IndiGo to become first airline to take off from Navi Mumbai International Airport

IndiGo will become the first airline to commence operations from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) developed by billionaire Gautam Adani. The airline will operate 18 daily departures (36 Air Traffic Movements (ATMs)) from NMIA to over 15 cities from day one.

This will be increased to 79 daily departures (158 ATMs), including 14 international departures by November ’25, and further scaled up to over 100 daily departures (200 ATMS) by March ’26. By November ’26, the operations will be further built up to 140 daily departures (280 ATMs), including 30 international departures.

IndiGo and Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. (AAHL), the largest operator of PPP airports in India, mark another industry-first milestone with the announcement of the commencement of commercial flights from NMIA, said the low-cost airline in a statement. "This partnership will fuel aviation growth in the country, making it a key driver for India to become the third largest aviation economy by 2030."

"Our alliance signals towards achievement of complete operational readiness on both sides to take next steps. This expansion underscores our dedication to catering to the evolving needs of our aspirational travellers and further contributing to the growth of India's booming aviation sector. The new flights from the brand-new NMIA will elevate the travel experience of our customers while enjoying affordable, on-time hassle-free services on our unparalleled network," said Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo.

Arun Bansal, CEO, AAHL said, this partnership marks a major step towards confirming NMIA’s position as a transfer hub for domestic and international travellers. "Together, we are poised to transform travel experience for millions of passengers, providing them both convenience and enhanced travel options. Our collaboration is set to strengthen NMIA’s role as an aviation gateway for the region and for travellers nationally and internationally.”

The Adani Group’s new $2.1 billion airport is a landmark infrastructure project for the sprawling metropolis of 21 million people aimed at reducing aviation bottlenecks and creating an international transit hub similar to Dubai, London or Singapore. Local authorities plan to build an “aero city” around the new airport to boost non-aviation sources of revenue.

Both the existing Mumbai airport and the new one on the city outskirts are managed by the Adani Group, putting the Indian ports-to-power conglomerate in a strong position.

The new airport — with a lotus-shaped building mimicking India’s national flower — will initially operate one terminal with an annual capacity of 20 million passengers, according to a Bloomberg report. If demand is strong, it can be ramped up in phases to handle 90 million passengers through the next decade.

Some airlines have been told to target a shift between April and June for domestic operations with the airport expected to start international flights in August, the report added.