Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) officially commenced commercial operations on Thursday, marking a major milestone in India’s aviation infrastructure. An IndiGo Airbus A320 from Bengaluru became the first aircraft to land at the airport, touching down at 8 am, before departing for Hyderabad at 8.40 am.
The inaugural arrival was accorded a ceremonial water cannon salute, symbolising the start of full-fledged operations at Mumbai’s second airport.
Flight Operations to Ramp Up
On December 25, NMIA handled 15 departure flights to various domestic destinations as part of its initial operational phase. From December 26 onwards, the airport will operate around 25 scheduled departure flights daily.
Flight frequency is expected to rise further, reaching 40 departures per day by the end of January 2026. Major carriers operating from NMIA include IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India Express.
The launch exceeds the airport’s earlier projection announced in May, when it had planned to begin with 18 daily departures to 15 destinations.
Airlines and Connectivity
IndiGo, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), confirmed that it will connect Navi Mumbai to several major cities, including New Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Nagpur, Mangaluru, Kochi, Goa, among others. Additional airlines are expected to expand connectivity in the coming months.
Mumbai Joins Global Multi-Airport Cities
With NMIA becoming operational, Mumbai joins the league of global aviation hubs such as London, New York, Tokyo, Moscow and Shanghai, all of which operate multiple airports to manage rising passenger traffic.
Designed to significantly ease congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, NMIA is expected to play a critical role in accommodating the region’s growing air travel demand.