Key takeaways
- Answer: Yes — the airport is operational.
- Flights: from 17 August 2026, code VTZ.
- Inauguration was earlier, on 1 August 2026, and was not the first passenger day.
- Go to Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district — not INS Dega — for scheduled flights.
- IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Scoot and India One Air were among opening carriers.
Yes, Bhogapuram airport has started. Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district, is open. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on 1 August 2026. Scheduled commercial flights began on 17 August 2026. If you are holding a ticket that says Visakhapatnam (VTZ) after that date, you fly from Bhogapuram.
| Started? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1 August 2026 |
| Flights started | 17 August 2026 |
| Code | VTZ (IATA) / VOVI (ICAO) |
| Scheduled flights at INS Dega | Stopped (from 17 August 2026) |
| Where to go | Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district, PIN 535216 |
Is Bhogapuram airport started? Yes
This is the question people type after months of “will open in August” headlines. The operational answer is yes. Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu flagged off commercial operations. IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Scoot and India One Air were among the airlines on the ground on day one.
Dates in one place: Bhogapuram airport opening date. Year: 2026.
What started on 17 August 2026?
- Scheduled domestic and international passenger flights under VTZ.
- Transfer of the IATA code from the Visakhapatnam civil enclave at INS Dega.
- Check-in, security, baggage and immigration at the new terminal.
The first arrival was IndiGo from Hyderabad. Details: Bhogapuram airport first flight.
What did not start on 1 August 2026?
Passenger flying. The 1 August event was a ceremonial inauguration. Between 1 and 16 August, scheduled flights for the region still used INS Dega. Anyone who treated inauguration day as a flight day would have gone to the wrong plan.
If it has started, how do I use it?
- Book flights from Bhogapuram as VTZ.
- Drive 40–45 km from Vizag, not to the old city airport.
- Confirm the airline on which airlines offer flights from Bhogapuram Airport.
Sources & further reading
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Bhogapuram Airport, answered concisely.
Yes. Scheduled commercial flights started on 17 August 2026 at Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport, Bhogapuram. The inauguration was on 1 August 2026.
Yes. Passengers with tickets can use the terminal. Book and check in as you would at any Indian international airport, using code VTZ.
Yes, in August 2026. Inauguration 1 August; commercial operations 17 August.
Scheduled commercial flights there have stopped. INS Dega remains open for the Navy, charters and non-scheduled movements.
Yes, subject to airline schedules. Search VTZ on the airline website or a booking app. See Flights from Bhogapuram Airport for how to search.
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