Several airlines, including Air India, have unveiled their flight operation plans from the Navi Mumbai airport.
In its initial phase, Air India Express plans to operate 20 daily departures, amounting to 40 Air Traffic Movements (ATMs), connecting over 15 cities across India. By mid-2026, the airline aims to scale up to 55 daily departures (110 ATMs), including five international routes. The network will further expand to 60 daily departures (120 ATMs) by winter 2026, as stated in the release.
Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India, said, “We look forward to commencing operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport, as Mumbai joins the league of world cities with more than one airport. This expansion will support India’s growth as a global aviation hub and strengthen connectivity for both passengers and cargo.”
Domestic flights are expected to commence by December 2025, followed by international operations likely starting in February 2026.
The lotus-inspired terminal building is an iconic design blending futuristic aesthetics with efficiency. The idea of building one in Navi Mumbai was first floated in 1991. Surveys, studies, and examinations followed, but it wasn’t until 2007 that the project received in-principle approvals.
The airport is being developed in five phases. Spread across 1,160 hectares, NMIA will handle 20 million passengers annually in Phase 1, with a cargo capacity of 0.5 million tonnes and an estimated investment of ₹16,700 crore. Once fully completed, NMIA will have a capacity of 90 million passengers per year and manage 3.2 million metric tonnes of cargo.
Timeline:
2007: Seeds of a second airport
Union Cabinet approves a greenfield airport in Navi Mumbai to ease congestion at CSMIA.
2011–2017: Clearances & Challenges
Environmental approvals, mangrove and river safeguards and resettlement of thousands of families delay progress.
2018: Tendering begins
CIDCO floats bids for private participation in one of India’s most ambitious PPP projects, pegged at Rs 16,700 crore.
2019–2021: Operator in place
Major land acquisition in 2019. In August 2021, the Adani Group takes charge, gaining control of both CSMIA and NMIA. Construction starts in earnest.
2022: Land handover, full construction
CIDCO hands over 2,866 acres to Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. Heavy machinery moves in, runways and terminal foundations take shape.
2023: Design unveiled, work at speed
Construction crosses 50%. Zaha Hadid’s lotus-inspired terminal design revealed, balancing aesthetics with efficiency.
2024: First touchdowns
October: Indian Air Force C-295 completes first test landing.
December: IndiGo runs a validation flight, confirming operational readiness.
2025: Countdown to inauguration
By July, work is 94% complete. Final safety checks and passenger-flow simulations underway.
30 September 2025: Formal inauguration of the state-of-the-art facility.
