Mumbai international flights to Navi Mumbai will be shifted across 14 destinations from March 28, 2027, as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) prepares to rebuild Terminal 1 (T1).
Foreign airlines operating from CSMIA have recommended moving some international services to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) during the redevelopment, according to sources. Indian carriers IndiGo, Air India Group and Akasa Air have already agreed to shift services.
Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) Chief Airport Officer Vishnu Mohan Jhahas informed the Civil Aviation Ministry about the recommendation. The proposal was made to Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), which operates CSMIA, sources said.
14 international destinations to move to Navi Mumbai
From March 28, 2027, the beginning of the IATA Summer Schedule, CSMIA will temporarily suspend slots for international flights serving 14 destinations.
These include Bahrain, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Fujairah, Jakarta, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait City, Madinah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Riyadh and Sharjah.
The services will shift to NMIA. The arrangement is intended to keep flights on each route at a single airport within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), instead of splitting operations between the two airports.
MIAL needs to transfer around five million passengers per annum (mppa) from CSMIA. Indian carriers account for approximately three mppa of this traffic. Consolidating Gulf services at one airport is also intended to reduce passenger inconvenience.
According to the airport chief’s letter, around 91 per cent of CSMIA’s existing capacity will remain unaffected.
IndiGo, Air India and Akasa outline flight transfers
IndiGo announced last month that it would progressively move 12 daily international departures to NMIA. The airline plans to operate international services to 12 destinations from the new airport between February and July 2027.
Air India Group has outlined a phased transfer of services. Air India Express will begin four daily domestic flights from NMIA in December 2026.
The airline plans to introduce Kuwait services, subject to approvals, and move existing Oman services from January 2027. Flights to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat and Sharjah are scheduled to shift by Northern Summer 2027.
Akasa Air has also said its Mumbai-Jeddah service will operate from NMIA starting December 2026.
CSMIA Terminal 1 redevelopment to begin in April 2027
Commissioned in 1964, CSMIA’s Terminal 1 is facing safety and structural concerns. Independent audits by Structwel and IIT Bombay have highlighted vulnerabilities in the ageing facility.
The airport plans to demolish T1 from April 2027. Completion of the replacement terminal is targeted for December 2030.
CSMIA currently has an overall capacity of around 55 mppa. The temporary transfer of five mppa is expected to leave approximately 91 per cent of its current traffic unaffected.
After the redevelopment of both T1 and Terminal 2, the airport’s total capacity is expected to increase to 65 mppa, a senior official said.
MIAL clarified that the T1 demolition and the resulting temporary reduction in CSMIA traffic are already accounted for in the approved tariff order. The order followed extensive consultations with stakeholders.
NMIA offers incentives to attract international airlines
NMIA has introduced a modified variable tariff plan approved in September. Under the plan, new international routes receive a waiver on landing fees in the first year and pay half the rack rate in the second year.
Long-haul routes covering more than 5,000 km also receive a discount in the third year.
NMIA is additionally offering cash vouchers to international passengers to offset the higher user development fee at CSMIA.
The new airport has an initial capacity of 20 mppa. Its international facilities include 55 check-in counters, 24 electronic gates, 26 emigration counters and 32 immigration counters.
The transfer of international services is planned in phases to minimise disruption to flight operations during the redevelopment of CSMIA’s Terminal 1.
