A month after the launch of commercial operations, the Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport at Halwara is witnessing a strong response, handling nearly 350 passengers daily. If the trend continues, the airport is projected to serve more than 1.25 lakh passengers annually.Barely a month into operations, the airport recorded close to 2,700 passengers between June 3 and June 10. According to data available with the authorities, the facility currently handles between 330 and 420 passengers on a full-service day across its two daily rotations — Delhi to Halwara and Halwara to Delhi.Expressing satisfaction over the encouraging response, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said the figures underline the long-felt need for an airport serving Ludhiana and the surrounding region.“The numbers from the first month show genuine demand rather than novelty traffic. Halwara has gone from being a long-awaited promise to a functioning gateway for Ludhiana’s industry, students and overseas families,” said Jain.The busiest single flight movement of the week was the afternoon Delhi–Ludhiana service (AI483) on June 6, which brought 141 passengers to Halwara.A total of 2,684 passengers travelled through the airport during the period, averaging around 335 passengers a day and peaking at 420. Officials believe the traffic pattern indicates significant use by business travellers making same-day trips to the national capital. The afternoon return flight (AI484) has also been recording strong occupancy, averaging close to 100 passengers.Developed as a civil enclave at the Halwara Air Force Station, around 32 km from Ludhiana, the airport is Punjab’s third international airport after Amritsar and Mohali. It replaces the smaller Sahnewal airstrip, which earlier catered to the district. The facility was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on February 1, 2026, with the Punjab Government investing nearly Rs 55 crore to operationalise the civil terminal.Passengers travelling from Ludhiana can now access nearly 50 domestic and international destinations on a single ticket via Delhi, without the need to recheck baggage.Within India, the Halwara–Delhi service offers onward connectivity to major cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Goa, Jaipur, Lucknow, Srinagar, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.Internationally, passengers can connect to destinations such as London, Birmingham, Paris, Rome, Milan, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Zurich, Vienna and Copenhagen in Europe; Dubai, Doha, Jeddah and Riyadh in the Gulf region; Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu, Colombo, Manila, Phuket and Ho Chi Minh City in the Asia-Pacific region; as well as Toronto and San Francisco in North America.The connectivity is expected to particularly benefit Ludhiana’s large overseas community spread across the United Kingdom, Canada and the Gulf countries.Future expansion plansWith the Delhi route now firmly established, the district administration and other stakeholders are focusing on expanding Halwara Airport’s reach. Key priorities under consideration include:Increasing flight frequencies and introducing direct domestic services to cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.Attracting a second airline to enhance competition, capacity and passenger choice.Developing cargo-handling facilities and, eventually, direct international flight operations, leveraging Ludhiana’s position as a major export hub for hosiery, bicycles, auto parts and machine tools.Expanding the terminal infrastructure. Of the 161 acres acquired for the project, around 26 acres have been reserved for future development.Strengthening road and public transport connectivity between Ludhiana and the airport to ensure easier access for passengers.Sonu Nilibar, a cloth merchant from Ludhiana, said the airport has already made business travel more convenient.“Halwara has become so convenient that buyers and visitors no longer hesitate to travel to Ludhiana. We had been waiting for air connectivity for a long time,” he said.