Navi Mumbai International Airport Gets Aerodrome Licence From DGCAÂ
Navi Mumbai International Airport Gets Aerodrome Licence From DGCA
Navi Mumbai, October 2, 2025: Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has cleared a major hurdle on its path to operations, securing its Aerodrome Licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The approval, granted after strict safety and regulatory checks, is a crucial prerequisite for commencing commercial flights.
The first phase of operations is expected to begin with Air India Express, which plans to operate 20 daily departures connecting Navi Mumbai to 15 Indian cities. IndiGo has also confirmed it will be the first carrier to launch services from the new hub.
Spread over 1,100 hectares, NMIA boasts two parallel runways and will eventually handle up to 90 million passengers annually. Positioned as India’s first fully digital airport, it will integrate advanced technology for check-in, baggage, security, and boarding to speed up passenger processing.
While the facility promises to ease congestion at Mumbai’s overburdened airport and boost regional and international connectivity, challenges remain. The airport lies 40 km from Mumbai’s business district, with travel times ranging from two to three hours for some suburbs. A metro line linking the two airports will take years to complete, though electric shuttle services are planned in the interim.
Once operational, NMIA is expected to redefine aviation infrastructure in western India, offering airlines a chance to tap new passenger flows while positioning Navi Mumbai as a modern global gateway.
Navi Mumbai International Airport is being built in five phases, with the launch phase expected to accommodate 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and handle 0.5 million metric tons (MMT) of cargo. Upon full completion, NMIA will have the capacity to serve 90 MPPA and handle 3.2 MMT of cargo annually.
