By Kavita Mistry 
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) recorded more than 5 million international passenger arrivals between January and August 2025, reflecting sustained growth in global inbound traffic. The milestone comes as airports worldwide marked World Tourism Day, underscoring the role of travel in driving cultural and economic connections.
Over the past three years, CSMIA has registered a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21 per cent in international arrivals. With direct connectivity to 55 destinations worldwide, the airport continues to reinforce Mumbai’s position as a key international hub.
The UAE emerged as the largest source market during the eight-month period, contributing 1.5 million passengers. Arrivals from England stood at 0.38 million and Thailand at 0.32 million. Emerging routes also played a role, with Colombo (0.17 million arrivals), Kuwait (0.16 million), and Dammam (0.16 million) showing notable growth in passenger volumes.
CSMIA has also expanded its network, adding seven international routes between April 2024 and 2025. These include Al-Fujairah, Tashkent, Krabi, Almaty, Amman, Manchester and Tbilisi, further diversifying connectivity for both business and leisure travellers.
Passenger arrivals between January and August 2025 reached 5 million, compared with 4.8 million in the same period of 2024 and 4.1 million in 2023. From August 2024 to August 2025, the airport handled 8.24 million arrivals in total. January 2025 stood out as a milestone month, with 0.69 million arrivals, representing a sharp increase of 415 per cent over January 2022, when the sector was emerging from post-pandemic recovery.
Positioned as more than just a transit point, CSMIA continues to emphasise a sense of place by integrating elements of Mumbai’s culture and heritage into the traveller experience. As international passenger volumes grow, the airport is strengthening its role as a key entry point to India and a vital driver of connectivity in the region.
