IndiGo to Shift 12 International Flights to Navi Mumbai Airport, Ease Congestion at Mumbai Airport

IndiGo to Shift 12 Daily International Flights to Navi Mumbai Airport From February 2027

IndiGo is preparing to transfer 12 daily international departures from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport beginning February 2027. The move follows the postponement of a wider flight-transfer plan after several airlines raised objections.

Under the phased transition, IndiGo will relocate its existing services connecting Mumbai with Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka and Jakarta.

The airline will also introduce a new daily service to Kathmandu, taking its international network at Navi Mumbai to 12 destinations between February and July 2027. The development was announced in a joint statement by IndiGo and Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL).

Selected domestic flights will also be shifted to facilitate smoother connections for passengers travelling on international routes. IndiGo and AAHL are currently working out the arrangements required to transfer passengers between domestic and international services.

The final implementation dates and flight schedules will be announced after consultations are completed and the necessary operational approvals are obtained.

SHIFT AIMED AT EASING MUMBAI AIRPORT CONGESTION

The relocation is expected to release valuable capacity at CSMIA, enabling IndiGo to introduce additional international services across Asia, Africa and Europe in 2027. The expansion will be supported by the airline’s growing fleet of A320, A321 and A321XLR aircraft.

The shift of certain domestic operations is also expected to help accommodate capacity reductions associated with the planned redevelopment of Mumbai airport’s ageing Terminal 1 by 2030.

BROADER FLIGHT TRANSFER PLAN PUT ON HOLD

Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the operator of CSMIA, had earlier proposed transferring 265 of the airport’s 770 weekly international departures to Navi Mumbai from October 25. The proposal would have affected approximately 46 airlines.

The plan was designed to reduce congestion at Mumbai airport and create additional operational capacity ahead of the Terminal 1 redevelopment.

However, airlines expressed concerns about passenger convenience, flight schedules, airport capacity and the consultation process. Following these objections, the Civil Aviation Ministry directed MIAL to postpone the transfer and work towards a mutually agreed transition plan.

On October 13, MIAL announced that existing international flight allocations would remain unchanged throughout the winter schedule, which concludes on March 27, 2027. Any subsequent transfers will be undertaken following consultations with the individual airlines.

IndiGo’s proposed shift is part of this phased approach rather than the implementation of the original airport-wide plan.

NAVI MUMBAI AIRPORT EXPANDS OPERATIONS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase 1 of Navi Mumbai International Airport in October 2025, following the completion of the first stage of the project at an estimated cost of Rs 19,650 crore.

Commercial operations commenced on December 25, 2025, with IndiGo operating the airport’s first arrival from Bengaluru and its first departure to Hyderabad. International services began on July 15, 2026, with an Air India Express flight to Abu Dhabi.

The airport’s long-term development plan includes four terminals, two parallel runways and an Automated People Mover system to connect the terminals. Infrastructure for storing sustainable aviation fuel is also part of the development.

Both Mumbai airports are controlled by the Adani Group. Adani Airport Holdings Limited owns a 74 per cent stake in MIAL, which holds a 74 per cent stake in Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited.

The transfer of IndiGo’s international services is expected to strengthen Navi Mumbai’s role as an alternative aviation hub while creating additional room for growth at the existing Mumbai airport.