If you are searching for Vijayawada International Airport, Gannavaram Airport, or simply the airport near Vijayawada, you are looking at the same airport. The Airports Authority of India describes it as Vijayawada International Airport and says it is located at Gannavaram, about 25 km from Vijayawada, on NH 16. Its airport code is VGA and its ICAO code is VOBZ.
Key Takeaways
- Vijayawada International Airport and Gannavaram Airport are the same airport. It is located in Gannavaram, around 25 km from Vijayawada.
- The airport is officially a public international airport serving the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region.
- The long-awaited Vijayawada airport new terminal is still not commissioned yet. The project has faced delays, and as of March 2026, work was being pushed again through a contractor-change process and active review meetings.
- The terminal project was approved at an estimated ₹611.80 crore, and a 2024 parliamentary reply said physical progress had reached 48.5% by June 2024.
- AAI’s official passenger-information pages show facilities such as wheelchairs, child-care room, trolleys, VIP lounge, first aid, Wi-Fi, mobile charging, ATMs, and tourist assistance.
Is Vijayawada International Airport the same as Gannavaram Airport?
Yes. This is the simplest answer most travellers want first. Gannavaram Airport is the location-based name people use because the airport sits in Gannavaram. Vijayawada International Airport is the official identity used by AAI for the same airport. So whether you search airport in Vijayawada, airport near Gannavaram, or Vijayawada airport, you are talking about one airport only.
Airport Snapshot
| Detail | Current Official / Reliable Reference |
| Official airport name | Vijayawada International Airport |
| Common local name | Gannavaram Airport |
| IATA code | VGA |
| ICAO code | VOBZ |
| Location | Gannavaram, about 25 km from Vijayawada |
| Operator | Airports Authority of India |
| Airport type | Public international airport |
| Road link | NH 16 passes through the location |
This summary is based on AAI’s airport page and aeronautical information publication for Vijayawada Airport.
Vijayawada Airport New Terminal: What is the latest status
The Vijayawada airport new terminal has been in the pipeline for years, but it is still under completion rather than fully opened. In a Lok Sabha reply published in July 2024, the Civil Aviation Ministry said the new integrated terminal building and associated works at Vijayawada Airport had an estimated cost of ₹611.80 crore and had reached 48.5% physical progress by June 2024. At that time, the expected completion target mentioned was June 2025.
The problem is that the project did not finish on that earlier timeline. By March 2026, local reporting said construction was set to resume after delays linked to a change in contractor, with the balance work being taken forward after AAI selected a new lowest bidder. That same reporting said the remaining work was about 20% and was being targeted for completion in roughly 150 working days to six months, followed by clearances before commissioning. A government-backed News On Air update from 4 March 2026 also confirmed that the Civil Aviation Minister chaired a review meeting specifically on the new terminal at Vijayawada Airport to push for timely completion.
AAI’s own tender pages also show that work around the new integrated terminal building remained active through 2025–26, including maintenance, civil works, office furniture procurement, and project-support tenders tied to the terminal. That is a practical sign that the project is still live and moving, even if passengers are still waiting for full commissioning.
What is Planned inside the New Terminal?
The official foundation-stage PIB release from December 2018 described the proposed integrated terminal as a 35,000 sq m facility with 24 check-in counters, 8 gates, 14 immigration counters, 3 customs counters, 5 baggage belts, and parking for 1,250 four-wheelers. That is why the project matters so much for the airport’s future capacity and passenger experience.
That said, treat older design descriptions as the approved project vision, not as proof that every feature is already operational today. The safe current position is this: the project is significant, but the Gannavaram airport new terminal is still in the completion phase, not in finished passenger use.
Current Vijayawada Airport details that matter to Travellers
AAI’s official airport page says the airport serves the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region and places the facility at Gannavaram on the Chennai–Kolkata highway corridor. The aeronautical publication also confirms that customs and immigration facilities are available during flight schedules, and for non-scheduled operations, 72-hour prior notice is required.
The same aeronautical and passenger-information sources show that the airport currently offers buses, taxis, and car hire, first aid, an A.P. Tourist Information counter, and common-user domestic cargo terminal support. AAI also lists passenger conveniences such as wheelchair assistance, child-care room, trolleys, VIP lounge, medical and first aid, free Wi-Fi for up to 15 minutes, mobile charging points, and ATMs.
Is Vijayawada really an International Airport right now?
Officially, yes. AAI identifies it as a public international airport. Operationally, though, travellers should be careful not to assume that “international airport” automatically means a broad, stable international schedule every day. The official sources reviewed here confirm international status and customs/immigration capability, but they do not confirm a strong current set of scheduled international passenger routes. In fact, recent reporting around the new terminal frames it as a way to support the return or expansion of international services in the future. That is the honest, current reading.
Passenger Scale and why the Expansion matters
The airport is no longer a tiny regional strip. AAI’s cluster document for FY 2024–25, based on FY 2023–24 throughput, placed Vijayawada in Cluster 1 with 10.63 lakh passengers, including 36,772 international and 10,25,734 domestic passengers in FY 2023–24. A later AAI tender notice from November 2025 also cited 13,88,943 passenger traffic for Vijayawada Airport, showing that demand pressure has remained real.
That is exactly why the terminal expansion matters. This is not just a cosmetic airport upgrade. It is a capacity and quality upgrade for a growing airport in a politically and economically important region.
Why this matters for the Vijayawada–Gannavaram Belt
Airport infrastructure often changes more than travel convenience. It affects business perception, logistics confidence, and interest in nearby growth corridors. In the Vijayawada–Gannavaram–Amaravati side of Andhra Pradesh, a stronger airport can improve the region’s investment narrative over time. That does not mean every nearby plot becomes a smart buy overnight. It means infrastructure-led growth should be tracked with patience and verification. This is an inference based on the airport’s expanding traffic base and the scale of the new terminal project.
That is also where 2Bigha becomes useful. If you are exploring land or plotted opportunities around emerging infrastructure corridors, 2Bigha helps you move beyond headlines and look at property choices more practically.
FAQs - Vijayawada International Airport
1. What is the airport code for Vijayawada Airport?
The Vijayawada airport code is VGA. Its ICAO code is VOBZ.
2. Is Gannavaram Airport the same as Vijayawada International Airport?
Yes. Gannavaram Airport is the common local name, and Vijayawada International Airport is the official AAI name for the same airport.
3. How far is Vijayawada Airport from the city?
AAI says the airport is located at Gannavaram, about 25 km from Vijayawada.
4. Is the new terminal at Vijayawada Airport open?
Not yet, based on the latest sources reviewed here. The project is still in the completion stage, and as of March 2026 it was under renewed review and contractor-led completion activity after delays.
5. What facilities are available at Vijayawada Airport?
AAI lists facilities such as wheelchairs, trolleys, child-care room, VIP lounge, first aid, mobile charging points, ATMs, Wi-Fi, taxis, buses, and car hire.
6. Is Vijayawada Airport really international?
Officially, yes. AAI classifies it as a public international airport, and the aeronautical publication confirms customs and immigration facilities during flight schedules. But current international route availability should still be verified before travel.
7. Why is the new terminal important?
Because it is meant to expand capacity and improve passenger handling with more counters, gates, baggage systems, parking, and international-processing infrastructure. The project has been positioned as a major upgrade for the airport’s next phase.
8. Where can I get official contact details for Vijayawada Airport?
AAI’s contact page for Vijayawada Airport lists the airport director’s phone number, grievance officer details, and airport address at Gannavaram.
