IndiGo will become the first airline to begin commercial flight operations from the upcoming Adani Group-owned Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a joint statement by the airline and Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) confirmed on Wednesday.

IndiGo will operate 18 daily departures (36 air traffic movements) to over 15 Indian cities from day one. The airline plans to scale up operations to 79 daily departures, including 14 international flights, by November 2025, and to 140 daily departures with 30 international flights by November 2026.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said, “IndiGo will be the inaugural airline to operate from NMIA, and we couldn’t be more pleased to announce this. This expansion underscores our dedication to the evolving needs of travellers and the growth of India’s aviation sector.”

AAHL CEO Arun Bansal added, “Our partnership with IndiGo marks a major milestone in making NMIA a key aviation hub. Together, we are poised to transform travel for millions.”

The greenfield NMIA, spanning 1,160 hectares, will initially handle 20 million passengers and 0.5 million tonnes of cargo annually. Once fully developed, it will accommodate 90 million passengers and 3.2 million tonnes of cargo per year. The airport will feature two parallel runways and a 3,700-metre runway capable of handling large commercial jets.

This project is expected to significantly decongest the existing Mumbai airport and position Navi Mumbai as a major domestic and international transfer hub.

Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani visited the NMIA site in March 2025, affirming the group’s plan to inaugurate the airport in the first half of 2025.