Belagavi (Sambra) Airport closed the first half of 2026 handling a total of 149,369 passengers, 2,154 aircraft movements, and 11.0 metric tonnes (MT) of cargo.
The figures reveal a tale of two quarters: a steady rise that peaked in April, followed by a sharp contraction across May and June caused by airline route rationalization and the full exit of Star Air.
H1 2026 Month-by-Month Traffic Breakdown (Link)
| Month | Passenger Footfall | Aircraft Movements | Cargo / Freight (MT) |
| Jan-2026 | 21,645 | 327 | 0.9 |
| Feb-2026 | 22,578 | 302 | 0.4 |
| Mar-2026 | 25,270 | 350 | 2.3 |
| Apr-2026 | 28,116 | 429 | 2.8 |
| May-2026 | 28,103 | 396 | 2.1 |
| Jun-2026 | 23,657 | 350 | 2.5 |
| Total (H1 2026) | 149,369 | 2,154 | 11.0 MT |
Key Trends & Operational Highlights
- Q1 Expansion to Peak: Traffic grew steadily from 21,645 passengers in January to peak at 28,116 passengers and 429 flight movements in April, driven by holiday demand and strong corporate movement.
- The May–June Contraction: Flight movements fell from 429 in April to 396 in May, and further dropped to 350 in June. Passenger numbers reflected this capacity squeeze, dropping sharply from 28,103 in May to 23,657 in June (-15.8%).
- Impact of Star Air Exit: The drop across May and June was directly accelerated by Star Air shutting down all scheduled operations from Belagavi Airport, alongside select flight cutbacks by IndiGo.
- Cargo Performance: Freight operations expanded significantly after February, peaking at 2.8 MT in April and holding steady at 2.5 MT in June.
Rebound Outlook for October 2026
To bridge the connectivity gap and meet festive demand, IndiGo has opened bookings for additional daily services starting October 01, 2026, adding high-frequency flights to Bengaluru (BLR) and direct daily connectivity to New Delhi (DEL). These scheduled additions are expected to restore monthly flight frequencies and lift passenger volumes back past the 28,000 mark in the final quarter.
