September 2, 2026: The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday launched hub and spoke international flight operations from Ahmedabad, with Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu formally inaugurating the new connectivity initiative. Ahmedabad has become the third spoke airport under the government’s International Aviation Hub Strategy, aimed at expanding India’s global aviation network and strengthening connections for international travellers.
Under the new arrangement, Air India flight AI 1117 will connect passengers from Ahmedabad to 22 international destinations, primarily across Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The service is expected to allow passengers to use Ahmedabad as a gateway to a wider range of global destinations through the hub and spoke model.
An additional evening service, AI 1121, departing Ahmedabad at 20:15 hours, will connect passengers to 17 destinations across North America, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe. Together, the two services are designed to widen international connectivity from Gujarat while giving travellers greater access to overseas markets through a coordinated flight network.
Ahmedabad Opens New Global Flight Gateway
Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, while explaining what changes for Ahmedabad passengers, noted that until now, a passenger travelling from Ahmedabad to destinations like Paris, Toronto or Sydney had to take a domestic flight to Delhi, manage separate bookings, handle luggage on arrival, navigate immigration queues at a large airport, and risk missing a connecting flight. Under Hub & Spoke, immigration, check-in and baggage check-through will now all be completed at Ahmedabad itself, with baggage travelling straight through to the final international destination.
The government sees the hub and spoke model as a key element of its broader aviation strategy. The initiative seeks to position India as the preferred aviation hub for Indian travellers by 2030 and establish the country as a leading global aviation hub by 2047.
Talking about its potential, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu cited that 1.6 crore passengers last year travelled from Ahmedabad to Delhi to board international flights. He said that with the seamless journey of Hub & Spoke, Ahmedabad will be ready to invite a global audience from maximum destinations for the Commonwealth Games in 2030.
The Minister said the benefit of greater footfall would flow to Ahmedabad’s textile, pharmaceutical, diamond and gems, and engineering sectors.
The expansion from Ahmedabad comes as the government seeks to develop multiple international aviation gateways across the country, improve connectivity between Indian cities and global destinations, and strengthen India’s position in the international air travel market.
