Koraput district in southern Odisha is Adivasi country — the home of Kondh, Dongria Kondh, Bonda, Gadaba, and Koya tribal communities whose material culture, oral traditions, and agricultural practices have made the Koraput-Jeypore corridor one of India’s most studied and visited tribal regions. The Jeypore market, Koraput’s agricultural biodiversity (the district has hundreds of indigenous rice varieties), the Sabara Srikhetra at Jagannath Sagar, and the Duduma Waterfall on the Machkund River form a tourism circuit that draws both domestic travellers and international researchers. Jeypore Airport — built in 1962, dormant for decades, revived under UDAN in October 2022 — carries IATA code PYB and ICAO code VEJP, sits 3 kilometres northwest of the city, and handles IndiaOne Air’s Cessna 208B services to Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam. Passenger numbers jumped 137% in 2023–24 to 4,584. Modest numbers by any standard, but meaningful to a tribal region that had been without scheduled commercial aviation for generations.
Quick Overview: Jeypore Airport
| Detail | Information |
| Official Name | Jeypore Airport (also: Jayapur Airport) |
| Location | 3 km northwest of Jeypore, Koraput district, Odisha, India |
| Serves | Jeypore and Koraput |
| Airport Type | Public — Domestic |
| IATA Code | PYB |
| ICAO Code | VEJP |
| Owner | Public Works Department, Government of Odisha |
| Operator | Airports Authority of India (AAI) |
| Built | 1962 (alongside HAL Sunabeda factory) |
| Commercial Operations Began | 31 October 2022 (IndiaOne Air) |
| Runway Designation | 16/34 (North-South oriented) |
| Runway Length | ~914 m (3,000 ft) — asphalt |
| Total Area | 60 acres |
| Elevation | 595 m / 1,952 ft AMSL |
| Coordinates | 18°52′49″N, 82°33′08″E |
| Distance from Koraput | ~25 km northwest |
| Expansion Land Sought | 310 additional acres for runway extension |
| Passengers (2023–24) | 4,584 (+137% YoY) |
| Aircraft Movements (2023–24) | 1,382 (+308.8% YoY) |
| Current Airline | IndiaOne Air |
| Active Routes | Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam |
| Nearest Major Airport | Bhubaneswar BBI (~560 km north) / Visakhapatnam VTZ (~240 km south) |
Jeypore Airport Location: Tribal Heartland at High Elevation
Jeypore Airport is located 3 kilometres northwest of Jeypore city and approximately 25 kilometres southeast of Koraput town — the district headquarters. The coordinates are 18°52′49″N, 82°33′08″E, at an elevation of 595 metres above sea level — comfortably elevated above the surrounding terrain, which is the dissected plateau of southern Odisha as the Eastern Ghats descend toward the Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh borders.
The location matters for understanding the airport’s unique catchment. Koraput district is one of India’s most tribal-populated districts and one of its most geographically remote. Bhubaneswar is approximately 560 kilometres north — a full day’s journey by road or rail on the best days. Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, approximately 240 kilometres south, is the other regional access point. The absence of fast surface connectivity makes air access — even on 9-seater Cessna aircraft twice or three times a week — a genuine change in the district’s connectivity profile.
The airport’s origins in 1962 are directly linked to HAL’s Sunabeda defence manufacturing unit nearby — an ordnance factory that produces aviation components and required executive and logistics aviation access when it was established. The airstrip was built for those operational needs and lay largely dormant for scheduled civilian use until the UDAN revival.
Jeypore Airport Code: IATA PYB and ICAO VEJP
The IATA code is PYB and the ICAO code is VEJP. PYB is used across IndiaOne Air’s booking system and travel platforms. VEJP places it in the VE eastern India block. Vayudoot operated flights here in the 1980s on the Bhubaneswar–Jeypore–Visakhapatnam route, before withdrawing due to low passenger numbers. The DGCA granted a commercial aviation licence under the regional connectivity scheme ahead of IndiaOne Air’s October 2022 relaunch.
Jeypore Airport Terminal: Small Building, Big Regional Significance
The terminal at Jeypore Airport is a modest single building appropriate to a 60-acre airstrip handling roughly 4,500 annual passengers on 9-seat Cessna 208B aircraft. The runway at approximately 914 metres (3,000 feet) of asphalt accommodates the Cessna Grand Caravan and similar light turboprops but cannot support ATR-72 class operations at full load, which is why the Odisha state government has asked Koraput district administration to identify 310 additional acres of land adjoining the existing airstrip for expansion. A provision of ₹6 crore was made for initial renovation of the airstrip.
Inside the terminal, basic check-in infrastructure, security screening, a departure waiting area, and arrivals processing serve IndiaOne Air’s passengers. The building is compact, functional, and appropriately scaled — the entire passenger complement of a single Cessna 208B (9 passengers) arrives or departs per flight.
The 137% passenger increase in 2023–24 to 4,584 and the 308.8% aircraft movement surge reflect the sharp acceleration that came with consistent scheduled operations after the UDAN launch. Aircraft movements outpacing passenger growth proportionally suggests increased frequency of flights — multiple weekly operations across both Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam routes — building up service before passenger numbers catch up.
Jeypore Airport Connectivity: IndiaOne Air to Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam
By Air: IndiaOne Air operates scheduled Cessna 208B services from Jeypore to Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam under the UDAN scheme. The Bhubaneswar route was launched on 31 October 2022; the Visakhapatnam connection followed, giving Jeypore a second major hub linkage southward into Andhra Pradesh. Both routes address the two most practical connectivity needs for Koraput district — the state capital and the nearest major coastal city. Confirm current schedules and frequencies directly with IndiaOne Air before booking.
By Road: Jeypore city is 3 km from the airport — around 10 minutes by taxi or auto-rickshaw. Koraput town is approximately 25 km. Bhubaneswar is approximately 560 km north via NH-326, around 9 to 10 hours. Visakhapatnam is approximately 240 km south via NH-326, around 4.5 to 5 hours. OSRTC buses and private taxis serve inter-city routes.
By Rail: Koraput Railway Station is on the Rayagada–Jagdalpur line, with connections toward Visakhapatnam (via Koraput–Rayagada–Visakhapatnam, approximately 7 to 8 hours) and toward Bhubaneswar. Jeypore Railway Station is the nearest station to the airport, approximately 5 km.
Jeypore Airport Amenities: Essential UDAN Regional Services
The terminal provides the essentials for IndiaOne Air’s 9-seat Cessna operations: check-in counter, security screening, a passenger waiting area with basic seating, restrooms, and a ground transport exit with local taxis. There are no premium lounges, duty-free shops, or food courts. Basic snack and beverage availability serves the short processing time needed for a 9-seat aircraft turnaround.
Pre-arranging a taxi for arrivals is advisable, particularly for travellers heading to Koraput or more remote tribal areas — on-demand cab availability near the airport is limited.
FAQs: Jeypore Airport
Q1. What is the IATA code for Jeypore Airport?
The IATA code is PYB and the ICAO code is VEJP. The airport is 3 km northwest of Jeypore city in Koraput district, Odisha. Operated by AAI and owned by Odisha’s PWD.
Q2. Which airline and routes operate from Jeypore Airport?
IndiaOne Air operates Cessna 208B (9-seater) flights to Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam under the UDAN scheme. Confirm current schedule before booking.
Q3. When did commercial flights restart at Jeypore Airport?
IndiaOne Air launched the first commercial flight from Jeypore to Bhubaneswar on 31 October 2022 — the airport’s commercial revival after Vayudoot last flew here in the 1980s.
Q4. Why was Jeypore Airport originally built?
The airstrip was constructed in 1962 alongside the establishment of a Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) defence manufacturing factory at nearby Sunabeda — the aviation logistics needs of that facility drove the airstrip’s development.
Q5. What expansion is planned for Jeypore Airport?
The Odisha government has asked Koraput district administration to identify 310 additional acres of land adjoining the existing 60-acre airstrip to facilitate runway extension — essential for ATR-72 class commercial operations beyond the current 914-metre runway’s capacity.
