Bhubaneswar to Get Direct Flight to Abu Dhabi in June

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s capital is set to strengthen its global air connectivity as direct flight operations from Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) to Abu Dhabi are expected to commence in June 2025.

The addition of this international route will provide a major boost to travel between Bhubaneswar and the Middle East, facilitating seamless connectivity to Gulf nations, Europe, North America, and Canada with just one layover. Airport officials are optimistic about a strong response from travelers, given the overwhelming demand for international flights from Bhubaneswar.

BPIA Director Prasanna Pradhan noted that the direct flights to Dubai, which started in May 2023, have been consistently booked to capacity. He expects a similar trend for the Abu Dhabi route, highlighting the growing international passenger traffic from the city.

“The footfall in Bangkok and Singapore flights has also been impressive. Both international and domestic operations at BPIA are expanding rapidly, with several new destinations added since 2022,” Pradhan stated.

Apart from the new Abu Dhabi route, Bhubaneswar is also set to be connected to three more domestic destinations—Ghaziabad, Port Blair, and Goa—starting in April. This will increase the total number of domestic destinations served by BPIA to 28. With these additions, the total number of daily departures from the airport will rise to 56, with an equal number of arrivals.

BPIA has witnessed remarkable growth in passenger footfall, recording a 26.9% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. “With the launch of more international and domestic flights, we are confident of achieving the five-million annual passenger target in 2025,” Pradhan added.