Navi Mumbai airport to begin operations with 30 weekly flights after June launch

Navi Mumbai Airport

The Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), set to commence commercial operations in June, will see low-cost carriers leading the transition to Mumbai’s second airport with 30 domestic weekly flights expected to operate from June, a senior executive from the Adani Group told Moneycontrol.

"As part of the move to decongest the CSMIA (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport) airport in Mumbai, domestic carriers will move a fraction of their flights to the Navi Mumbai airport along with launching new direct flights," the executive said.

He added that a major move towards the decongestion of CSMIA is expected to take place from November when the new winter schedule starts as airlines plan which of their flights to move to Navi Mumbai when drafting their winter schedules brtween the end of October and March 2026. Around the same time, Mumbai airport’s domestic terminal 1 in Vile Parle is likely to be shut down for reconstruction.

NMIAL will be the second airport to serve the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Currently, CSMIA is the only operational airport serving the Mumbai region. CSMIA handles over 50 million passengers annually.

Both Mumbai’s current airport and Navi Mumbai’s new airport are managed by the Adani Group, giving the conglomerate a strategic advantage in negotiations with airlines over flight schedules, terminal usage, and relocation incentives.

International flights are expected to commence in August, with Adani Airports engaging with Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline network—including Air India—to encourage member carriers to shift operations.

NMIAL will be inaugurated in June, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani announced on March 16 after he visited the airport site. He shared a short video film on his social media platforms calling the upcoming airport a "true gift to India".

"A glimpse into India's aviation future! Visited the Navi Mumbai International Airport site today—a world-class airport taking shape. Set for inauguration this June, it will redefine connectivity & growth. A true gift to India!" Adani posted on X.

The mega airport developed by the Adani Group at an investment of $2.1 billion, with a capacity of 20 million passengers in the first phase, was earlier scheduled to start operations in December 2024 but that was delayed due to pushback of construction deadlines. While the airport's runway is said to be ready for commercial flights, work on the construction of the terminal building is currently ongoing, senior executives from NMIAL told Moneycontrol.

Earlier this month the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) met airport officials to examine the aerodrome’s readiness. A full day inspection of the airport was recently conducted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and DGCA teams.

The DGCA reportedly met with NMIA stakeholders to review preparedness for securing an aerodrome licence.

A validation landing conducted in December assessed new flight instruments installed at an aerodrome. It is conducted to confirm operational safety for aircraft procedures as part of an aerodrome certification process.

NMIA conducted the flight calibration of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), subsequently drafting instrument approach procedures to prepare for the arrival of the validation flight.

In October, the Airbus C-295 of the Indian Air Force (IAF) landed at the airport, marking the first touchdown of any flight at the aerodrome.