IndiGo and Air India to Shift One-Third of Intl Flights to Navi Mumbai Airport

IndiGo and the Air India Group have announced plans to relocate roughly one-third of their international flight operations from Mumbai’s main airport to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport between January and the summer of 2027. This move contrasts with the stance taken by several foreign airlines, which have expressed opposition to shifting their services.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, IndiGo currently manages 233 weekly international departures from Mumbai airport. The airline revealed on Sunday that it intends to transfer 12 daily international flights—84 weekly departures—to Navi Mumbai. This shift represents 36.1 percent of IndiGo’s current international flights from Mumbai.

The Air India Group, which includes Air India and its low-cost arm Air India Express, operates 134 weekly international departures from Mumbai. The group identified six destinations for relocation, covering 46 weekly departures or 34.3 percent of its total international flights from Mumbai.

Both IndiGo and Air India’s decision aligns with a long-standing request by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the operator of Mumbai airport, to move about one-third of international flights to Navi Mumbai. Both MIAL and Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL), which manages the new airport, fall under the control of the Adani Group.

In recent weeks, airlines at Mumbai airport had collectively resisted MIAL’s proposal to shift flights to Navi Mumbai. The objective behind the move is to free up capacity at Mumbai airport for the planned demolition and redevelopment of Terminal 1. MIAL had initially proposed relocating 265 out of 770 weekly international departures to the new airport. The Airline Operators Committee (AOC), representing airlines at Mumbai airport, had opposed this plan until now.

Foreign carriers have voiced strong objections. For instance, Air France-KLM stated on September 30 that splitting its passenger operations between two airports would not be operationally viable. Emirates also expressed concerns on October 14, saying Navi Mumbai requires additional supporting infrastructure before it can handle large-scale international flights.

IndiGo plans to begin international flights from Navi Mumbai starting February 2027, gradually moving 12 daily international departures between February and July. The affected routes cover 11 destinations: Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka, and Jakarta. Additionally, IndiGo will introduce a new daily flight to Kathmandu, expanding its Navi Mumbai international network to 12 destinations.

To facilitate passenger transfers, IndiGo will also shift the necessary domestic flights to connect with these international services. The airline highlighted that this transition will free capacity at Mumbai airport, allowing it to expand international services in 2027 across Asia, Africa, and Europe. This expansion will utilize IndiGo’s growing fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, including the long-range A321XLR.

In a joint statement, IndiGo and Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) said the phased move is designed to ensure a transparent and fair distribution of flight capacity between Mumbai’s two airports, considering each airline’s presence and operational needs.

The Air India Group stated it will progressively shift flights to six destinations—Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat, and Sharjah—to Navi Mumbai, with completion targeted by the summer 2027 schedule. Air India Express plans to begin four daily domestic flights from Navi Mumbai in December 2026. Flights to Kuwait and existing Oman services are also set to move starting January 2027, pending required approvals.

The redevelopment of Terminal 1 at Mumbai airport is expected to reduce capacity by around 5 million passengers annually beginning summer 2027. MIAL has assured that once the terminal is redeveloped, it will restore historical slot allocations, aiming for full operational status by 2030.

Until now, airlines had questioned the rationale behind the relocation and sought detailed capacity data for Mumbai’s terminals. MIAL clarified last Monday that airlines have the flexibility to decide whether to move some or all operations to Navi Mumbai, temporarily suspend Mumbai operations during redevelopment, or pursue alternative arrangements.

This development marks a significant step in the ongoing effort to balance capacity between Mumbai’s two airports and accommodate infrastructure upgrades crucial for handling future passenger demand in India’s financial capital.