As the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) moves closer to becoming operational, reports indicate that the much-anticipated ticket booking process may start soon. The airport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8, is expected to handle its first flight by December 2025. Earlier, CIDCO Managing Director and Vice-Chairman Vijay Singhal confirmed that preparations for commercial operations are on schedule. The NMIA project has been a long-awaited milestone for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, promising to boost regional air connectivity and ease congestion at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
While no official statement has been issued by NMIA authorities yet, Maharashtra Times reported, citing sources, that the ticket booking for direct flights from NMIA is likely to begin after November 15. Leading airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Air India Express are gearing up to start flight services from the new airport, initially connecting major domestic cities. IndiGo, the first airline to announce operations on May 28, plans 18 daily departures to 15 Indian destinations. Air India Express will operate 20 daily flights, while Akasa Air will start with 100 weekly domestic flights, scaling up to 300 domestic and 50 international departures by winter 2026.
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The Navi Mumbai International Airport has been assigned the IATA location code “NMI.” Following its inauguration, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officially took over airport security, deploying around 900 personnel in the initial phase, which will later expand to 1,800 officers. Developed at a cost of ₹19,650 crore, NMIA is India’s largest greenfield airport project. It is expected to play a crucial role in reducing air traffic pressure on Mumbai’s CSMIA and transforming Navi Mumbai into a major aviation and business hub.