It shares a visible proximity to Shankumugham Beach making it the nearest airport to a water body in India as it is, just about 0.6 miles (approx.

Thiruvananthapuram Airport also caters to the Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology, which carries out pilot training activities.

[7] The airport hosts Air India's narrow body maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit consisting of twin hangars for servicing Boeing 737-type aircraft, servicing mostly Air India Express aircraft.

The airport was established in 1932 as part of the Royal Flying Club under the initiative of Lt. Col. Raja Goda Varman, husband of Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi, the Rani of Attingal and Travancore Kingdom.

In 1935, on the royal patronage of Maharaja Chithira Thirunal, Tata Airlines made its maiden flight to the airport using DH.83 Fox Moth aircraft under command of India's first pilot Nevill Vintcent carrying Jamshed Navoroji, a Tata company official, and Kanchi Dwarakadas, commercial agent of Travancore in Karachi, with a special mail from the Viceroy of British India, Lord Willingdon, wishing birthday greetings to the Maharaja.

The following month, AAI commenced an international competitive bidding process to award Operations, Management and Development (OMD) contracts for the six airports.

[14] For decades, the airport has been traditionally pausing operations and reschedules flights twice a year to enable religious processions to pass through the airfield.

[17] Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has a single 3,373 m (11,066 ft)-long runway,[18] equipped to operate any type of aircraft.

The international terminal ground operations are handled by Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt.

The terminal features spacious lounges, natural lighting with extensive use of glass roofing and better conveyance facilities for passengers.

The domestic terminal has basic amenities including cafés, a beer and wine bar, a book-seller, free local calls, a specialised baby care room and phone-recharging points.

The terminal, constructed by the AAI and designed by the UK firm, Pascall+Watson Architects, is expected to provide impetus to the development of the IT sector and the tourism industry in the southern districts of Kerala.

To enable the passengers to check in at any counter, a Common Users Terminal Equipment (CUTE) is installed.

A bridge has been built across the Parvathy Puthanar canal to link the new terminal to the Kazhakuttam-Inchivila NH (National Highway) 47 bypass.

to build a new 50 m (160 ft) tall ATC tower for Thiruvananthapuram Airport near the new international terminal.

The airport has a CAT-1 instrument landing system (ILS), DVOR and distance measuring equipment (DME).

[23][24] Thiruvananthapuram International Airport hosts Air India's narrow-body maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit consisting of twin hangars for servicing Boeing 737 type aircraft, servicing mostly Air India Express aircraft.

The Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility of Air India Charters Limited (AICL) at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport was given permission to carry out the crucial ‘C’ checks of their Boeing 737-800 fleet.

The facility is currently engaged in producing the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for the Indian Armed Forces.