If you fly from Mumbai to Riyadh, Muscat or Kuwait a few times a year, there is a decent chance your next ticket will say “NMI” instead of “BOM”. Mumbai’s two biggest airline groups have just agreed to move a large chunk of their Gulf and regional flights to the new Navi Mumbai airport.
On October 25, IndiGo and the Air India Group each announced, in joint statements with Adani Airport Holdings, a phased shift of flights from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). The move starts with Air India Express domestic flights in December 2026, with most international routes following between January and the summer of 2027. The reason: CSMIA’s Terminal 1 is about to be rebuilt, and the city’s main airport needs breathing room.
Quick Facts
- Who: IndiGo, Air India Express (Air India Group) and Adani Airport Holdings, which runs both Mumbai airports
- What: Phased move of selected flights from CSMIA to Navi Mumbai International Airport
- When: From December 2026; IndiGo’s international shift from February to July 2027
- Where: From Mumbai (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai (NMIA)
- Key number: About 50 lakh (5 million) passengers a year expected to move in the first phase
IndiGo Navi Mumbai Flights: 12 International Departures a Day
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, will move 12 daily international departures from CSMIA to Navi Mumbai. According to the statement, the routes include Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka and Jakarta.
On top of that, IndiGo plans a new daily flight to Kathmandu from Navi Mumbai, taking its international network there to 12 destinations. The airline says it will also shift some domestic connecting flights, so passengers can change planes at NMIA without crossing the city.
The timeline runs from February to July 2027. IndiGo has said final dates depend on project coordination and operating approvals, so nothing is locked yet. The airline described the move as “the next step” in building NMIA as a long-term international hub.
Air India Express Navi Mumbai Plan: Domestic First, Gulf Next
Air India Express goes first. It will start four daily domestic flights from Navi Mumbai in December 2026. In January 2027, its existing Oman services are set to move, and a planned Kuwait service will begin from NMIA, subject to approvals.
After that, the airline will progressively shift its flights to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat and Sharjah. The whole process is expected to wrap up by the IATA Northern Summer 2027 season, which is the airline industry’s summer schedule.
The Air India Group said the move helps it keep serving Mumbai while preserving the “historicity” of its existing slots at CSMIA. In plain words, it does not lose its valuable take-off and landing rights at the old airport.
Why Mumbai Terminal 1 Redevelopment Is Driving This
CSMIA handles around 55 million passengers a year and has little room to grow. Its older Terminal 1 is now due for a full rebuild, targeted for completion by 2030, according to Free Press Journal.
The report says the rebuilt T1 will handle about 20 million passengers a year, up from about 15 million, with safety upgrades, better passenger facilities and improved digital processing. IndiGo’s T1 operations that stay in Mumbai will be shifted to Terminal 2.
Even after the shift, around 91% of CSMIA’s traffic is expected to stay at the old airport during the works. Of the roughly 5 million passengers moving in the first phase, about 3 million come from IndiGo’s share. The plan reportedly came out of about 18 months of talks between airlines and Adani Airport Holdings.
What Happens to Airline Slots at CSMIA
Slots are the lifeblood of a busy airport. Airlines fight hard for them, and giving them up is usually permanent. Here, the airport operator has said historical slots will be restored once the redeveloped terminal opens, which is likely why the airlines agreed to the move.
There is also a growth angle for IndiGo. Freeing up capacity lets it plan new international routes in 2027 across Asia, Africa and Europe using its A320, A321 and long-range A321XLR jets, according to the reports.
Why This Matters for Navi Mumbai Airport
NMIA opened for commercial flights on December 25, 2025. It is built for 20 million passengers a year in its first phase, with plans to expand to 90 million over time. So far it has been mostly a domestic airport. This deal gives it a serious international schedule, especially to the Gulf, where lakhs of Indians live and work.
For Adani Airports, which operates both Mumbai airports, it also creates a true two-airport system, similar to London or New York. Adani Airport Holdings said NMIA is being built with advanced technology, multimodal connectivity and scalable infrastructure.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- Exact switch dates for each route. Both airlines say final dates will come after approvals.
- Whether the Air India Group’s full-service Air India flights will also move, or only Air India Express services.
- How fares at NMIA will compare with CSMIA on the same routes.
- Whether Akasa Air or foreign airlines will follow with similar moves.
What This Means for You
- Check the airport code: When booking any Mumbai flight for 2027, look for BOM (CSMIA) or NMI (Navi Mumbai) before you pay.
- Recheck old bookings: If you have already booked a Gulf trip for early 2027, watch for schedule-change emails from the airline.
- Plan your ride: Navi Mumbai is a different journey from South or Western Mumbai, so factor in travel time to the airport.
- Gulf travellers, take note: Air India and IndiGo had already suspended some Saudi routes recently, so confirm both the flight status and the airport.
Our Take
This was always going to happen. Mumbai’s main airport has been bursting at the seams for years, and a brand-new airport next door cannot stay half-empty. A phased move with slot protection is a sensible way to do it. The real test will be on the ground: whether passengers find it easy to reach Navi Mumbai, and whether airlines communicate changes clearly enough that nobody turns up at the wrong airport with a suitcase and a visa.
FAQs
Which IndiGo flights are moving to Navi Mumbai airport?
IndiGo will move 12 daily international departures, including flights to Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka and Jakarta, between February and July 2027.
When will Air India Express start flying from Navi Mumbai?
Air India Express plans four daily domestic flights from NMIA starting December 2026, with Oman and Kuwait services from January 2027.
Why are flights being moved out of Mumbai airport?
CSMIA’s Terminal 1 is being redeveloped, with completion targeted by 2030. Moving some flights to Navi Mumbai frees capacity for the works.
Will these flights come back to Mumbai CSMIA?
The airport operator says airlines’ historical slots at CSMIA will be restored once the redeveloped terminal opens. Whether individual routes move back is up to the airlines.
Based on reporting by ANI (via Punjab Kesari), Free Press Journal and Gulf News.
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