Madurai International Airport

Flew out of Madurai to Dubai last month and the security staff were actually quite courteous and efficient — no unnecessary drama at the screening. But the food options are really limited, just a small canteen with average samosas and overpriced tea. The WiFi kept dropping every few minutes which was frustrating when I was trying to send last-minute work emails before boarding.

Flew out of Madurai on an IndiGo flight to Bangalore last month and the terminal felt a bit cramped during peak hours. Security was organised and moved at a decent pace, but the food options are really limited — basically one small counter with overpriced samosas and packaged snacks. The free WiFi kept dropping every few minutes which was frustrating while waiting for boarding.

Coming from Chennai, I was pleasantly surprised — the terminal felt compact but reasonably well maintained and the toilets were clean during my early morning visit. The drop-off area is very convenient, no confusing lanes like bigger airports, my husband could drop me right at the entrance without any hassle. Parking charges have gone up though, my brother paid nearly ₹150 for under an hour which felt steep for a smaller city airport.

Honestly a pleasant surprise for a tier-2 city airport — the terminal was clean and the restrooms were well-maintained during my morning visit. The ground staff were exceptionally helpful when my elderly mother needed wheelchair assistance; they arranged everything without any fuss. Drop-off zone outside is a little chaotic though, especially when two flights land close together and everyone rushes in at once.

As an NRI visiting family in Madurai every year, I notice the airport has barely changed — it desperately needs expansion because during peak festival season the small waiting area gets absolutely packed with no place to sit. The toilets near the domestic gates need more frequent cleaning, especially after afternoon flights land. Honestly hoping the new terminal development they keep announcing actually happens soon because this city deserves much better connectivity and infrastructure.

As someone who travels through IXM frequently for business, my biggest complaint is the parking — the lot fills up fast and the charges have gone up while the space hasn't. The new Saravana Bhavan-style snack counter near the departure gate is a decent addition and the idli-sambar is actually pretty good. Security can be slow when international flights and domestic flights are processing at the same time, they really need more lanes.