Noida International Airport is now completely ready for take offImage Credit source: ai generated
Airport tariff regulator AERA has fixed the user development fee for Noida International Airport. This fee will be Rs 490 for domestic passengers and Rs 980 for international passengers. User Development Fee (UDF) has been fixed for the period 2026-27. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) said in a release that the fee for incoming domestic passengers will be Rs 210, while for incoming international passengers this amount will be Rs 420. Noida International Airport (NIA), which was inaugurated on March 28, will start its commercial operations from June 15.
What is the new rate card?
AERA said that the UDF for each outgoing domestic passenger has been fixed at Rs 490 per passenger, while airport operator YIAPL had proposed Rs 653. The UDF for each outgoing international passenger is Rs 980, which is less than the amount of Rs 1,200 demanded by the operator. AERA said that these rates are the same as were fixed in the ad-hoc tariff order issued in August 2025. The airport tariff regulator has approved the tariffs for the first control period (2026-2031), during which the UDF for departing and arriving domestic and international passengers will gradually increase.
Who will handle the airport?
Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, will operate the airport under a public-private partnership. AERA said the fee fixed for NIA is at par with the national average of UDF at major airports and is also within the range of UDF currently charged at non-major airports. In order to encourage airlines to launch new routes, increase flights and expand their network from this airport in the initial years, AERA has allowed a Variable Tariff Plan (VTP) for the airport. This plan will mainly be for landing and parking charges. For the period from June 15, 2026 to March 31, 2027, landing charges for aircraft will be Rs 725 per metric tonne (MT) for domestic flights and Rs 1,088 per MT for international flights.
Landing charges will increase gradually
Landing charges for domestic and international flights will gradually increase to Rs 1,081 and Rs 1,622 respectively in FY31 (April 1, 2030 to March 31, 2031). In the current financial year ending March 31, 2027, AERA said parking charges at the airport will be Rs 25 for the first two hours after the free parking period and Rs 50 for more than four hours. This amount will increase marginally during the five-year concession period ending March 31, 2031.
What is YPP?
Amid concerns raised in some quarters over airport charges, AERA said the yield per passenger (YPP) is generally higher for greenfield airports compared to mature brownfield airports. YPP is used to determine airport charges and make airport operations viable. According to the regulatory body, the fee structure of a greenfield airport cannot be directly compared with established brownfield airports with large passenger traffic. The organization further said that greenfield airports require significant initial investment to bring the airport infrastructure to a ready state for commercial operations, as well as to ensure compliance with all statutory safety and security obligations.
Airport will be completed in four phases
In 2030-31, the UDF for departing domestic and international passengers will be Rs 693 and Rs 1,461, respectively. During that period, the UDF for arriving domestic and international passengers will be Rs 297 and Rs 626 respectively. NIA, which was originally scheduled to begin passenger services in September 2024, is being developed in four phases along with a dedicated cargo terminal. The 40-year concession period for this airport, codenamed ‘DXN’, began on 1 October 2021. In the first phase, which will have one runway and one terminal, this airport will have the capacity to handle 12 million passengers annually. On completion of the fourth phase, the passenger handling capacity will increase to 70 million annually.
