NMIA To Begin Commercial Operations On Christmas Day With 23 Daily Departures

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will begin commercial operations on Christmas Day, starting with 23 daily departures, which will be increased to 34 departures from February 2026. During the first month, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s (MMR) second airport will operate for 12 hours, from 8 am to 8 pm, handling up to 10 flight movements per hour.

Phased Rollout Prioritising Passenger Safety and Reliability

The airport inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8 is adopting a carefully phased operational plan focused on safety, reliability, and passenger comfort. The addition of NMIA will significantly boost aviation capacity for the rapidly growing MMR.

To further strengthen preparedness, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was formally inducted at NMIA on 29 October 2025, with personnel deployed across all key security functions.

IndiGo to Operate First Inbound and Outbound Flights

The inaugural flight to arrive at NMIA will be IndiGo 6E-460 from Bengaluru, scheduled to land at 8 am. This will be followed by IndiGo 6E-882 to Hyderabad at 8:40 am, marking the first outbound departure from the airport.

During the initial phase, operations will be carried out by IndiGo, Air India Express, and Akasa Air, connecting Mumbai to 16 major domestic destinations.

24x7 Operations to Begin February 2026

From February 2026, NMIA will shift to round-the-clock operations, scaling up to 34 daily departures to meet growing regional demand.

Airport Conducting ORAT Trials Before Launch

“To ensure a seamless start, NMIA is conducting comprehensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) trials in collaboration with all stakeholders, including security agencies and airline partners,” a spokesperson for NMIA said.