The airlines IndiGo and Air India Group will shift selected flight operations from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport, facilitating the redevelopment of CSMIA’s Terminal 1 and enhancing the capacity of Mumbai’s dual-airport system.
New Delhi: In a significant development for the aviation sector in Mumbai, IndiGo and the Air India Group have announced plans to progressively move specific domestic and international flight operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the newly constructed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). This strategic transition is aimed at easing capacity constraints at CSMIA and facilitating the redevelopment of Terminal 1.
Details of the Transition
Air India Express has outlined a schedule to commence four daily domestic flights from NMIA in December 2026, with plans to gradually shift its West Asia operations starting January 2027. Similarly, IndiGo is set to initiate international operations from NMIA in February 2027, with plans to transfer 12 daily international departures from CSMIA and expand its network to 12 destinations by July 2027.
The decision to transition operations follows nearly 18 months of consultations between the airport operator and the airlines, emphasizing a broader redevelopment agenda. The shift is designed to create additional capacity at CSMIA, allowing for the redevelopment of Terminal 1 and enabling airlines to broaden their operations as NMIA develops its international network.
Flight Operations Overview
Under the transition plan, IndiGo will transfer its existing international services from CSMIA to a range of destinations including Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka, and Jakarta. Additionally, the airline will introduce a new daily service to Kathmandu, thereby expanding its international network at NMIA.
IndiGo’s operational adjustments will also include necessary domestic connectivity to support these international routes, facilitating seamless onward connections for passengers traveling between domestic and international flights at NMIA. The airline anticipates that the transition will free up capacity at CSMIA, enabling it to launch additional international services across Asia, Africa, and Europe in 2027, leveraging its expanding fleet of Airbus A320/A321 and A321XLR aircraft.
Air India Express plans to shift its services to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat, and Sharjah, with a completion target aligned with the IATA Northern Summer 2027 season. The timeline for its planned Kuwait services remains contingent upon necessary approvals. Both airlines have indicated that final operating schedules and adjustments will be subject to project coordination and regulatory permissions.
Implications for CSMIA Terminal 1 Redevelopment
The relocation of select airline operations is a critical component of the phased redevelopment of CSMIA’s Terminal 1, which is projected for completion by 2030. This modernized terminal is expected to increase its annual passenger capacity from 15 million to 20 million, marking an approximate 33 percent increase. Enhancements will include upgraded passenger facilities, improved safety protocols, and advanced digital systems aimed at streamlining passenger processing.
The initial phase of the airport redevelopment plan aims to transition approximately five million passengers to NMIA, including around three million, which constitutes about 70 percent of the traffic anticipated for relocation during this phase. Overall, it is estimated that around 9 percent of CSMIA’s annual traffic of 55 million passengers will be temporarily moved as part of the Terminal 1 redevelopment, while approximately 91 percent will continue to operate from the existing airport.
This transition is also intended to meet IndiGo’s share of the capacity reductions required for the redevelopment. Both IndiGo and Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) have stated that any additional operational adjustments necessary for IndiGo at CSMIA Terminal 1 will be accommodated at Terminal 2.
The Role of Navi Mumbai Airport in the Aviation Landscape
Navi Mumbai International Airport is being developed as a vital additional aviation gateway for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, aimed at distributing traffic more evenly between the two airports in response to growing passenger demand. Terminal 1 at NMIA is designed to handle 20 million passengers annually, with future expansions projected to increase capacity to 90 million passengers.
Equipped with modern passenger-processing infrastructure, including digital systems, Digi Yatra, and automated baggage handling, NMIA is poised to deliver enhanced operational efficiency for both passengers and airlines. In addition, ongoing enhancements to road connectivity, including the construction of bridges by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO), will improve access to NMIA from various urban centers and business districts.
Impact on Passengers and Airlines
The phased transition is expected to provide Mumbai with additional aviation capacity while allowing CSMIA to modernize its infrastructure. Passengers can anticipate a broader selection of international destinations, improved connections between domestic and international flights, and increased services as airlines expand their operations at NMIA.
For airlines, distributing operations between CSMIA and NMIA is likely to yield greater opportunities for network expansion and more predictable planning during the redevelopment period. IndiGo’s planned expansion across Asia, Africa, and Europe illustrates how the capacity released at CSMIA could facilitate further growth in the aviation sector.
