Air travel in India was long a privilege of the few. UDAN — 'Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik' — launched in October 2016 to change that, with the vision that a common citizen in hawai chappal (slippers) should be able to board a hawai jahaz (aeroplane). The first flight, Shimla–Delhi, took off in April 2017. By 2025 the scheme had operationalised over 660 regional routes connecting around 90 airports, heliports and water aerodromes.
Regional Aviation · UDAN
Regional Aviation · UDAN
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik), launched in 2016, set out to let ordinary citizens in smaller towns fly affordably. By capping fares and giving airlines viability-gap funding, it operationalised over 600 regional routes and connected around 90 previously unserved or underserved airports, heliports and water aerodromes. Over 1.5 crore passengers have flown under the scheme. The counter shows UDAN routes operationalised.
0 → 663
UDAN routes operationalised
~90
Airports connected
1.5 cr+
Passengers flown
UDAN routes operationalised
| Year | UDAN routes |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 routes |
| 2017 | 128 routes |
| 2018 | 200 routes |
| 2019 | 335 routes |
| 2020 | 380 routes |
| 2021 | 403 routes |
| 2022 | 460 routes |
| 2023 | 520 routes |
| 2024 | 600 routes |
| 2025 | 663 routes |
2016
0routes
UDAN routes
20162025
Since 2016
Added
+663 routes
2016
0 routes
2025
663 routes
Why it matters Regional air links open up tourism, trade and healthcare access for smaller cities, and knit remote regions like the North-East and islands into the national economy.
- UDAN routes: 0 (2016) → ~663 (2025); ~90 airports connected
- 1.5 crore+ passengers flown; first flight Shimla–Delhi (2017)
- Source: Ministry of Civil Aviation
History
Notable features
UDAN works through a market-driven model with support: airlines bid for routes, fares are capped on a share of seats, and Viability Gap Funding (over ₹4,000 crore disbursed) covers the shortfall on thin routes. Spin-offs include Krishi UDAN for air-freighting perishable farm produce, seaplane and heliport connectivity for hilly and island regions, and affordable 'UDAN Yatri Cafes' at airports.
How it works
UDAN ('Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik' — let the common citizen fly) makes flying to small towns viable by capping fares on regional routes and subsidising airlines to cover their losses (Viability Gap Funding), while the government revives disused airstrips. Half the seats on a UDAN flight are sold at the capped low fare; the subsidy, funded partly by a small levy on other flights, bridges the difference.
Outlook
Operational airports have grown from 74 (2014) to over 160, and UDAN has opened hundreds of regional routes, bringing first-time flyers into the network. A Modified UDAN (2026, ₹28,840 crore) aims to connect 120 more destinations. The real test is unsubsidised regional flying — getting enough passengers that these routes survive after the subsidy ends, rather than lapsing when the support runs out.
The road ahead
The real test is unsubsidised regional flying — some UDAN routes stopped once their funding window ended, and the 2026 Modified UDAN aims to fix that with longer support and better airport infrastructure.
By the numbers
0 → ~663 UDAN routes (2016→2025). ~90 airports/heliports/water aerodromes connected. 1.5 crore+ passengers. ₹4,000 crore+ VGF disbursed. Sources: Ministry of Civil Aviation, AAI.
Source: Ministry of Civil Aviation — regional routes operationalised under UDAN, 2016–2025.