Air India and IndiGo plan major flight transition to Navi Mumbai Airport
Air India Group and IndiGo have announced plans to progressively transfer selected domestic and international flight operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), as part of a broader reorganisation of aviation capacity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The announcements, made separately on October 25 in cooperation with Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), outline phased transitions beginning in December 2026 and continuing through 2027. The changes are intended to support the redevelopment of CSMIA Terminal 1 while expanding the operational role of Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The planned transfers form part of Mumbai’s emerging dual-airport system, with both facilities expected to accommodate domestic and international services. The transition is also designed to manage capacity requirements at CSMIA while allowing airlines to develop additional operations at NMIA.
Air India Express to begin transition in December
Air India Group plans to begin the phased transition of selected Air India Express operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport in December 2026, initially with four daily domestic flights.
International services are expected to follow from January 2027, including existing services to Oman and planned operations to Kuwait. The proposed Kuwait services remain subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.
Air India Express will also progressively transfer services to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat and Sharjah from CSMIA to NMIA. The airline expects the transition of these services to be completed by the IATA Northern Summer 2027 season.
According to Air India Group, the move is aligned with the wider airport transition programme and is intended to preserve the historical status of its existing operating slots at CSMIA.
The airline group expects operations across both airports to provide additional connectivity options for passengers travelling within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
IndiGo plans international expansion from February 2027
IndiGo and Adani Airport Holdings have also announced plans to begin international operations from Navi Mumbai International Airport in February 2027, followed by a progressive expansion of services.
Under the proposed arrangement, IndiGo will transfer 12 daily international departures from CSMIA to NMIA, covering its existing operations to Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka and Jakarta.
The airline also intends to introduce a new daily service to Kathmandu, bringing its planned international network at Navi Mumbai to 12 destinations between February and July 2027.
IndiGo will transfer the domestic connectivity required to support these international services, allowing passengers to make onward connections through NMIA. The airline and airport operator are working together on the infrastructure needed to facilitate transfers between domestic and international flights.
The planned transition is intended to support IndiGo’s longer-term development of Navi Mumbai as an international hub.
At the same time, the redistribution of existing services is expected to create additional capacity at CSMIA for IndiGo’s planned international expansion during 2027.
The airline intends to introduce further services across Asia, Africa and Europe using its expanding fleet of Airbus A320-family and A321XLR aircraft. These plans are intended to accommodate growth without adding further pressure to the existing airport’s capacity.
IndiGo has not yet confirmed the final dates for individual service transfers. These will be announced following the completion of operational coordination and receipt of the relevant approvals.
Dual-airport strategy supports Terminal 1 redevelopment
The planned changes are part of a wider effort to redistribute airline operations between Mumbai’s two international airports while supporting the redevelopment of Terminal 1 at CSMIA.
The redevelopment programme is expected to require capacity reductions at the existing terminal, with the transition of selected airline services to NMIA intended to help accommodate those changes.
For IndiGo, the associated transfer of domestic operations will contribute to the capacity adjustments required for the Terminal 1 redevelopment, which is targeted for completion by 2030.
The airline and Adani Airport Holdings also intend to coordinate any additional adjustments needed at CSMIA, including the accommodation of affected Terminal 1 services at Terminal 2 where required.
Adani Airport Holdings said Navi Mumbai International Airport is being developed with advanced technology, multimodal connectivity and infrastructure designed to accommodate future aviation growth.
The coordinated transition of Air India Express and IndiGo services represents a further stage in the development of Mumbai’s dual-airport system.
While the airlines have outlined their intended schedules and network changes, the implementation of individual services will remain subject to operational readiness, coordination and applicable regulatory approvals.
