Navi Mumbai International Airport To Start Ops On Dec 25, Inaugural Flight To Arrive From Bengaluru
The inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 October set the stage for a phased operational rollout, prioritising passenger safety, reliability, and comfort.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will begin commercial operations on 25 December this year. The launch will add capacity to the growing aviation needs of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). In the first month, NMIA will operate for 12 hours between 08:00 hrs and 20:00 hrs, handling 23 scheduled daily departures. During this period, the airport will manage up to 10 flight movements per hour.
The inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 October set the stage for a phased operational rollout, prioritising passenger safety, reliability, and comfort.
Inaugural Flight At Navi Mumbai International Airport
The inaugural flight to arrive at NMIA will be IndiGo 6E460 from Bengaluru, scheduled to touchdown at 8:00 AM. Shortly after, IndiGo 6E882 will depart for Hyderabad at 8:40 AM, marking the first outbound service from the new airport. During the initial launch period, passengers will benefit from services operated by IndiGo, Air India Express, and Akasa Air, connecting Mumbai to 16 major domestic destinations.
Starting February 2026, the airport will transition to round-the-clock operations, expanding to 34 daily departures to meet the increasing needs of the MMR.
To ensure a seamless start, NMIA is conducting comprehensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) trials in collaboration with all stakeholders, including security agencies and airline partners. Further strengthening its preparedness, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was formally inducted at NMIA on 29 October 2025, with deployment across key airport functions.
About Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited
Navi Mumbai International Airport Private Limited (NMIAL) is a special purpose vehicle established for the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of the greenfield international airport project at Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. NMIAL is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), a subsidiary of Adani Airports Holdings Limited (AAHL), which holds the majority stake of 74 per cent, while the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO), a Government of Maharashtra undertaking, holds the remaining 26 per cent. AAHL is a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, the flagship incubator of the Adani Group.
Navi Mumbai International Airport is set to become one of the busiest and most significant aviation hubs in India. Located in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, NMIA is strategically positioned to cater to the burgeoning air traffic demands of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Western India.
Spanning over 1,160 hectares (2,866 acres), on completion, NMIA is designed to handle 90 million passengers per annum (MPPA). The airport will feature two parallel runways, state-of-the-art terminal buildings, and advanced cargo facilities, ensuring a seamless passenger experience and efficient cargo handling. NMIA is set to be a greenfield airport with sustainable and eco-friendly infrastructure, incorporating renewable energy sources and green building practices. The fluid and futuristic design is influenced by the Lotus, India’s national flower.
In the initial phase, NMIA will have the capacity to manage 20 MPPA and 0.5 million metric tonnes of cargo annually. NMIA is committed to setting new benchmarks in operational efficiency, sustainability, and passenger satisfaction. With its modern infrastructure and strategic location, NMIA is poised to become a prominent gateway to India and a significant player in the global aviation industry.
Top Headlines
