Mumbai: The Air India Group has announced its intention to begin commercial flight operations from the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from the outset of its first phase. The group’s value carrier, Air India Express, will be a key partner in the airport’s initial operations, with plans to significantly expand its services in the coming years.
In the first phase of the airport’s launch, Air India Express is scheduled to operate 20 daily departures, equating to 40 Air Traffic Movements (ATMs), connecting 15 cities across India. This partnership is part of a broader strategy by the Air India Group to enhance both domestic and international connectivity and support India’s ambition to become the world’s third-largest air passenger market by 2030.
The airline group’s expansion plans extend beyond the initial launch. By mid-2026, it aims to scale up its operations to 55 daily departures – 110 ATMs – which will include up to five daily international flights from NMIA. The group further intends to increase this to 60 daily departures, or 120 ATMs, by Winter 2026, connecting passengers to a growing network of key domestic and global destinations.
Commenting on the development, Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India said, “We look forward to commencing operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport, as Mumbai joins the league of world cities with more than one airport. We are happy to work with Adani Airports to build NMIA not only as a point that connects to the rest of India, but also as one of the country’s key global transit hubs for both – passengers and cargo – given its strategic geographical location.”
Arun Bansal, CEO of Adani Airport Holdings, said that Air India Group’s ambitious expansion plans and global vision are perfectly aligned with Adani Airport’s aim of making NMIA a benchmark in global aviation. “The collaboration will redefine Mumbai’s connectivity landscape and strengthen India’s twin-airport strategy,” he said.
Air India Express’s planned presence at NMIA is expected to substantially boost connectivity for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and facilitate seamless international transits through the new airport.
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is being developed in five phases. The initial launch phase is designed to accommodate 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and handle 0.5 million metric tons (MMT) of cargo. Once fully completed, the airport will have the capacity to serve 90 MPPA and handle 3.2 MMT of cargo annually.
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