IndiGo, Air India Group to Shift Flights to Navi Mumbai From December, Clearing Way for CSMIA'S Terminal 1 Revamp

IndiGo and Air India Express will progressively shift selected domestic and international flights from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from December 2026, paving the way for CSMIA's Terminal 1 redevelopment and expanding aviation capacity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Air India Express plans to begin four daily domestic flights from NMIA in December 2026, followed by a phased transfer of its West Asia operations from January 2027. IndiGo will begin international operations from the new airport in February 2027, progressively moving 12 daily international departures from CSMIA and expanding its network to 12 destinations by July 2027.

The transition follows nearly 18 months of consultations between the airport operator and airlines. It aims to ease congestion at CSMIA while allowing airlines to expand operations as NMIA develops its international network.

Which Flights Will Move to Navi Mumbai?

IndiGo plans to transfer its existing international services to Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka and Jakarta from CSMIA to NMIA. The airline will also introduce a daily service to Kathmandu, taking its international network at the new airport to 12 destinations between February and July 2027.

IndiGo will also shift domestic services needed to support these international flights, enabling passengers to connect between domestic and international routes at NMIA.

The move will free up capacity at CSMIA, allowing IndiGo to introduce additional international services across Asia, Africa and Europe in 2027. The expansion will be supported by its Airbus A320 and A321 fleet, including A321XLR aircraft.

Air India Express will progressively move services to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat and Sharjah. The transition is expected to be completed by the IATA Northern Summer 2027 season. Its planned Kuwait services from NMIA remain subject to the necessary approvals, with the airline outlining a January 2027 timeline for the planned Kuwait services and existing Oman operations.

The final operating dates and service adjustments will depend on project coordination and regulatory approvals.

How Will the Shift Affect Terminal 1 Redevelopment?

The relocation of selected flights will create additional capacity at CSMIA for the phased redevelopment of Terminal 1, which is targeted for completion by 2030.

The upgraded terminal is expected to increase annual passenger-handling capacity from 15 million to 20 million, a rise of around 33%. The redevelopment will include improved passenger facilities, enhanced safety measures, upgraded digital systems and more efficient passenger-processing infrastructure.

The initial phase of the transition aims to shift around five million passengers to NMIA. Of this, approximately three million passengers account for about 70% of the traffic targeted for relocation in that phase.

Around 9% of CSMIA’s annual traffic of 55 million passengers is expected to be temporarily shifted during the redevelopment, while approximately 91% will continue to operate from the existing Mumbai airport.

Why Is Navi Mumbai Airport Important?

NMIA is being developed as an additional aviation gateway for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Dividing traffic between the two airports is expected to help accommodate rising passenger demand and provide airlines with greater scope to expand their networks.

Terminal 1 at NMIA is designed to handle 20 million passengers annually, with future expansion planned to raise capacity to 90 million. The airport features digital passenger-processing systems, Digi Yatra facilities and automated baggage handling.

Road connectivity is also being strengthened. Three bridges built by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) — SBR-9, BR-4 and BR-5 — across Panvel Creek and the Gadhi River are expected to improve access to NMIA from Atal Setu, Ulwe Coastal Road, Amra Marg and NH-4B.

Planned multimodal transport links are expected to improve connections with urban centres and business districts across the region. Cargo facilities, cold-chain infrastructure and proximity to ports and industrial hubs are also expected to strengthen the airport’s role in logistics.

What Will the Dual-Airport Model Mean for Passengers?

The phased shift is intended to give Mumbai additional capacity for aviation growth while allowing CSMIA to modernise its existing infrastructure.

Passengers could benefit from a wider choice of international destinations, better domestic-to-international connections and additional flight options as airlines expand their operations at NMIA.

For airlines, distributing flights between the two airports could create more room for network expansion and help manage operations during the Terminal 1 redevelopment. IndiGo’s planned expansion across Asia, Africa and Europe illustrates how the capacity released at CSMIA could support further growth.