Andhra Pradesh's New Bhogapuram Airport Is Open, Giving Visakhapatnam Its First Big International Gateway

The Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, built at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, was inaugurated on 1 August 2026 and opened for commercial passenger operations on 17 August 2026. It replaces the older Visakhapatnam Airport, which shared a runway with a naval air station, as the primary gateway for North Andhra Pradesh, covering Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam.

A much bigger terminal

The new terminal covers roughly 77,000 square metres and is designed to handle around six million passengers a year, with 22 check-in counters and 18 baggage-drop counters, a considerable step up from the older Vizag airport it replaces. Domestic services launched first, with Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo covering routes to Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada among others.

International routes taking shape

Singapore was carried over as the airport's first international connection, continuing a route earlier flown from the old Visakhapatnam airport. Reporting around the airport's opening has also pointed to further international services being added through the autumn, though airlines' exact start dates for new long-haul or Gulf routes have shifted as operations have ramped up. Travellers should treat any specific international route or date beyond the confirmed Singapore service as provisional until it appears on the airline's own booking system.

Confirm before you travel

This article reflects reporting on the airport's August 2026 opening and its published route list at the time of writing; schedules, new routes and start dates change quickly in an airport's first months of operation. Readers should confirm current flights and timings directly with the airline or through the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport's official channels before booking.

Traveller tips

• Search flights under both "Visakhapatnam" and the airport's formal name, Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport (IATA code VTZ), as listings can appear under either.
• Domestic connectivity is the most established part of the schedule for now; treat any international route as worth double-checking before booking connecting travel.
• The terminal is newly opened, so allow extra time on early visits in case of teething processes at security or baggage claim.
• Ground transport links into central Visakhapatnam are still being built out; confirm taxi or shuttle options in advance rather than assuming availability on arrival.