Navi Mumbai Airport begins international operations with Air India Express Abu Dhabi flight

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began international operations on Wednesday by launching its first overseas service with Air India Express to Abu Dhabi. The inaugural flight used a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying around 100 passengers, departing NMIA at 2:55 a.m. IST and landing in Abu Dhabi after roughly two and a half hours. The airline will operate the route three times per week. As the flight prepared to depart, the pilot in command described it as a “historic flight and a landmark journey,” while the aircraft also carried NMIA’s first global perishable export shipment, highlighting cargo expansion. NMIA began domestic operations on December 25, 2025, and in under seven months connected 46 domestic destinations, served more than 2.3 million passengers, and handles about 150 air traffic movements daily. The airport is developed in phases by NMIAL, with AAHL holding a 74% stake and CIDCO the remainder.