The long-awaited Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will officially open for commercial operations on December 25, marking a major milestone in India’s aviation network. The first flight to land at the new airport will be an IndiGo service from Bengaluru, set to touch down at 8:00 a.m., followed by another IndiGo flight to Hyderabad at 8:40 a.m. — the first outbound departure. The launch comes less than three months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport on October 8.

During its initial phase of operations, NMIA will function for 12 hours daily, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., managing up to 10 aircraft movements per hour. The new airport will begin with 23 scheduled daily departures, gradually scaling up as systems stabilise. According to the airport authority’s statement, the first phase will connect Mumbai to 16 major domestic destinations serviced by Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa Air. These include Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Goa, among others.

Built by the Adani Group, NMIA has been developed to serve as Mumbai’s second international aviation hub, supplementing the increasingly congested Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Positioned strategically to serve the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the new airport is expected to handle 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and 0.5 million metric tonnes of cargo in its first phase. Beginning February 2026, operations will expand to a 24-hour schedule with 34 daily departures planned.

Also Read: Navi Mumbai International Airport to Launch Operations on December 25; Akasa Air and IndiGo to Lead

In preparation for its launch, authorities have carried out extensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) trials in coordination with airlines, security agencies, and ground handling partners to ensure smooth take-off. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has already been formally inducted, with full deployment across key airport zones since October 29. From terminals to cargo facilities, all systems have undergone safety and service checks aimed at ensuring world-class passenger experience from day one.

Once fully operational, NMIA will emerge as one of India’s most advanced airports, designed with cutting-edge architecture, sustainable infrastructure, and seamless multimodal connectivity. Officials say the airport’s phased expansion will eventually elevate its capacity to handle up to 90 million passengers annually, solidifying Navi Mumbai’s role as a critical aviation and logistics hub for Western India.

Also Read: Navi Mumbai International Airport to Launch Operations on December 25; Akasa Air and IndiGo to Lead