Big update on Noida Airport: DGCA conducts calibration flights; daytime domestic operations to start initially

Noida airport

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has started conducting calibration flights at the Noida International Airport as part of the final steps before its official launch.

According to a Times of India report, the two-day exercise, which began on Thursday, is a crucial phase in securing the aerodrome licence and assessing the airport's operational readiness ahead of its inauguration.

These calibration flights are designed to test the accuracy and reliability of key air navigation and communication systems. R.K. Singh, CEO of Noida International Airport Ltd (NIAL) - the government agency overseeing the project - said that a specialised aircraft will carry out the calibration work for about two hours each day.

"This is an important milestone on the path to obtaining the aerodrome licence and marks significant progress toward operational readiness," Singh noted.

A separate TOI report mentioned that NIA will initially begin operations with a limited schedule of daytime domestic flights, before gradually adding night services. Christoph Schnellmann, CEO of Noida International Airport, told the publication that international operations are expected to commence in the first half of 2026.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government released a statement detailing the airport's connectivity infrastructure. It said the multi-modal transport network aims to provide fast, safe, and sustainable access for passengers, tourists, and industries.

The airport already has a direct link to the Yamuna Expressway, and the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (Ballabhgarh Link) will further enhance connectivity from Haryana and western India.

Additionally, work is progressing swiftly to link the airport to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, offering direct routes to Ghaziabad, Meerut, Palwal, and Sonipat. The northern and eastern access roads for cargo and industrial transport are nearly complete, and a 60-metre-wide service road in Sector 28 now connects directly to the Yamuna Expressway to support local traffic.

The state government has also approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Delhi-Jewar Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) corridor, while the Railway Ministry is preparing to integrate the airport with the Chola-Rundhi rail line. Furthermore, a new Jewar station has been included in the Delhi-Varanasi high-speed rail corridor, boosting the airport's long-term regional connectivity.