The historic Visakhapatnam Airport stopped commercial flight operations on 16 August 2026. Its final departure was an IndiGo service to Delhi that left at 10:45 pm. The facility covers 350.31 acres and has one active runway.
All commercial services have transferred to the new Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh. Operations began there on 17 August with an IndiGo arrival from Hyderabad, followed by an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru. The IATA code VTZ moved to the new site at 12:01 am that day.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated commercial activity at the airport, nearly 16 days after its formal opening by the prime minister on 1 August. He handed boarding passes to passengers before the first departure.
The minister stated that the start of flights marks a proud moment and will create fresh opportunities for northern Andhra Pradesh. The Visakhapatnam Airport director had earlier notified travellers that all movements would shift to Bhogapuram from 17 August.
A farewell message from airport director N Purushottam thanked staff and partners for their long service. Scheduled commercial flights at the old civil enclave ended under a Ministry of Civil Aviation order once the new airport opened.
Visakhapatnam Airport now handles only general aviation and private flights. The site originated as a Royal Air Force airstrip during the Second World War, saw limited civil use from 1962, and resumed regular services in 1976. The Indian Navy began operations there in 1972 and took formal ownership in 1986, later commissioning it as INS Dega in 1991.
