Navi Mumbai Airport set to start operations on Christmas; Akasa Air & IndiGo open for bookings

Mumbai's air travel is set for a significant transformation as the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) prepares to welcome its first passengers on Christmas Day. Inaugurated in October, this ₹19,650 crore infrastructure marvel promises to decongest Mumbai's existing airport while enhancing connectivity across India.

The festive season launch will see Akasa Air's inaugural flight from Delhi touching down on December 25, with the airline connecting Navi Mumbai to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Goa and Kochi. IndiGo will serve ten destinations including Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Lucknow, while Air India Express will also commence operations. Initially operating from 8 AM to 8 PM, the airport will handle 23 daily departures, scaling up to 34 from February 2026.

Spread across 1,160 hectares, the airport's first phase features a single terminal and runway capable of handling 20 million passengers annually. TheCISFhas already been deployed at the facility, which is currently conducting final operational trials.

For Mumbai's frequent flyers and the region's economic landscape, the new airport represents not just increased capacity, but a new era of comfortable air travel.