MUMBAI- IndiGo (6E) plans to shift 12 daily international departures from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI) between February and July 2027.
Air India Express (IX) will begin moving selected domestic and West Asia services to NMI in December 2026. The phased changes will support Mumbai airport’s Terminal 1 redevelopment and expand operations at the new airport.
IndiGo to Transfer 12 Daily International Departures
IndiGo and Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) announced on October 25, 2026, that they were finalising plans to transfer selected international operations from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai. The move will form part of a broader redistribution of airline traffic across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s two airports.
IndiGo plans to begin international operations from NMI in February 2027 and progressively transfer 12 daily international departures from BOM. The airline expects to complete the transition between February and July 2027, subject to operational coordination and the required approvals.
12 International Destinations Planned
The transfer will cover IndiGo’s existing international services from Mumbai to 11 destinations. These include Bahrain, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, Dhaka and Jakarta.
IndiGo will also introduce a daily service to Kathmandu. This new route will increase its international network at Navi Mumbai to 12 destinations.
The distinction between flight frequency and network size is important. The airline plans to transfer 12 daily international departures, while its planned network will serve 12 international destinations, including the new Kathmandu service.
Domestic Connections to Move Alongside International Flights
IndiGo will also transfer the domestic flights needed to support connections with its international services. This arrangement will allow passengers to connect between domestic and international flights at NMI.
The airline has not yet confirmed the final transfer dates or the complete schedule of domestic services. Those details will follow after coordination with the airport operator and the relevant operating approvals.
IndiGo expects the move to release capacity at BOM for its planned international expansion in 2027. The airline intends to expand services across Asia, Africa and Europe as its fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, including the A321XLR, grows.
The transition also forms part of the capacity adjustments required at Mumbai airport as Terminal 1 redevelopment progresses. Any further changes affecting IndiGo’s operations at Terminal 1 are expected to be accommodated at Terminal 2, according to the announcement reported by Moneycontrol.
Air India Express to Shift Domestic and West Asia Flights
Air India Group will progressively transfer selected Air India Express operations from BOM to NMI. The plan covers domestic services and international flights to several West Asian destinations.
The airline will begin with four daily domestic departures from Navi Mumbai in December 2026. From January 2027, it plans to operate services to Kuwait, subject to regulatory approval, while existing services to Oman are also scheduled to move to the new airport.
Six West Asia Destinations in the Transition Plan
Air India Express will progressively move services to six destinations: Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha, Muscat and Sharjah.
The transition is expected to be completed by the IATA Northern Summer 2027 season. The exact schedule will depend on operational planning and the wider transfer of services between the two Mumbai airports.
Air India Group said the move followed continued discussions with the airport operator and aligned with the broader transition of domestic and international airline operations to Navi Mumbai.
The group also highlighted the benefits of operating from both airports. Maintaining operations at BOM and NMI will allow it to continue serving the Mumbai market while preserving the historical nature of its existing operating slots at Mumbai airport. It will also give passengers additional travel options across the region.
Mumbai Airport Terminal 1 Redevelopment Drives the Shift
The planned transfers are part of a wider effort to balance traffic between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Mumbai airport faces capacity constraints, while its Terminal 1 redevelopment will require reductions in capacity as work progresses. Shifting selected flights to NMI is intended to create room for the redevelopment while maintaining connectivity across the metropolitan region.
The two-airport arrangement will allow airlines to distribute their services between the existing airport and the new facility. However, the announced changes represent a phased transfer of selected operations, not a complete relocation of either airline from Mumbai airport.
IndiGo will focus on transferring its international departures and the domestic connections required to support them. Air India Express will begin with domestic flights before progressively moving selected international services to West Asia.
The airlines and AAHL have said the transfers will take place in stages, with final schedules announced after the required coordination and approvals. This approach is intended to give airlines and passengers greater planning certainty while limiting operational disruption.
Navi Mumbai Airport Takes a Larger Role in Regional Aviation
The planned changes mark an important step in establishing NMI as a second aviation hub for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Its expanding domestic and international operations are expected to help distribute passenger traffic across the region’s two airports.
For IndiGo, the shift will support its international network growth while releasing capacity at BOM for additional services. For Air India Express, it will create a larger operational presence at NMI and allow selected domestic and West Asia flights to operate from the new facility.
The overall transition will depend on airline schedules, regulatory permissions, and coordination with airport operators. As the process advances through the 2026-27 period, the balance of operations between BOM and NMI will be important to both Terminal 1 redevelopment and the expansion of aviation capacity in the Mumbai region.
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