RickieDumas3 at 13:18, 25 February 2026

2026-02-25T13:18:45Z

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{{Short description|Domestic airport in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Agra Airport
| IATA = AGR
| ICAO = VIAG
| type = Military/Public
| owner = [[Indian Air Force]]
| operator = [[Airports Authority of India]]
| city-served = [[Agra]]
| location = Kheria, Agra, [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| opened = {{start date and age|1947|08|15|df=y|p=n|br=n}}<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=Kheria Airport (Agra Airport)|url=https://cityseeker.com/agra/723657-kheria-airport-agra-airport|website=www.cityseeker.com}}</ref>
| elevation-f = 551
| elevation-m = 167.94
| coordinates = {{coord|27.1618309|77.9707261|display=inline,title}}
| website = [https://www.aai.aero/en/airports/agra Agra Airport]
| pushpin_map = India Uttar Pradesh#India
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_label = '''AGR'''
| pushpin_mark = Airplane_silhouette.svg
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Uttar Pradesh
| r1-number = 05/23
| r1-length-f = 9,000
| r1-length-m = 2,743
| r1-surface = [[Concrete]]
| metric-rwy =
| r2-number = 12/30
| r2-length-f = 5,964
| r2-length-m = 1,818
| r2-surface = Concrete
| stat-year = April 2024 - March 2025
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 168,362 ({{decrease}} 8%)
| stat2-header = Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 1,848 ({{decrease}} 29.8%)
| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage
| stat3-data = 54 ({{increase}} 15.7%)
| footnotes = Source: [[Airports Authority of India|AAI]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure III – Passenger Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex3.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex2.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex4.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref>
| image = File:Agra Airport image.png
}}

'''Agra Airport'''<ref name="name">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-airports-and-the-name-game-1351357-2018-09-27|title=Indian airports and the name game|work=[[India Today]]|date=27 September 2018|access-date=21 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism/indigo-announces-new-flight-between-agra-and-bangalore-check-schedule-fare-and-other-details/1814844/lite/| title=IndiGo announces new flight between Agra and Bangalore!| work=Financial Express| date=8 January 2020}}</ref> {{airport codes|AGR|VIAG}}, also known as '''Kheria Airport,'''<ref name="auto"/> is a [[Joint-use airport|dual use]] airport with [[Indian Air Force]] base and a [[domestic airport]] civil enclave serving the [[Agra]] city in the [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]].<ref name=upd1>{{cite news|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/yogi-adityanath-agra-gorakhpur-airport-renamed|title=Yogi Govt Renames Gorakhpur and Agra Airports|newspaper=[[The Quint]]|quote=The Agra Airport will be renamed after RSS ideologue Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay airport.}}</ref>

To meet the growing demands and traffic, the airport will get a new terminal building that will be much larger than the existing terminal, leading to enhanced connectivity and socio-economic growth in Agra and the rest of the state. Its [[Cornerstone|foundation stone]] was laid by [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Narendra Modi]] in October 2024.<ref>{{cite news|title=Agraites hope for smooth air travel as PM lays stone for civil terminal project|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/agraites-hope-for-smooth-air-travel-as-pm-lays-stone-for-civil-terminal-project-101729452417532.html|work=Hindustan Times|date=21 October 2024|access-date=28 April 2025|language=en}}</ref> Construction is set to begin by the second half of 2025, and is slated to be completed by the end of 2027 or by the first half of 2028.<ref>{{cite news|title=KSM Wins Agra Airport's New Terminal's Construction Contract|url=https://themetrorailguy.com/2024/02/26/ksm-wins-agra-airports-new-terminals-construction-contract/|work=The Metro Rail Guy|date=26 February 2024|access-date=28 April 2025|language=en}}</ref>

==Background==

===Etymology===
The airportis named after the eponymous city Agra. The airport has been proposed to be renamed after [[Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya]], a renowned independence activist, social reformer and leader.<ref name=upd1/>

===History===

The station was opened during the [[World War II]] as Royal Air Forces Station Agra and had a number of flying units located there. During World War II, the [[United States Army Air Forces]] [[Air Technical Service Command]] established a major maintenance and supply facility at Agra, named "Agra Air Depot". The 3rd Air Depot Group serviced a wide variety of fighter, bomber and transport aircraft being used by [[Tenth Air Force]] and the Allied ground forces in [[Burma]] and [[Fourteenth Air Force]] in [[China]]. The depot stockpiled large amounts of material for shipment over the [[Himalayan Mountains]] ("The Hump") by [[Air Transport Command (United States Air Force)|Air Transport Command]] cargo aircraft flying to [[forward airfield]]s in China. It also was a major stopover point on the ATC [[Karachi]]-[[Kunming]] air transport route.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://airforcehistoryindex.org/search.php?q=Agra&c=u&h=100&F=1/1/1940&L=1/1/1950|title=Air Force History Index -- Search|website=airforcehistoryindex.org}}</ref> The airport is mentioned in a chapter in [[Ernest Gann]]'s [[Fate Is the Hunter]], wherein he relays a story of coming within feet of destroying the Taj Mahal in a severely overloaded C-87 after takeoff.<ref>Fate is the Hunter, Ernest K Gann, Simon & Schuster, 1961</ref>

It was closed after the World War II and transferred to the [[Royal Indian Air Force]]. The prefix Royal was later dropped and the station was later renamed as the Air Force Station Agra on 15 August 1947 and placed under the command of Wing Commander Shivdev Singh, who was the incumbent commander of the No. 12 Sqn. Based on the then-present system of Commands, the airfield fell under the responsibility of the [[Western Air Command]] (WAC). The base remained under this Theatre Command for the next two decades. In July 1971 it was transferred to the [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]] (CAC), where it remains today.

== Runway ==
The airport is served by runway 05/23, which is {{Convert|2743.2|meters||abbr=}} long and {{Convert|45|meters||abbr=}} wide and runway 12/30, which is {{Convert|1817.83|meters||abbr=}} long and {{Convert|45|meters||abbr=}} wide. The airport has [[Instrument landing system|ILS CAT-II]] compliant for landing during the bad weather and foggy conditions.<ref name="agraairport">{{cite web|title=Agra Airport|url=https://www.aai.aero/en/node/2901|publisher=Airports Authority of India}}</ref>

==Agra Air Force Station==

The Agra air force station is one of the largest airbases of the Indian Air Force.<ref name=upd1/> During its history with the IAF, it has seen the likes of [[C-47 Dakota]]s, [[C-119|C-119 Packets]], [[HS 748|HS 748 'Avros']], [[AN-12]]s, [[AN-32]]s, [[IL-76]]s, Canberras, [[Ilyushin Il-78#Variants|IL-78 MKI]], and now the [[Beriev A-50|Airborne Early Warning and Control/AWACS]]. The station also has the honor of holding the first [[inflight refueling]] aircraft Squadron in IAF service, with No. 78 ‘Mid Air Refuelling Squadron’ (MARS) Squadron flying the IL-78MKIs.

List of squadrons operating from Agra Air Force Station (under the aegis of the [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]]) includes:

# [[No. 12 Squadron IAF|No. 12 Squadron]] ([[An-32]])
# [[No. 50 Squadron IAF|No. 50 Squadron]] ([[Beriev A-50|Beriev A-50EI]])
# [[No. 78 Squadron IAF|No. 78 Squadron]] ([[Ilyushin Il-78|Il-78MKI]])
# Unnamed flying squadron (C-295; inducted on 30 January 2025)<ref name=":92">{{Cite news |date=2025-02-01 |title=Agra Air Force welcomes C-295 aircraft |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/agra-air-force-welcomes-c-295-aircraft/articleshow/117802327.cms |access-date=2025-02-02 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

==Civil enclave==

===Terminal===

The airport has one operational domestic terminal for the civil aviation and one planned. The current civil terminal has an area of {{cvt|4870|sqm}} with a capacity of 250 Arrivals and 250 Departures.<ref name="agraairport"/> Air Force Arjun Nagar Gate is dedicated to civil aviation passenger entry to the civil enclave of the airport.

===Airlines and destinations===

{{Airport-dest-list

|[[IndiGo]]| [[Ahmedabad Airport|Ahmedabad]], [[Kempegowda International Airport|Bengaluru]], [[Rajiv Gandhi International Airport|Hyderabad]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/agra-city-the-wait-is-going-to-end-agra-lucknow-flight-will-start-from-october1-22022579.html|title = Agra Lucknow flight: खत्म होने जा रहा है इंतजार, एक अक्टूबर से शुरू होगी आगरा-लखनऊ फ्लाइट}}</ref> [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport|Mumbai]]

}}

=== Statistics ===
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=AGR}}The Airport had handled 1,19,868 arrivals and 1,19,890 departures in 2025, taking the total passenger traffic to 2,39,758 for the year 2024-25.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Upadhyay |first=Ashok |date=2026-02-23 |title=6 of 7 UP airports shut months after takeoff: RTI reveals faltering aviation push |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/six-new-up-airports-shut-months-after-launch-rti-reveals-faltering-aviation-push-2873225-2026-02-23 |access-date=2026-02-25 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

===Future expansion===

On 12 September 2023, the [[Uttar Pradesh Council of Ministers|Uttar Pradesh cabinet]] cleared a 123 crore (US$15 million) proposal for land acquisition to expand the civil enclave of Agra Airport and upgrade the airport to [[International airport|international category]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/india/agra-tourism-gets-a-boost-as-up-promotes-present-airport-project-to-international-category/1761624/|title=Agra tourism gets a boost as UP promotes present airport project to international category|work=The Print|date=14 September 2023 |accessdate=14 September 2023}}</ref> The proposed expansion plan will involve acquisition of 92.50 acres of land from [[Abhaypura]], Balhera, and [[Dhanauli]]. The plan also includes building a 30,000 sqm new terminal equipped with nine bays to accommodate nine [[Airbus A321]] aircraft, the extension of the present runways, and other airport facilities. The new terminal is expected to be built in the 36 months once all the approvals and funding have been granted.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/agra-airport-set-to-be-expanded-123cr-cleared-for-land-acquisition/articleshow/103623117.cms|title=Agra Airport Set To Be Expanded; ₹123cr Cleared For Land Acquisition|work=The Times of India|access-date=13 September 2023}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Noida_International_Airport#Airports|Airports in Delhi NCR with scheduled commercial flights]]
* [[National_Capital_Region_(India)#Transport|Delhi NCR Transport Plan]]
* [[Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport|Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport]]
* [[Hisar Airport]]
* [[List of airports in India]]
* [[List of the busiest airports in India]]

==References==
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
{{reflist}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080927013138/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Images/Special/AirfieldVisits/ "Airfield Visits"]. ''Bharat-Rakshak.com''. 2008.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090922005117/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200809221552.htm "Indo-US air force transport exercise at Agra next year"]. ''The Hindu''. 22 September 2008.
*[https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/centres-vested-interests-preventing-airport-in-agra-says-akhilesh-yadav-322212-2016-05-07 "Centre's vested interests preventing airport in Agra, says Akhilesh Yadav"]. ''India Today''. 7 May 2016.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090805061947/http://www.airportsindia.org.in/allAirports/agra_generalinfo.jsp Agra Airport] at the [[Airports Authority of India]]
* {{NWS-current|VIAG}}
* {{ASN|AGR|Agra-Kheria Airport, India (AGR / VIAG)}}

{{portalbar|India|Aviation}}
{{Airports in India}}

{{Indian Air Force}}

[[Category:Indian Air Force bases]]
[[Category:Airports in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Agra]]
[[Category:Transport in Agra]]
[[Category:World War II sites in India]]
[[Category:Airports established in the 1940s]]
[[Category:1940 establishments in India]]
[[Category:20th-century architecture in India]]
[[Category:Airports Authority of India]]

Agra Airport - Revision history

RickieDumas3 at 13:18, 25 February 2026