Air India Express is set to become the first airline to launch international operations from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), with bookings for its inaugural Navi Mumbai–Abu Dhabi flight opening on Saturday, June 20, according to a source-based report by PTI. The flight itself is scheduled to depart on July 15, 2026, the agency said.
If AIX confirms this, this marks a significant milestone for NMIA, a greenfield facility owned by the Adani Group and located at Ulwe in Navi Mumbai, in which Maharashtra's urban planning and infrastructure body CIDCO holds a 26 per cent stake.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport in October last year, and it began domestic commercial operations on December 25, 2025.
With international passenger services now imminent, the airport is on course to fulfil its original purpose as a second major aviation hub for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region that has long been constrained by the capacity limits of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
NMIA CEO BVJK Sharma announced at the BCBA Logistics Conclave in Mumbai on June 17 that they were looking to start both international passenger and freighter operations by July 15. The latest agency report hints at the same.
Customs authorities have already inspected NMIA's readiness for international operations, with a formal trade notice from customs expected around July 5.
IndiGo is also confirmed to operate international flights from NMIA, and other domestic and foreign carriers are expected to follow suit.
Currently, NMIA handles approximately 20,000 passengers per day across 150 arrivals and departures. The airport is targeting a surge to 50,000 daily passengers and 380 daily air traffic movements by the end of 2026.
[With inputs from agencies]
