PM Modi inaugurates Noida International Airport: When will operations begin at Jewar?

Delhi-NCR’s second international airport at Jewar in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

The Noida International Airport is expected to transform the connectivity and fuel the economic growth of the NCR and the surrounding districts.

The first phase of the airport and the part being inaugurated on Saturday was built at a cost of Rs 11,282. The larger vision for the airport was pegged at around Rs 29,560 crore.

A day before the inauguration, PM Modi said that the Noida international airport will not just strengthen commerce and connectivity but also ease the pressure on Indira Gandhi airport in Delhi .

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the inauguration was a historic day of pride ,"I congratulate all the citizens of the state and the entire nation. Today, the whole state is dancing with joy."

“BJP is set to win the 2027 elections again with a massive majority, but our primary focus remains development. We aim to build a country where even a common man wearing 'Hawai Chappals' can afford 'Hawai Yatra' (flight travel). This airport is a major step toward that vision,” he said.

The Noida International Airport was developed to complement the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The airports are to function as an integrated aviation system, easing congestion and expanding passenger capacity.

While officials say the airport is physically ready, commercial services will commence at the airport only after final approvals, including tariff clearance and airline scheduling, are completed. Limited domestic flights are to likely to commence first before it gradually expands to full scale domestic and international services.

The airport has already secured an aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a key requirement for operations. Airports typically take around 45 days to two months after licensing to complete coordination with airlines, ground handlers and other stakeholders before flights are launched, NDTV reported.

The airport is spread over 1,300 hectares. The first phase includes one runway and a terminal capable of handling around 12 million passengers annually

At its final form, the airport is set to have five runways and a capacity of 70 million passengers per year by 2040, which will make it one of Asia's largest aviation hubs.