code for Khowai Airport?
IXN is the IATA code and VEKW is the ICAO code. The airport is in Khowai, Khowai district, Tripura, managed by AAI and non-operational.
Q2. What is the notable historical incident at Khowai Airport?
On 29 March 1955, an Airways (India) Dacota (DC-3) overran a wet runway at Khowai Airport and ended up in a ditch. There were no casualties, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and written off.
Q3. Is Khowai Airport in any UDAN revival plan?
Yes — Khowai is listed among the 30 unserved airports/airstrips in Northeast India included in UDAN 4.0 for potential commercial operationalisation.
Q4. How far is Khowai Airport from Agartala?
Approximately 70 km — about 1 to 1.5 hours by road. The relative proximity makes the commercial case for a standalone Khowai revival weaker than for more isolated Tripura airports.
Q5. What was the Airways (India) Dacota that crashed at Khowai in 1955?
The Douglas DC-3 (Dacota) was a twin-engine propeller aircraft widely used for Indian domestic routes in the 1950s. Airways (India) was an early domestic carrier. The 1955 Khowai incident was an overrun accident with no fatalities.
