The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) commenced commercial operations on Thursday, marking the opening of Mumbai’s second major airport and easing pressure on the city’s primary aviation hub after years of delays.
On the launch day, four airlines—IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and Star Air—are operating around 30 domestic flights, connecting NMIA to nine destinations across the country. The first scheduled arrival is an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru, expected to land at 8:00 am, while the first departure will also be an IndiGo service to Hyderabad at 8:40 am.
IndiGo, the largest operator at NMIA, has rolled out the widest network from the new airport. Air India Express is targeting early-morning business travelers, with its first flight to Bengaluru departing at 8:55 am. Regional carrier Star Air has launched direct services to Nanded, along with routes to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Goa (Mopa), improving connectivity to smaller cities.
During the initial phase, NMIA will operate between 8 am and 8 pm, handling up to 15 scheduled departures on day one and up to 24 daily departures to 13 destinations. The airport has the capacity to manage 10 aircraft movements per hour. From February 2026, operations are expected to gradually scale up to 24-hour services.
Passenger processing at NMIA will feature Digi Yatra-enabled contactless systems, while conventional check-in counters will remain available. The airport has also planned retail and food outlets focused on affordability and local preferences.
In its first phase, NMIA is operating with Terminal 1 and a single runway. Terminal 1 has an annual capacity of 20 million passengers, with the flexibility to accommodate an additional 2–3 million travelers. The airport is located approximately 45–50 km from North Mumbai, 35–40 km from South Mumbai, and 35–45 km from the eastern suburbs, offering broad access across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
