Andhra Pradesh's newest gateway to the skies now has a price tag attached. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority has approved interim user development fee (UDF) charges for Bhogapuram International Airport in Vizianagaram district, clearing one of the last administrative steps before commercial flights begin on July 8.
Under the approved structure, domestic passengers departing from Bhogapuram will pay Rs 835, while those arriving will be charged Rs 355. International departures carry a UDF of Rs 1,255, with arriving international passengers paying Rs 545. These fees are typically bundled into ticket prices rather than collected separately at the airport, and regulators have signalled the interim rates could be revised once passenger traffic patterns become clearer.
The airport, built by GMR under a public-private partnership, is being positioned as a centrepiece of North Andhra's infrastructure push. Once operations begin, every civilian flight currently using the Indian Navy's INS Dega airbase in Visakhapatnam will shift to Bhogapuram, ending decades of commercial aviation sharing space with naval operations in the city. International carrier Scoot has already confirmed it will route its services through the new airport from day one.
A validation flight conducted in January tested the airport's readiness, and officials have described the UDF clearance as a signal that the broader rollout is on schedule. For a region whose tourism and investment ambitions have long been constrained by limited air connectivity, a fully operational international airport marks a structural shift rather than just an incremental upgrade. Local authorities expect the airport to widen access for both leisure travel along the Andhra coastline and business investment tied to the state's industrial corridors.
The transition will also test how smoothly passengers adjust to a new terminal, new road access, and revised flight schedules in the weeks after the July 8 switch, with airlines expected to issue updated travel advisories as the date approaches.
