Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, known as Hyderabad International Airport, is situated in Shamshabad, South Hyderabad, approximately 24 km from the main city centre. The Airport is named in honour of Rajiv Gandhi, who was the 6th Prime Minister (PM) of India. The Airport was opened on Mar 23rd, 2008, and it is the fourth busiest Airport in India by passenger traffic. It operates under the code HYD. It is managed by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, a public-private partnership that holds a 63% stake in the project.

Quick Highlights of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

• IATA Code: HYD
• Address: Shamshabad, Hyderabad 500 409
• Country: India
• Latitude: 17°14′24″ N
• Longitude: 078°25′41″ E
• GMT Offset: +5:30 hours

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport's address is Shamshabad, Hyderabad, Telangana 500409, India. The Airport spans over 5,500 acres, and is India’s largest Airport by area. The terminal in the Airport spreads over a massive 379,370 square meters (approx. 4 million sq ft) after the latest expansion. It can handle 40 million passengers every year (and currently serves over 29 million annually).

Runways in Hyderabad Airport

• Runway 09R/27L: This primary runway is 4,260 meters long and is fully Code-F compliant, making it compatible with the Airbus A380.
• Runway 09L/27R: The secondary runway is 3,707 meters long and serves as a vital taxiway and emergency backup.

Key Features of Hyderabad Airport

The Hyderabad airport includes the key features:

• A fuel farm with a massive storage capacity of 13,500 Kiloliters.
• A big solar power plant: A 10 MW facility that won the "National Energy Leader" Award in 2025 for meeting 15% of the Airport's power needs.
• 2 maintenance areas operated by GMR Aero Technic for full aircraft MRO services.
• Aviation training at the GMR Aviation Academy.
• Repair area.

Parking Aprons in the Airport

There are 3 parking aprons as follows:

• Passenger terminal
• MRO aprons
• The cargo apron, which supports a cargo capacity of over 150,000 MT.

The passenger terminal apron has parking spaces on both the north and south sides. It has 22 baggage claim belts to speed up luggage retrieval. It has an area of 1.26 million sq ft. It was extended in 2024-2025 to 379,370 sq meters.

Parking at Hyderabad Airport (2026 Guide)

If you are driving your own car to the airport, you don't need to worry about finding a spot. The parking area is huge—it can hold over 3,000 vehicles—and it's fully automated, so you don't have to wait in long lines to pay.

What it costs:

• For quick pickups: If you are just dropping someone off or picking them up, the first 30 minutes will cost you about ₹150.
• For longer stays: If you need to park for an hour or two, expect to pay around ₹250.
• Valet Parking: In a rush? You can just pull up to the departure ramp and use the Valet service. It costs roughly ₹500 for two hours, but it saves you the hassle of walking from the parking lot.

Pro Tip: You can now use your FASTag to pay for parking. It’s much faster than paying cash at the exit booth.

The extended area of the Airport has:

• 12 Departure Gates
• 56 remote bus gates for domestic operations
• Arrival facilities
• 44 Passenger Boarding Bridges (Aero Bridges) for direct flight access
• Contact stands
• A domestic to domestic transfer area that allows seamless connections without leaving the terminal.
• ATRS machines (Automatic Tray Retrieval Systems) that reduce security check time.
• Self-Bag Drop (SBD) machines, where passengers can tag and drop their own luggage in under 45 seconds.
• 4 Common Use Self Service (CUSS) kiosks for instant boarding passes.
• 200+ CUTE check-in desks.
• 22 Baggage Claim Belts
• 50+ immigration counters to handle high international traffic.

Hyderabad Airport Terminals

Unlike older airports, Hyderabad operates a single "Integrated Terminal Building" for smoother transit.

• Western Wing: Dedicated to International flights.
• Eastern Wing: Dedicated to Domestic flights.
• Haj Terminal: A separate facility built exclusively to handle the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

New Feature: DigiYatra (2026 Update)Passengers can now use the DigiYatra facility for paperless, biometric entry.

• Where to use it: Available at Departure Gates 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
• Benefit: Clears security and entry checkpoints in less than 10 minutes.

How to Reach Rajiv Gandhi Airport

• Metro: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport nearest operational metro station is Raidurg Station (20 km away). Currently, the Phase 2 "Airport Metro Express" line from Nagole to Shamshabad is under construction.
• Bus: "Pushpak Airport Liners" (AC Electric Buses) are available, which give non-stop airport shuttle services from Secretariat, Masab Tank, and Secunderabad. These operate 24/7, and tickets cost between ₹150 and ₹300.
• Taxi: Quicker way to reach the Airport. Uber and Ola zones are located at Level E (Car Park), while prepaid radio taxis are at the Arrival Ramp.
• Train: Hyderabad Deccan Railway Station is the nearest railway station to reach the Airport (approx. 25 km distance).

Why Everyone is Buying Property Near the Airport

The expansion of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has completely changed the Shamshabad area. It used to be a quiet outskirts region, but now it is becoming a major "Airport City."

Because the airport is growing so fast (and with the new Metro line coming up), big real estate companies are building luxury apartments here. The logic is simple: people who work in Hitech City or frequent flyers want to live closer to the airport to avoid traffic.

Project in Spotlight: Prestige Golden Grove. One of the most talked-about new projects is Prestige Golden Grove in Tellapur.

• The Vibe: It is an ultra-luxury gated community, not just a regular apartment complex. It’s massive, covering 31 acres with 25 towers.
• The Investment: They are offering large 2, 3, and 4 BHK flats (up to 2800 sq ft).
• Why it matters: It is only a 30-minute drive to the airport. For frequent travellers, this location is perfect because you get luxury living without the stress of a 2-hour commute to catch a flight.

Latest News & Updates (February 2026)

1. New Metro Route Finalised (The "Fourth City" Line) The Telangana government has revised the Airport Metro plan. The old plan (Raidurg to Airport) has been replaced. The new Phase 2 Metro line will now run from Nagole to Shamshabad Airport via L.B. Nagar and Chandrayangutta. This 36.6 km line will connect the eastern parts of the city directly to the terminal.

2. Cargo Capacity Triples with "Cool" Tech (January 2026) In January 2026, GMR launched India’s first "Airside Reefer Truck" at the Airport. This specialised vehicle keeps medicines and perishable food at the exact right temperature while moving them from the terminal to the aircraft. Also, the new Cargo Terminal 2 is set to open by March 2026, which will bring the Airport's total cargo capacity to 350,000 Metric Tonnes.

3. Historic Milestone: 100 Destinations Reached As of late 2025, Hyderabad Airport officially connected to its 100th destination. The Airport now flies to 74 domestic and 26 international cities. The 100th connection was marked by the new direct flight to the recently opened Navi Mumbai International Airport.

4. New "Luxury Zone" for Shoppers. The domestic terminal has opened a new luxury retail zone in the Security Hold Area. New premium brands have set up shop here to cater to the rising number of business travellers. This is part of the final phase of the terminal expansion project.

Amenities at Rajiv Gandhi Airport

• ATMs
• Cash Machines
• Smoking Rooms
• Car Rental Services (like Sixt and Avis)
• Free wheelchairs
• Trolleys
• Child Care Rooms
• Prayer Rooms
• Showers
• Lost and Found Office
• Free Medical Services (Apollo Medical Centre)
• Spa (O2 Spa)
• Luggage Area (Left Luggage Facility)
• Currency Exchange (Weizmann Forex)
• E Tourist VISA (On-arrival counters)
• Encalm Lounge (Premium lounge access for both Domestic and International flyers)

Rajiv Gandhi Airport Awards

The awards given for the Airport are:

• Ranked as the world's top 5 airports in Service Quality
• Won the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Award in 2009
• Skytrax's "Best Airport Staff in India & South Asia” (Winner in 2025 for the 4th time)
• ASQ Best Airport Award (Rated Best Airport in the 15-25 Million Passengers category in 2024)

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Shops

Some of the shops inside the Airport include:

• Third Wave Coffee
• Subway
• Buffalo Wild Wings (at the Aero Plaza)
• Cafe Coffee Day
• Costa Coffee
• Cream stone
• Franks
• Millet Marvels
• KFC
• Pizza Hut
• Sip of Sky
• Safari
• Crocs
• Relay
• Starbucks
• Burger King
• Chai Point
• Barista
• Network bar
• Haldiram's
• Monsoon Bar and Kitchen
• Hamleys (Toy Store)

Frequently Asked Questions

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is located in the state of Telangana. It is situated approximately 24 km south of Hyderabad city center.

You can view official photos in the gallery section of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport’s official website (www.hyderabad.aero). The website features images of the terminal, facilities, and recent developments.

You can check the exact distance using Google Maps by entering your current location and selecting Rajiv Gandhi International Airport as the destination. For example, the airport is around 28 km from Gachibowli, depending on the route taken.

Yes, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is one of the largest airports in India. It spans around 5,500 acres and includes a modern integrated terminal designed to handle up to 40 million passengers annually.