LIVE | Navi Mumbai International Airport to kick-off operations with 30 domestic flights scheduled for day 1 – All we know – Airlines/Aviation News

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will begin commercial operations on Thursday, finally opening after years of delays and giving the Mumbai region a second major airport for air travel. 

First flights and airline operations

On the first day, four airlines will operate around 30 domestic flights from India’s newest greenfield airport. The first scheduled arrival will be an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru, expected to land at 8 am. The first departure will also be an IndiGo flight, leaving Navi Mumbai for Hyderabad at 8.40 am.

“On Day One, domestic services will be operated by IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air connecting NMIA to nine destinations across India. The airport will handle 15 scheduled departures on the first day,” TOI reported quoting an official spokesperson.

IndiGo, as the primary operator at NMIA, is launching the largest flight network from the airport. Its first flight, 6E 460 from Bengaluru, is set to be NMIA’s very first commercial arrival at around 8:00 am. Air India Express, owned by the Tata group, is aiming at early morning business travelers. Its first flight to Bengaluru, will depart at 8:55 am, making it convenient for people traveling to and from Navi Mumbai’s growing business areas.

Regional airline Star Air is focusing on direct connections to smaller cities with its Embraer 175 aircraft. On the first day, it will start a key service to Nanded, giving the region better access. Star Air will also operate flights to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Goa (Mopa).

Initial operating hours and future expansion

“During the initial phase, NMIA will operate between 8 am and 8 pm, with up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations and the capability to manage up to 10 aircraft movements per hour. From Feb 2026, operations are planned to progressively scale up to round-the-clock services,” the spokesperson said.

Additionally, the passenger services from day one will be supported by Digi Yatra-enabled contactless processing at designated touchpoints. Passengers who do not opt for Digi Yatra will also be able to use regular check-in counters, the outlet reported citing officials.

The airport said retail stores and food and beverage outlets have been planned with a focus on affordability and local tastes.

In the initial phase, NMIA will operate with Terminal 1 and one runway. The terminal has an annual capacity of 20 million passengers, a number the airport is expected to reach before mid-2026. The building can also handle an additional 2–3 million passengers beyond its declared capacity. The new airport is located about 45–50 km from North Mumbai, 35–40 km from South Mumbai and 35–45 km from the eastern suburbs.

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