Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), India's most anticipated new aviation gateway, officially commenced commercial operations today, marking the beginning of a transformative dual-airport era for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region .
The first day of operations saw an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru touch down at 8:00 AM, receiving a ceremonial water cannon salute on the tarmac . Shortly after, the airport's first departure, an IndiGo service to Hyderabad, took off at 8:40 AM, completing the historic first cycle of flights . Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani was present to personally greet passengers arriving on the inaugural flight .
A Strategic Answer to Congestion
The launch of the greenfield Navi Mumbai International Airport is a pivotal development for India's aviation infrastructure. It is designed to significantly ease the long-standing congestion at the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) . Once fully built, NMIA is projected to handle up to 90 million passengers annually, a capacity nearly double that of the current Mumbai airport .
"For generations to come, every flight through these terminals will carry not just passengers, but the pulse of a defining superpower," said Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, which holds a 74% stake in the project .
Initial Operations and Connectivity
The airport has begun with a calibrated, phased launch. Initial operations will run from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM for the first month, with the capability to manage up to 10 aircraft movements per hour . Jeet Adani, Director of Adani Airports, explained that the Christmas Day start was chosen strategically as a "low load period" to ensure a smooth rollout, with operations scaling up to 24-hour service by February 2026 .
Four airlines—IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and Star Air—have commenced domestic services, connecting the new airport to key cities across India . On the first day, the airport handled 15 arrivals and 15 departures, serving nine destinations .
Here are the initial destinations served from NMIA:
| Airline | Key Initial Destinations |
| IndiGo | Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur |
| Air India Express | Bengaluru, Delhi |
| Akasa Air | Delhi, Goa, Kochi, Ahmedabad |
More Than an Airport: A Passenger Experience Hub
Beyond its operational role, Navi Mumbai International Airport is positioning itself as a new experiential hub. From day one, it offers Digi Yatra-enabled contactless processing for a seamless journey . In the coming months, a suite of unique amenities will open, including an in-terminal transit hotel, a first-of-its-kind celebrity lounge, and an immersive cultural zone called "NaviVerse" .
The launch was preceded by a symbolic drone show featuring 1,515 drones, which lit up the night sky with formations of lotus blooms—the flower that inspired the terminal's design—and aircraft silhouettes .
The commencement of operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport is more than just the opening of a new transit point; it is the activation of a major economic engine for western India. By decongesting Mumbai's airspace and providing state-of-the-art cargo and passenger facilities, NMIA is set to bolster the region's economic growth and firmly establish Mumbai on the map of the world's great multi-airport cities.
.jpg)
