Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) took off on December 25, 2025, marking a significant milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and India's aviation sector. After nearly three decades of planning, the greenfield airport commenced commercial operations, easing congestion at the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and expanding air travel capacity.
On its first day, NMIA handled 48 flights, catering to over 4,000 passengers. The airport operator recorded peak traffic between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM, indicating strong early demand. The first commercial flight to land at NMIA was an IndiGo Airbus A320 from Bengaluru at 8:00 AM, greeted with a traditional water cannon salute. Following the inaugural arrival, IndiGo flight 6E 882 to Hyderabad marked the airport's first departure at 8:40 AM.
Currently, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and Star Air are operating domestic services from NMIA. These airlines connect Navi Mumbai to nine destinations across India, including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Nanded. IndiGo will connect NMIA with 13 domestic destinations between December 25 and December 30, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa (Mopa) and Cochin. Akasa Air's inaugural flight departed from Delhi at 5:25 AM and arrived at Navi Mumbai International Airport at 8:10 AM.
In its initial phase, NMIA will operate daily between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM, with up to 24 scheduled daily departures to 13 destinations and the capacity to manage up to 10 aircraft movements per hour. Operations are planned to scale up to round-the-clock services from February 2026. The airport is designed to handle 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) initially, with future expansion planned to increase capacity to 90 MPPA, supported by cargo terminals and multimodal connectivity.
NMIA boasts 42 aircraft parking stands and aims for a 45-minute turnaround time for passengers from arrival to curbside. The airport's 5G-connected system facilitates faster flight turnaround, automated baggage solutions with real-time tracking, and contactless travel via Digi Yatra. The in-house 'aviio' app provides a one-stop solution for passenger information. Cargo operations have also commenced, with a handling capacity of 0.5 million tonnes (MT) annually.
While the launch of NMIA is a significant step, some infrastructure linked to passenger access and amenities is still in progress. Approach roads and connecting bridges are incomplete, and the nearest local train station, Targhar, is 3.2 km away with low-frequency services. Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) will operate shuttle buses from various stations to the airport terminal.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport marks Mumbai's transition to a multi-airport system, joining global aviation hubs like London, New York, Moscow, Tokyo, and Shanghai. The airport is expected to improve capacity, operational resilience, and long-term scalability in the region.
