Bengaluru airport introduces arrival fee, cuts departure charges

Flying out of Bengaluru will become cheaper from September 1, 2026, but passengers arriving at the airport will face a new fee for the first time. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has reset the tariff structure for the 2026-31 control period, cutting the User Development Fee (UDF) for departing domestic passengers by 45.5% to Rs 300, and for international passengers by 33.5% to Rs 997. However, arriving domestic passengers will now pay Rs 125, and international arrivals Rs 426. The Hindu Businessline reports that AERA justified the new arrival charge on grounds that airport infrastructure serves passengers at both ends of a journey.

The order introduces an incremental tariff framework for three large expansion projects proposed by Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), including a new terminal and tunnel. Livemint reports that this is the first time such a mechanism has been cleared for a private Indian airport operator. Under the Incremental Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) approach, additional UDF charges will be levied only after each project is completed and commissioned. For example, an extra Rs 15 per domestic departing passenger has been approved for the Eastern Connectivity Tunnel, with an effective date of August 1, 2029.

AERA has also approved a Variable Tariff Plan offering landing charge incentives to airlines that add new international routes, aiming to boost Bengaluru's global connectivity. The baseline UDF will fall further from May 1, 2030, to Rs 160 for domestic departures and Rs 854 for international departures. BIAL, operated by a Fairfax-led consortium, handled 44.47 million passengers in FY2025-26.