The Navi Mumbai International Airport commenced commercial flight operations on Thursday (December 25, 2025), marking a key milestone for India's civil aviation sector while expanding air travel capacity for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Navi Mumbai airport and the making of a city
The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began operations, with the first flight from Bengaluru, operated by IndiGo, touching down the runway at 8 a.m..
The aircraft was accorded a ceremonial water cannon salute on arrival, a time-honoured aviation tradition marking NMIA's first commercial touchdown and departure, the airport operator said in a statement.
The inaugural arrival was followed by the airport's first departure, an IndiGo flight 6E882 to Hyderabad at 08:40 a.m., completing NMIA's inaugural arrival and departure cycle, it said.
