IndiGo and Air India Express to Shift Mumbai Flights Starting December 2026
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IndiGo and Air India Express will move selected flights from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport starting in December 2026. The phased relocation allows Adani Airport Holdings Ltd to prepare Terminal 1 for redevelopment ahead of 2030 while protecting existing airline slots.
Air India Express begins the migration by launching four daily domestic flights from Navi Mumbai in December 2026. IndiGo will start international operations from the facility in February 2027, transferring 12 daily overseas departures alongside domestic feeder connections.
The joint announcements made on October 25 outline plans to redistribute passenger traffic across the dual-airport system without causing abrupt disruptions. Terminal 1 upgrades at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport require capacity adjustments, with Navi Mumbai serving as an alternative hub after opening for commercial flights in December 2025.
Staged Rollout Across Two Facilities
IndiGo’s international migration begins in February 2027 and runs through July 2027. The airline will progressively transfer 12 daily international departures currently operating from CSMIA. These cover existing services to Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka and Jakarta.
IndiGo will also introduce a daily service to Kathmandu. With this addition, the airline expects to serve 12 international destinations from NMIA between February and July 2027. It will shift supporting domestic flights as well so that passengers can make onward connections at the new airport. Specific transfer dates will be announced once coordination and operating approvals are complete.
“The joint announcements made on October 25 outline plans to redistribute passenger traffic across the dual-airport system without causing abrupt disruptions.”
Air India Express will begin the transition earlier. The airline plans to operate four daily domestic flights from NMIA starting in December 2026. From January 2027, it intends to move existing services to Oman and launch planned services to Kuwait, subject to the required regulatory approvals for Kuwait.
The Air India Group will also progressively shift Air India Express flights to Jeddah, Riyadh , Dammam, Doha, Muscat and Sharjah to NMIA. The process is expected to be completed by the IATA Northern Summer 2027 season. Operating from both airports will allow the group to retain its historical slots at CSMIA while continuing to serve the market.
Slot Preservation and Terminal Realignment
The moves are intended to ease congestion at the existing airport and support growing passenger demand in the Mumbai metropolitan region. By shifting a portion of flights to NMIA, the airlines and AAHL can free up space at CSMIA without forcing sudden disruptions for passengers. Any further adjustments needed for Terminal 1 work at CSMIA are expected to be handled at Terminal 2.
According to the joint statement issued by IndiGo and Adani Airport Holdings, “The phased transition is intended to support a transparent, equitable and proportionate rebalancing of capacity across Mumbai’s dual airport system, taking into account each airline’s presence at CSMIA.”
The companies said the approach would provide greater planning certainty for airlines and passengers while minimising operational disruption.
Building Out the Dual Hub Network
The transfers mark a significant step in building NMIA as a complementary hub. By redistributing selected domestic and West Asia routes, the airlines free capacity at CSMIA for potential new long-haul services. For passengers, the change means some flights currently departing from Mumbai will move to Navi Mumbai over the coming months, with clear timelines already outlined for the initial phases.
Questions & Answers
Q.Why are flights being transferred from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport?
Why are flights being transferred from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport?
The phased relocation allows Adani Airport Holdings to prepare Terminal 1 for redevelopment ahead of 2030 while protecting airline slots. Shifting selected flights to the new airport also eases congestion and balances passenger capacity across Mumbai's dual-airport network.
Q.What is the schedule for Air India Express to move its operations to Navi Mumbai?
What is the schedule for Air India Express to move its operations to Navi Mumbai?
Air India Express starts the migration in December 2026 with four daily domestic flights before transferring West Asia routes between January and the Northern Summer 2027 season. The carrier will move flights to destinations including Oman, Kuwait, Doha, Riyadh, and Jeddah.
Q.Which international services will IndiGo operate from the new airport?
Which international services will IndiGo operate from the new airport?
IndiGo will shift 12 daily overseas departures to Navi Mumbai between February and July 2027 alongside domestic feeder flights. The transfer covers destinations including Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, Muscat, Dhaka, and Jakarta, whilst also introducing a new daily route to Kathmandu.