Key takeaways
- Ujjain has a state-owned airstrip with a 1,100 m runway per Wikipedia but no scheduled commercial service that we found.
- Rs 590 crore is reported as the cost of acquiring 437.5 acres, not the total project cost; land, runway and cost figures differ by source.
- Reports expect works for Simhastha Kumbh 2028 to be finished by Diwali 2027 and flights in 2028, but no opening date is confirmed.
- For 2026-27 trips, fly into Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore, about 55-60 km from Ujjain.
- Plans for a private operator (PPP) and ATR 72 first, Airbus A320 later, are reported, not confirmed.
Ujjain airport news so far: Ujjain has a small state-owned airstrip but no scheduled commercial airport that we could find, and the Madhya Pradesh government is working to expand it before Simhastha Kumbh 2028. Reports give different cost, land and runway figures, so for trips in 2026-27 you still fly into Indore, about 55-60 km away.
This page replaces an older version that relied on unsourced claims. Everything below is attributed to a named report, with the date, and where figures conflict we show them side by side instead of choosing one. For the airport that serves Ujjain today, see our guide to the nearest airport to Ujjain. Nothing here is an opening-date promise, because no source gives one.
Ujjain airport news: where things stand
The existing airport is the Ujjain Airstrip. Wikipedia describes it as state-owned, with a 1,100 m (3,562 ft) asphalt runway, IATA code UJN. It records that a Ujjain to Bhopal service by Ventura Airconnect, using a 9-seat aircraft, started in 2013 and was discontinued for low bookings and improper timing. The same entry notes reports from 2024 of a new greenfield airport and says Indore is the nearest major airport. You can read that entry on Wikipedia's page on the Ujjain Airstrip.
Since then, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has moved the idea forward. Free Press Journal (FPJ), on 27 March 2026, reported that project work had begun ahead of Simhastha Kumbh 2028, with the Datana area named as the site and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav monitoring progress. FPJ also reported that the state government signed an MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in November 2025. In April 2026, the state cabinet took a land decision, covered in the next section.
Officials quoted by FPJ expect about 15 crore (150 million) devotees at Simhastha 2028, which is why the project is being treated as a priority. That is an estimate from officials, not a forecast we can verify.
One lesson from the earlier attempt is worth keeping in mind, and it is our reading, not a sourced finding. The 2013 service ended because of low bookings and poor timing, according to Wikipedia. A new airport can be built for a once-in-twelve-years event, but an airline will only keep flying if there are enough passengers on ordinary days too. That is why the reports stress both Simhastha crowds and long-term tourism, and why the PPP idea matters: an operator would need the airport to pay its way after the event.
Cost, land and runway: what each report says
The figures below come from four different kinds of source: two news outlets, a third-party event site and Wikipedia. They do not agree, and they do not always describe the same thing. We have not tried to pick a winner.
| Item | Report | Source and date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | About 240 acres at Datana | Free Press Journal, 27 Mar 2026 | For the airport build-out |
| Land | About 250 acres | simhastha.org.in, updated 1 Oct 2026 | Third-party site; plans phrased as expected |
| Land | 437.5 acres | Indian Masterminds, 13 Apr 2026 | Cabinet approval; land to be handed to AAI |
| Existing runway | 900 m; 950 m; 1,100 m (3,562 ft) | FPJ; simhastha.org.in; Wikipedia | Three different figures for the current strip |
| Planned runway | 1,800 m | FPJ; simhastha.org.in | Indian Masterminds gives no runway length |
| Cost | About Rs 500 crore proposal sent to the Centre | FPJ, 27 Mar 2026 | A proposal, not a sanctioned cost |
| Cost | Rs 250 crore+ for Phase 1 | simhastha.org.in | Phase 1 only |
| Cost | Rs 590 crore | ThePrint (PTI report), 7 Apr 2026 | Land acquisition for 437.5 acres, not total project cost |
| First aircraft | ATR 72; later Airbus A320 | FPJ and simhastha.org.in; Indian Masterminds | Airstrip designed for A320 under UDAN |
Why Rs 590 crore is not the project cost
The Rs 590 crore figure is the one most often quoted, and it is easy to misread. Indian Masterminds, on 13 April 2026, described it as a cabinet-approved proposal to develop a new airstrip. ThePrint, carrying a PTI report on the cabinet meeting of 7 April 2026, describes the same sum as the cost of acquiring 437.5 acres of land for the airstrip's expansion. The land-acquisition reading is the more specific one, and it fits the fact that the land is to be handed to the Airports Authority of India. No source we read gives a total project cost, so do not treat Rs 590 crore as the price of the finished airport.
The same reports say the cabinet wants works for Simhastha completed by Diwali 2027 and describe the airstrip as designed for Airbus A320 aircraft under UDAN, the central regional connectivity scheme. FPJ separately says the state is considering a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with a private company running the airport, to improve facilities and reduce the government's financial burden. These are plans, not accomplished facts.
The terms in the reports, in plain words
Airport news uses a lot of shorthand. This table explains the terms that appear in the reports above and where each one shows up.
| Term | What it means here | Where it is reported |
|---|---|---|
| UDAN (RCS) | The central government's regional connectivity scheme; the airstrip is described as being developed under it | Indian Masterminds; FPJ mentions 100 new airports under UDAN |
| AAI | Airports Authority of India; signed an MoU with the state in Nov 2025 and is to receive the land | FPJ; Indian Masterminds |
| PPP | Public-private partnership; a private company would run the airport | FPJ, as a plan |
| DGCA | The aviation regulator, whose certification is reported as a 2027 step | simhastha.org.in |
| ATR 72 / A320 | A turboprop for the first phase; a larger jet the strip is designed to take | FPJ; Indian Masterminds |
Timeline: 2024 to 2028 as reported
The timeline below mixes completed events, which have a dated report, with expected milestones, which come from a third-party site and are phrased as plans. We have labelled each row, so you can see what is done and what is only hoped for.
| When | Reported milestone | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ujjain to Bhopal service by Ventura Airconnect (9-seat), later discontinued | Wikipedia | Done; ended for low bookings and timing |
| 2024 | Reports of a new greenfield airport; approval to expand the Datana airstrip | Wikipedia; simhastha.org.in | Reported |
| Nov 2025 | MoU between the Madhya Pradesh government and AAI | Free Press Journal | Done, per FPJ |
| 27 Mar 2026 | Project work reported to have begun; Rs 500 crore proposal sent to the Centre | Free Press Journal | Reported |
| 7 Apr 2026 | State cabinet approves land acquisition, 437.5 acres, Rs 590 crore | ThePrint (PTI); Indian Masterminds | Done, per news reports |
| Diwali 2027 | Target for Simhastha-related works to be completed | ThePrint, as reported | Expected |
| 2027 | Certification by the aviation regulator, DGCA, to be pursued | simhastha.org.in | Expected; third-party |
| 2028 | Commercial or charter flights expected | simhastha.org.in | Expected; not confirmed |
The reports describe land and approvals but no construction milestone. We found no report of an opening date, and we did not find a later report that the schedule had slipped or been confirmed. Treat every row labelled "expected" as a plan that can change, and watch for statements from the Government of Madhya Pradesh or AAI.
What it means for your trip now
If you are travelling in 2026 or 2027, plan as though the new airport will not be available. The airport that serves Ujjain is Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore, which Wikipedia lists as the primary airport for Ujjain Mahakaleshwar. Our guides put the road to Ujjain at about 55-60 km, and a taxi at roughly 1 to 1.5 hours.
| Option | Status as of 5 Oct 2026 | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore | Operating; the main airport for Ujjain | Fly here and continue by road |
| Ujjain Airstrip | State-owned, 1,100 m runway; no scheduled service found | Do not plan a trip around it |
| New expanded airport at Datana | Planned; no confirmed opening date | Watch for official announcements |
On the road leg, Rome2rio gives 58.6 km from Indore Airport to Mahakaleshwar and our sister guide gives about 58 km, with a taxi taking roughly 1 to 1.5 hours in normal traffic. Fares for the same drive are published as ranges that differ by source and vehicle, so ask what a quote includes before you accept it. Whatever the new airport brings, that Indore leg is the one you can plan around today.
How to judge the next piece of airport news
Not all reports carry the same weight. A cabinet decision or an AAI statement is stronger than a news summary, and a news summary is stronger than a third-party event site that lists plans as expected. Our own checklist for what would change our advice is a signed land handover to AAI, a published contract or tender for the runway works, a DGCA licence for the airfield, and an airline putting Ujjain on sale with dates. Until one of those appears, a headline about an airport opening is a plan and not a service.
When you see a new figure, check which of the items in the cost table it describes, because a land cost, a phase cost and a total cost are easily confused. That is exactly how Rs 590 crore got labelled as a project cost.
For Simhastha 2028 travel, do not assume flights will land in Ujjain: even the most optimistic report calls them expected. Read our guide to Simhastha 2028 by air for how to plan the journey, and use the Indore airport guide for Ujjain pilgrims for the arrival steps. If you are weighing another airport, our Indore vs Bhopal airport for Ujjain comparison helps with the choice.
Planning your Ujjain trip? Get a quote and tell us your dates; we will keep to the airport that actually operates.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an airport in Ujjain now?
There is a state-owned Ujjain Airstrip with a 1,100 m runway per Wikipedia, but we found no scheduled commercial service. The nearest major airport is Indore, about 55-60 km away.
How much will the new Ujjain airport cost?
No source we read gives a total cost. Rs 590 crore is reported as the cost of acquiring 437.5 acres, FPJ mentions a proposal of about Rs 500 crore, and simhastha.org.in lists Rs 250 crore+ for Phase 1. They describe different scopes.
When will the Ujjain airport open?
No official opening date has been published in the reports we found. Reports cite Diwali 2027 as the target for Simhastha works and flights expected in 2028, but these are plans and can change.
Which airport is nearest to Ujjain today?
Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore (IDR), the primary airport for Ujjain Mahakaleshwar per Wikipedia. By road it is about 55-60 km from Ujjain.
Will flights run to Ujjain during Simhastha 2028?
Reports expect commercial or charter flights in 2028, but this is not confirmed. Do not book Simhastha travel assuming a flight into Ujjain; plan to arrive via Indore.
Planning your Ujjain trip?
Get a quoteWritten and reviewed by the Fly to Ujjain editorial team. Facts checked against primary sources; see the reference above.