Navi Mumbai International Airport
The country’s financial capital Mumbai got a big gift today. Commercial operations formally began at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on Thursday, December 25. Earlier on Wednesday evening, a grand drone show was organized in the sky of Navi Mumbai with the help of 1,515 drones, which caught everyone’s attention. In the drone show, figures like airport logo, 3D blooming lotus, green airport, rise of India and a plane flying over Mumbai were created.
Drone show became a special attraction
Disabled persons, airport employees, young athletes and a large number of local people were present to watch this show organized before the start of commercial flights. The design of Navi Mumbai Airport is inspired by the national flower of India, Lotus, which was clearly visible in both this drone show and the architecture of the airport.
first flights of the first day
The first flight at Navi Mumbai International Airport was IndiGo’s 6E460, which landed here from Bengaluru at 8 am. After this, Indigo flight 6E882 left for Hyderabad at 8:40 am, which became the first commercial flight to take off from this airport.
Limited operations in initial phase
According to the airport management, in the first month of operation, NMIA will operate from 8 am to 8 pm, i.e. 12 hours. During this period, around 23 scheduled flights will be handled daily and there will be a maximum of 10 flight movements per hour.
24 hour operation from February 2026
The airport said that from the beginning, Indigo, Air India Express and Akasa Air will connect Navi Mumbai with 16 cities of the country. The airport will operate 24 hours from February 2026 and around 34 flights are expected to operate daily.
Preparations for security and partnership completed
Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) trial is going on at NMIA, in which airlines and security agencies are involved. CISF has been deployed for airport security from 29 October 2025.
Airport developed on PPP model
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated NMIA on 8 October. This airport has been developed on the public-private partnership model between MIAL and CIDCO, a subsidiary of Adani Airports Holdings Limited. Adani Group has 74% stake in it and CIDCO has 26% stake.