Berhampur Airport, Berhampur: Terminal, Code, Location, Connectivity and Amenities

Berhampur — also known as Brahmapur — is Odisha’s third-largest city and the undisputed silk capital of eastern India. The Bomkai and Berhampuri silk saris woven in the city’s handloom clusters have GI protection and a devoted following among connoisseurs of Indian textiles. The city is also the gateway to south Odisha’s coastal and heritage belt: the Gopalpur-on-Sea beach is just 16 kilometres away, Chilika Lake’s southern reaches and Tapan Waterfall are accessible from Berhampur, and the ancient Buddhist ruins at Jaugada and the Shiva temple at Tara Tarini are within reach for day trips. A city of this scale and cultural weight — over 7 lakh urban population, a significant university, a thriving textile trade — deserves better air connectivity than it has historically had. Berhampur Airport, officially Rangeilunda Airport, is working toward providing that. Carrying IATA code QBM and ICAO code VEBM, located at Rangeilunda adjacent to Berhampur University, it opened for limited commercial operations under UDAN in 2023 with IndiaOne Air’s twice-weekly Bhubaneswar service, and is currently mid-construction on a formal terminal building.

Quick Overview: Berhampur Airport

Berhampur Airport Location: Rangeilunda, Beside the University and Near the Sea

Berhampur Airport is located at Rangeilunda, approximately 10 kilometres east of Berhampur city centre. The coordinates are 19°17′51″N, 84°52′37″E, at an elevation of just 35 metres above sea level — the low coastal terrain of Ganjam district, close to where the Eastern Ghats descend toward the Bay of Bengal coast. The airport is adjacent to Berhampur University, one of Odisha’s significant institutions of higher learning. Gopalpur-on-Sea beach — one of Odisha’s most popular and historic seaside resorts — is just 5 kilometres away.

The coastal position gives Berhampur Airport a practical tourism case beyond the city itself. Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon and a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, has its southern boundary near Berhampur’s northern zones. The Gopalpur beach area has been attracting visitors since the British era. Tara Tarini temple — one of four Shakti Peethas in Odisha and a major pilgrimage site — is approximately 35 km from the airport.

South Odisha — the region including Ganjam, Gajapati, and Koraput districts — has historically had very poor air connectivity. The nearest major commercial airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, approximately 165 km north — around 3 to 3.5 hours by road. Berhampur Airport addresses this connectivity gap directly for a population belt of over 3 million in southern Odisha.

Berhampur Airport Code: IATA QBM and ICAO VEBM

The IATA code is QBM and the ICAO code is VEBM. QBM was assigned following the formal announcement of the airport’s development on 5 May 2023. VEBM places it in the VE eastern India block. The airport appears in IndiaOne Air’s booking system under QBM. Before 2023, the Rangeilunda airstrip was maintained by Odisha’s Public Works Department purely for defence, state government, and VIP movements — a dormant WWII-era British airstrip sitting unused at the edge of a major city for decades.

Berhampur Airport Terminal: Under Construction, IndiaOne Air Flying

Berhampur Airport’s development for commercial use was formally announced on 5 May 2023 when the Government of Odisha declared the Rangeilunda airstrip an airport. The airstrip’s history begins in 1936, when the British administration built it. The 340-acre site maintained a 2,100-metre runway in government records for years — though the operational section actively maintained for landings has been shorter, with sources citing figures between 750 metres (older records) and 1,090 metres (current operational length). The runway extension to 1,200 metres — sufficient for up to 80-seat regional aircraft in the medium term — was targeted for completion by April 2025.

An interim terminal building was approximately 30% complete as of October 2025, providing basic check-in, security, waiting area, and apron access for IndiaOne Air’s operations. A formal, full-specification terminal building with ATC tower, proper airside facilities, and expanded apron is planned as the airport develops into a complete 2B category facility.

IndiaOne Air — the regional airline operating 9-seat Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft — serves Berhampur on a twice-weekly Bhubaneswar route under the UDAN scheme. The 165-km Bhubaneswar–Berhampur hop takes approximately 45 to 50 minutes by air versus 3 to 3.5 hours by road. Passenger numbers remain in the low thousands since the service began in 2023 — typical for a new thin-route UDAN service at its initial stage.

Berhampur Airport Connectivity: IndiaOne Air to Bhubaneswar, Road and Rail for Wider Access

By Air: IndiaOne Air operates twice-weekly Cessna 208B flights between Berhampur (QBM) and Bhubaneswar (BBI) under the UDAN scheme. This single route is the airport’s entire scheduled commercial network as of mid-2026. Confirm current schedule with IndiaOne Air before booking.

By Road: Berhampur city is 10 km west of the airport — approximately 20 to 30 minutes by taxi or auto-rickshaw. NH-16 (the coastal highway, formerly NH-5) connects Berhampur to Bhubaneswar (165 km north, 3 to 3.5 hours), Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh (170 km south, 3.5 hours), and the rest of coastal Odisha. Gopalpur beach is 5 km from the airport — around 10 minutes by taxi.

By Rail: Berhampur Railway Station is one of Odisha’s significant stations on the East Coast Railway’s Howrah–Chennai main line, with direct trains to Bhubaneswar (approximately 2.5 to 3 hours), Kolkata, Chennai, and other major cities. Rail is the dominant long-distance transport mode for Berhampur residents, making the airport a supplementary option for now.

Berhampur Airport Amenities: Interim Facilities During Development Phase

The interim terminal at Berhampur Airport provides basic passenger facilities for IndiaOne Air’s small aircraft operations: check-in counter, security screening, a small waiting area, and an apron accessible by a short walk. The Cessna 208B’s 9-seat capacity means the entire boarding process is handled with minimal infrastructure — passengers walk from the terminal to the aircraft in under 5 minutes.

Ground transport from the airport is by local taxi and auto-rickshaw. No formal pre-paid taxi counter or app-based cab system operates consistently at the airport given its current scale. The helipad alongside the runway serves government and emergency helicopter operations.

FAQs: Berhampur Airport

Q1. What is the IATA code for Berhampur Airport?

The IATA code is QBM and the ICAO code is VEBM. The airport is officially Rangeilunda Airport, located at Rangeilunda, 10 km east of Berhampur city in Ganjam district, Odisha.

Q2. When did commercial flights start at Berhampur Airport?

The airstrip was announced as an airport on 5 May 2023. IndiaOne Air commenced UDAN-scheme commercial services on the Bhubaneswar route thereafter. The interim terminal was approximately 30% complete as of October 2025.

Q3. Which airline operates from Berhampur Airport?

IndiaOne Air operates twice-weekly Cessna 208B (9-seater) flights to Bhubaneswar under the UDAN scheme. Confirm current schedule before booking.

Q4. How old is the Berhampur Airport site?

The Rangeilunda airstrip was built in 1936 by the British administration, predating Indian independence by over a decade. It sat as a government airstrip for VIP and defence use for nearly 90 years before formal commercial development began in 2023.

Q5. How far is Berhampur Airport from Gopalpur Beach?

Gopalpur-on-Sea — a historic and popular beach resort on Odisha’s south coast — is approximately 5 km from the airport. The drive takes roughly 10 minutes, making the airport a convenient air entry for Gopalpur beach holidays.