--- iata: HYD name: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport city: Hyderabad country: India lastUpdated: '2026-09-07' officialWebsite: 'https://www.hyderabad.aero/' sources: - 'https://www.hyderabad.aero/' - 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv_Gandhi_International_Airport' - 'https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k26Annex3.pdf' - >- https://web.archive.org/web/20260425035010/https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k26Annex3.pdf - >- https://hyderabadmail.com/hyderabad-airport-fy2026-traffic-growth-q4-decline/ - >- https://tradebrains.in/gmr-airports-hits-record-121-6-million-passengers-in-fy26-despite-temporary-april-traffic-dip/ - 'https://investor.gmraero.com/' - 'https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/india/rajiv-gandhi-international' - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/india/rajiv-gandhi-international/hyd8-encalm-lounge - >- https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/india/rajiv-gandhi-international/hyd4-encalm-lounge - 'https://encalm.com/services/encalmprivehyd' - >- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/hyderabad-airport-pushpak-bus-ticket-costs-up-to-100-more-tgsrtc-quietly-hikes-fare/article69716777.ece - >- https://www.siasat.com/pushpak-bus-fares-from-hyderabad-airport-for-night-travel-slashed-3253609/ - >- https://atomni.in/article/finally-hyderabads-31-km-airport-metro-gets-green-light quickFacts: - >- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (IATA HYD / ICAO VOHS) is Hyderabad’s main civil gateway at Shamshabad, about 24 km south of the city centre. Operator is GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) — GMR Group 74%, Airports Authority of India 13%, Government of Telangana 13% (GMR bought out Malaysia Airports’ remaining 11% stake in Jan 2024). Passenger site: hyderabad.aero. Do not confuse HYD with Begumpet (closed to scheduled commercial passenger ops after RGIA opened) or Hakimpet Air Force Station. - >- One integrated passenger terminal after eastern (Nov 2023) and western (Sep 2024) expansions — published operational area ~379,370 m² and design toward ~40 million passengers per annum. Eastern side = domestic; western side = international. Domestic↔international is not a sterile walk: international needs immigration / customs. Domestic-to-domestic transfers use the marked D-D transfer area after the eastern expansion. - >- Traffic: AAI FY2025–26 (Apr 2025–Mar 2026) 30,483,885 passengers (+3.4%), 207,900 aircraft movements (+2.8%), 182,440 tonnes cargo (+10%). GMR FY26 disclosures round the same year to a record ~30.5M passengers (≈25M domestic / ≈5.5M international) and cite ~187,000 tonnes cargo / ~210k ATMs. Prefer AAI annex tables for the exact passenger total; use GMR for the domestic/international split when AAI’s public annex only publishes the combined figure. - >- Dual parallel runways 09L/27R (~3,707 × 45 m) and 09R/27L (~4,260 × 60 m, ILS; A380-capable primary); elev ~617 m / 2,024 ft. Second runway (09L/27R) opened Feb 2012. ATC tower ~75 m. DigiYatra biometric entry is live for eligible domestic and international passengers. - >- Ground: no metro to the terminal yet (Airport Express / Phase-2B planning — cabinet-cleared Raidurg–Shamshabad concepts and later re-alignments still treat late-2020s targets as planning, not open service). TGSRTC Pushpak Airport Liner AC coaches run 24×7 from multiple city spines; daytime one-way fares commonly land near the ~₹300 band after the Jun 2025 hike — confirm the conductor / live TGSRTC chart (night 22:00–06:00 discounts published Aug 2025 on selected routes). Closest Indian Railways halt is Umdanagar (~6 km) — not a terminal metro substitute. - >- Lounges (Sep 2026 live Priority Pass directory): only two experiences — Encalm Lounge Domestic (Level E, opposite Domestic Transfers; max 2h) and Encalm Lounge International (Level E near Gate 23; PP conditions list both a 2h and a 3h max-stay line — confirm the app). Encalm Privé (international mezzanine) is a paid / business-class product, not Priority Pass. Airline rooms: Air India Maharaja and IndiGo Bluebird (entitlement only). Ignore stale aggregator pins that still list Plaza Premium on Priority Pass at HYD — the live PP airport page shows Encalm only. bentoTips: - label: Timing title: Budget ORR / NH44 traffic even though Shamshabad is closer than BLR detail: >- RGIA sits ~24 km south via NH 44 / NH 765 / Outer Ring Road and the PV Narasimha Rao Expressway (Mehdipatnam–Aramghar). Off-peak taxis can do ~30–45 minutes to many central zones; weekend ORR / HITEC City peaks routinely stretch past 60–90 minutes and surge fares of ₹900–1,200+ are common on that corridor. Domestic banks want you at check-in ~90 minutes early; long-haul / Gulf international banks want a full ~3 hours — especially when DigiYatra enrolment or immigration is busy. summary: Leave early for ORR peaks; international ~3 hours; metro is not open yet. category: timing - label: Terminal title: 'One building — east domestic, west international' detail: >- Unlike Bengaluru’s split T1/T2 campus, HYD keeps everything in one expanded integrated terminal. Still read the boarding pass: domestic check-in and gates sit on the eastern side; international CIQ and gates sit on the western side. Same-day domestic→international connections need landside / CIQ re-clearance — do not assume a sterile airside walk. Screenshot HYD ≠ Begumpet before the rideshare pin. summary: 'East = domestic, west = international; no sterile domestic↔intl shortcut.' category: terminal - label: Food title: Use Encalm entitlement before random airside QSR markup detail: >- Priority Pass holders usually eat better value inside Encalm Domestic or Encalm International than buying à la carte deep airside — watch the 2–3 hour stay caps and any alcohol extra-payment flags on the PP conditions page. Encalm Privé is a separate paid / business-class product on the international mezzanine. Landside Airport Village / check-in-hall retail remains the cheap sealed-water and snack play before security. summary: >- Encalm first if you have PP access; otherwise eat landside before security. category: food lounges: - name: Encalm Lounge (Domestic) zone: >- Airside domestic departures after security — Priority Pass lists Level E, opposite Domestic Transfers (hyd8-encalm-lounge). hours: '00:00-23:59' access: - Priority Pass / LoungeKey / DragonPass (confirm live PP listing) - >- Dreamfolks successor / Indian premium credit-card programmes (confirm issuer) - 'Walk-in paid (commonly cited ~₹2,000–2,500 band — confirm desk)' bestFor: - Domestic IndiGo / SpiceJet / Air India Express departures - Priority Pass holders on pure domestic itineraries summary: >- Default domestic soft product at HYD (PP ~4.1 / 1,000+ reviews). Hours publish 00:00–23:59 with a maximum 2-hour stay on the live PP conditions block; children under 6 free. Alcohol is flagged as extra payment on PP. Peak weekday 06:00–09:00 banks fill fast — still the honest PP pick on the eastern / domestic side. verdict: worth-it terminal: Integrated terminal (domestic / east) amenities: - Hot / cold buffet elements (confirm day-of) - Alcohol (extra payment on PP conditions) - Children's play area / smoking room (PP facilities list) - Wi-Fi / flight information / accessible access - name: Encalm Lounge (International) zone: >- Airside international departures after passport control — Priority Pass lists Level E near Gate 23 (hyd4-encalm-lounge). hours: '00:00-23:59' access: - Priority Pass / LoungeKey / DragonPass (confirm live) - >- Premium Indian / international cards that route through PP (confirm issuer) - 'Walk-in paid (commonly cited ~₹2,500–2,800 band — confirm desk)' - >- PP conditions currently show both a “Maximum 2 hour stay” line and a separate “Max stay: 3 hours” line — confirm the live app before you plan a long bank bestFor: - Gulf / Europe / Southeast Asia evening banks - Priority Pass holders on pure international itineraries summary: >- Default international PP room at HYD (PP ~4.0 / 1,000+ reviews). Day beds, workstations, children’s play area, and smoking room appear on the live facilities list. Treat stay-cap ambiguity (2h vs 3h on the same page) as real — ask the desk when you enter. Not a substitute for Encalm Privé. verdict: worth-it terminal: Integrated terminal (international / west) amenities: - Buffet / soft seating / day beds - Workstations / Wi-Fi / flight information - Children's play area / smoking room - Accessible access - name: Encalm Privé (International) zone: >- International departures mezzanine — Encalm’s business-class / paid premium product (encalm.com/services/encalmprivehyd). Not on the live Priority Pass HYD directory. hours: Follows eligible international banks (confirm Encalm / airline) access: - Eligible business-class / partner entitlements (confirm airline) - >- Paid guest access — Encalm publishes adult ~₹5,150 incl. tax / up to 2 hours and child (6–11) ~₹3,600; under 6 complimentary (confirm live) - Not Priority Pass walk-up bestFor: - Long-haul premium-cabin passengers who want showers / quieter space - Paid walk-ups when standard Encalm is full summary: >- Top-tier Encalm product at HYD — showers, stronger F&B, and a quieter mezzanine footprint than the standard Gate-23 Encalm. Skip if you only hold Priority Pass; use Encalm International instead. verdict: depends terminal: Integrated terminal (international / west) amenities: - Premium buffet / showers (confirm day-of) - Soft seating / Wi-Fi - Paid walk-up desks - name: Air India Maharaja Lounge zone: >- International airside — airline entitlement lounge (not Priority Pass). Confirm Air India app / boarding pass for the live door after the western expansion reshuffled gate clusters. hours: Follows eligible Air India / Star Alliance bank hours (confirm app) access: - Eligible Air India / Star Alliance premium cabin and status entitlements - Not Priority Pass walk-up bestFor: - Air India long-haul and premium-cabin departures - Star Alliance elites on eligible tickets summary: >- Airline-soft room for entitled Air India / partner traffic only. Skip if you only hold Priority Pass — use Encalm International instead. verdict: depends terminal: Integrated terminal (international / west) amenities: - Airline buffet / soft seating (confirm day-of) - Wi-Fi - name: IndiGo Bluebird Lounge zone: >- Domestic airside — IndiGo entitlement lounge (not Priority Pass). Confirm IndiGo app for whether your fare / fare family unlocks entry on the eastern / domestic side. hours: Follows eligible IndiGo departure banks (confirm app) access: - Eligible IndiGo Bluebird / fare / status entitlements only - Not Priority Pass bestFor: - Entitled IndiGo passengers already on a domestic HYD departure summary: >- Useful only with a qualifying IndiGo entitlement. Most IndiGo passengers without Bluebird should use Encalm Domestic via PP / card / paid entry instead. verdict: depends terminal: Integrated terminal (domestic / east) amenities: - Soft seating / light F&B (confirm day-of) waterOptions: - kind: purchase name: Landside sealed water (check-in / Airport Village retail) zone: landside price: Retail shelf price (confirm tag; typically cheaper than deep airside) summary: >- Best-value default before DigiYatra / security — buy a sealed bottle at landside convenience retail or cafés in the check-in hall / Airport Village meeting area. location: >- Landside convenience retail and cafés in the integrated terminal check-in hall and Airport Village before security screening terminal: Integrated terminal landside isBestValue: true - kind: purchase name: Airside sealed water / café drinks zone: airside price: Marked-up retail — confirm shelf tag summary: >- Fine once you have cleared security / immigration; poor value if landside shops were still open. Prefer lounge drinks when you already have Encalm / airline entitlement. location: >- Airside cafés and travel retailers beyond security on the domestic (east) and international (west) sides terminal: Integrated terminal airside - kind: free name: Encalm lounge complimentary drinks (entitlement only) zone: airside summary: >- Water / soft drinks / tea-coffee inside Encalm Domestic or Encalm International when your PP / card / walk-in entitlement is accepted — not a public fountain programme. Alcohol is often flagged as extra payment on Priority Pass facility lists. Privé drinks follow Privé admission rules. location: >- Inside Encalm Domestic (Level E), Encalm International (Level E / Gate 23), or Encalm Privé (mezzanine) after desk acceptance terminal: Integrated terminal airside lounges airportistScore: 7 slug: hyd region: Asia-Pacific --- > Markdown for [/airports/hyd](/airports/hyd). Append `.md` to any page URL (or send `Accept: text/markdown`) for an agent-readable copy. - [HTML page](/airports/hyd) - [Lounge directory](/airports/hyd/lounges.md) - [Sitemap](/sitemap.md) # Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) Hyderabad, India · Asia-Pacific India’s fourth-busiest gateway in one expanded integrated terminal: solid DigiYatra / dual-runway ops and Encalm PP coverage, undercut by a metro-less Shamshabad road crawl and thinner lounge density than Bengaluru. ## Airportist Score **7.0 / 10** Weighted sum of the six published categories (no holistic fudge). - Ease of use (25%): 7.8 — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout. - Comfort & amenities (20%): 7.2 — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet. - Food & retail (15%): 6.6 — Food and retail quality and variety. - Ground access (15%): 6.2 — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city. - Reliability (15%): 6.8 — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience. - Lounges (10%): 6.4 — Worth-it density and access quality. ## At a glance - Passengers: 30.48M FY2025–26 AAI (≈25M domestic / ≈5.5M international per GMR) - Terminals: 1 integrated (east domestic / west international; ~40M design after 2023–24 wings) - Typical security: 16 min - On-time: 88% - Disruption: minor ## Best for - Priority Pass holders who will use Encalm Domestic or International - Same-campus domestic and international itineraries in one building - Pushpak bus travelers avoiding ORR surge pricing - Pharma / cargo-adjacent trips using the expanded cargo campus ## Watch out for - No metro to the terminal yet — treat Airport Express dates as planning only - Domestic↔international is not sterile despite the single building - Live Priority Pass lists Encalm only — ignore stale Plaza Premium PP pins - Peak ORR / HITEC City taxi surges of ₹900–1,200+ are common ## More intel - [Lounge directory](/airports/hyd/lounges.md) (free) - [Getting there](/airports/hyd/getting-there.md) (free) - [Amenities](/airports/hyd/amenities.md) - [Traveler tips](/airports/hyd/tips.md) - [Water](/airports/hyd/water.md) - [Full guide](/airports/hyd/guide.md) - [Disruptions](/airports/hyd/disruptions.md) - [Reviews](/airports/hyd/reviews.md)