Air India Group and Adani Airports on Sunday announced a phased transition of flight operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA).
The strategic shift is part of a broader transition plan aimed at facilitating the comprehensive redevelopment of Terminal 1 at CSMIA while establishing a dual-airport ecosystem for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Under the plan, low-cost carrier Air India Express will kick off operations at NMIA with four daily domestic flights starting in December 2026. Services to Kuwait (subject to regulatory approvals) and existing routes to Oman are slated to begin in January 2027.
The group plans to progressively transition Air India Express services to major West Asian destinations — including Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat, and Sharjah — to NMIA, with full completion expected by the IATA Northern Summer 2027 season.
Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) welcomed the move, stating that NMIA is equipped with scalable infrastructure and advanced technology to support future regional traffic. The dual-airport setup will allow Air India Group to maintain its historical operating slots at CSMIA while enhancing regional connectivity.