Navi Mumbai Airport Inauguration: When Will Flights Begin, Which Airlines Will Operate, and How Will Digital Check-Ins Ease Travel?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8. This will be India’s first fully digital airport. This airport will have facilities like pre-booking vehicle parking slots and online check-in, baggage drop, and immigration services. Queuing time monitors will show passengers their wait time for flights, and virtual queuing will allow them to block a slot and head straight to security when their turn arrives. But the question is, when will operations from this airport begin for the common man?

Navi Mumbai International Airport Operations:
Commercial operations at NMIA will begin in December 2025. Following the inauguration on October 8, a 45 to 60-day gap is kept for security sweeps, customs, immigration, and end-to-end testing. Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa will commence flight operations from NMIA after the airport’s inauguration. The airlines are currently assessing which existing flights to shift and what new routes to introduce. International operations are expected to roll out in stages once night flights receive clearance. Several other airlines have expressed interest in operating from this airport. Slot allocation is expected to saturate quickly, around 20 million passengers, as there is high-scale demand in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Airport Operation Time:
Initially, the airport will be functional for only 12 hours daily, from 8 am to 8 pm. Regularly, during this 12-hour operation time, 8 to 10 aircraft movements per hour are expected to take place. Once the initial phase ends, the Air Traffic Control will decide to extend operations further.

When Will Ticket Sales Begin?
Ticket sales for flights operating via Navi Mumbai International Airport will begin by the end of October.

How To Reach Navi Mumbai International Airport?
The route via Atal Setu, Thane Unnat Marg, and Metro Line 8 to reach the airport is under development and will be completed soon. Mumbaikars and Thanekars can reach the airport from the Belapur-Ulwe route until the above-mentioned routes become operational. People who stay at Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Mumbai, and the suburbs can reach using the Eastern Expressway via Mulund, Airoli, or via the Thane-Kalwa-Vitawa-Digha-Nerul-Belapur-Ulwe road. This is a 35 to 40 km long journey. People residing near or travelling from the Western Expressway can reach via JVLR, Eastern Expressway, or Vashi Creek Bridge. This is a 40 to 45 km long journey. People traveling from Worli can reach there by Atal Setu and Ulwe-Belapur.