About Hubli Airport HBX: Complete Travel & Flight Information

The airport is situated in Gandhi Nagar which is around 8 kilometres from Hubballi city and nearly 20 kilometres from Dharwad city. Because of this location, many travellers from both cities use this airport for their flights. 

The airport is currently connected to ten destinations across India which makes it a useful to book a flight to Hubli Airport and makes it a good travel point for students, business people and tourists. The present importance of the airport did not appear suddenly and its story actually begins many years ago in history which leads us to understand how and why it was first planned.

The idea of building an airport in Hubli was first discussed as early as 1954, when this region was still under the Bombay Presidency. At that time people felt the need for faster transportation because long road journeys were tiring and railway travel took many hours. 

Later, when the States Reorganisation Act came into effect, Hubli became part of the newly formed Karnataka state and this change caused delays in land acquisition. Finally, the land for the airport was acquired in 1974 and the construction work was handled by the Public Works Department of Karnataka.

After some years, the Airports Authority of India took control of the airport in 1996 and proper flight operations restarted in 2003 with Air Deccan. Soon after that, Kingfisher Airlines also began flights connecting Hubli to Bengaluru and Mumbai. 

Later SpiceJet started operations in 2014, but it had to stop twice due to runway repairs and an aircraft overrun incident and finally ended flights in 2019. In July 2018, IndiGo began operating flights and it has now become the largest airline operating from Hubli Airport. 

This historical journey shows how the airport slowly grew stronger and this growth naturally led to expansion projects.

To support the rising number of passengers and the growing urban population of the Hubballi–Dharwad region, the airport has gone through several expansion phases. 

In January 2013, the Government of Karnataka signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Airports Authority of India and about 55 acres of additional land was provided for development. 

Because of this expansion, the total airfield area increased to 369 acres and the runway length was extended to 8,500 feet which allowed larger aircraft such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 to operate more safely.

The development work included building new taxiways, improved roofing structures, car parking areas and fire stations. Important technical buildings such as DVOR and NDB navigation buildings were also constructed in 2016. 

Later, the airport added a new Air Traffic Control tower, a technical block, a large apron for parking aircraft and even a 12.8 kilometre security wall with 17 watch towers to strengthen safety. These improvements were officially inaugurated on 12 December 2017 by the Civil Aviation Minister. Because passenger numbers continued to increase, plans for an even bigger terminal were introduced next

A new and much larger passenger terminal is currently under construction beside the existing terminal. The foundation stone for this modern terminal was laid in March 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and construction began in the same month. 

This new building will cover an area of approximately 20,000 square metres and will have two levels which means separate floors for arrivals and departures. The design includes three aerobridges which will allow passengers to board aircraft directly without using buses.

The terminal is expected to handle around 1,400 passengers during peak hours with 700 arriving passengers and 700 departing passengers. The expansion project is estimated to cost around ₹275 crore and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. 

Once finished this development could even help the airport move towards international airport status, reducing dependency on larger airports like Bengaluru and Mangalore. This modernisation shows how the airport is preparing for the future while still maintaining its current operations.

Hubli Airport currently operates with one active runway numbered 08/26. The runway measures 2,600 metres in length and 45 metres in width which is suitable for medium-sized aircraft operations. 

It is equipped with Category I Instrument Landing System which helps pilots land safely during low visibility conditions such as fog or heavy rain. There are also plans to equip the runway with Required Navigation Performance technology in the future which will further improve precision during landings.

Along with the runway, the airport has taxiways and isolation bays for aircraft movement and safety management. The apron area has been expanded so that multiple aircraft can be parked at the same time. These airside facilities ensure that flight operations remain smooth and secure and they directly support the terminal facilities where passengers experience the airport services.

Hubli Airport has experienced a significant change in its terminal infrastructure over the years. The old terminal building was very small and could only handle three ATR-72 sized aircraft and its apron could only manage Code A and B aircraft. Because of this limitation, the old terminal was later closed and flight operations shifted to the new terminal building after its inauguration.

The new terminal covers around 3,600 square metres and is fully centrally air-conditioned. It can handle 300 passengers at peak hours with 150 arrivals and 150 departures. 

The building includes public address systems, check-in counters, elevators, CCTV surveillance, fire alarms, HVAC ventilation systems, baggage scanners and car parking facilities. 

It is also designed to be eco-friendly, as it uses skylight roofing to reduce electricity consumption and a double-insulated roof for better temperature control. The apron now has the capacity to handle three Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 aircraft at the same time or five ATR-72 aircraft which is a big improvement compared to earlier years.

Apart from passenger services, Hubli Airport also supports cargo transportation. The cargo terminal is located to the east of the passenger terminal and covers an area of about 65 square metres. 

The old terminal building was converted into a Domestic Cargo Complex in March 2021 which made it the first dedicated domestic air cargo terminal in North Karnataka. This facility allows goods and parcels to be transported quickly between cities, supporting local businesses and industries.

Another important facility at the airport is the solar power plant which has a capacity of 8 megawatts. This plant was commissioned in April 2021 and has made the airport self-reliant in electricity generation. It covers around 38 acres of land with solar panels installed across 24 acres. 

The plant generates around 140 lakh units of electricity each year and this energy is also supplied to other airports through the state power grid. Additionally there is an airport hotel named Fortune Park Airport Road Hubballi which is located opposite the airport and offers restaurants and comfortable accommodation for travellers.

At present, IndiGo is the major airline operating from Hubli Airport, providing direct connectivity to important cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. 

These routes make it easier for passengers to travel for business, education and tourism. Over the years, the airport has shown strong growth in passenger traffic. 

For example, in 2019–2020 the airport handled over 475,000 passengers which was an increase compared to earlier years. The steady rise in passenger numbers shows that more people are choosing Hubli Airport for their travel needs which again explains why expansion and modernisation projects are necessary.

Hubli Airport is well connected by both road and rail networks which makes it convenient for passengers coming from nearby cities. By road, the airport is connected through Gokul Road and the National Highway 48 runs very close to the airport area. 

The North-Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation operates air-conditioned bus services from Hubli Railway Station to the airport with around ten trips every day. In addition, mini-bus services run between the Central Bus Terminus and the airport, making about twenty-four trips daily.

For rail connectivity, the nearest railway station is Unkal which is about 7.5 kilometres away while the major Hubli Junction railway station is about 8 kilometres from the airport. These transport links ensure that passengers can easily reach the airport without difficulty. 

Because of this strong connectivity and continuous development, Hubli Airport stands as a growing gateway that supports both regional growth and national travel needs.

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