Akasa Air will shift its Mumbai-Jeddah flight operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from December 2026, as part of a phased transition aimed at developing a dual-airport system for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Akasa Air and Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) announced the move on Monday, with the private airport operator confirming the development on Tuesday. The airline said bookings for flights operating from the new airport had opened on October 26 through its website, mobile application and leading online travel agencies.
The transition follows similar announcements by IndiGo and Air India Group, which have also outlined plans to progressively shift some of their flights from Mumbai's existing airport to Navi Mumbai beginning in December.
Shift to support dual-airport operations
The relocation of Akasa Air's Mumbai-Jeddah services is expected to strengthen international connectivity from Navi Mumbai International Airport while supporting the gradual redistribution of passenger traffic between the two facilities.
Akasa Air currently serves 31 domestic and seven international destinations. The airline said the latest move would build on its existing presence at NMIA and provide passengers with greater choice and convenient access to air travel.
The planned transition follows nearly 18 months of consultations between airlines and AAHL, which operates both Mumbai airports.
The operator has been working with carriers to establish a phased relocation programme that will create additional operational capacity at the existing Mumbai airport while supporting the development of the new facility.
Five million passengers targeted for relocation
Under the initial phase of the transition, approximately five million passengers are targeted to be shifted from CSMIA to Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The planned transfer of around three million passengers, representing approximately 60 per cent of the first-phase target, is expected to create the necessary capacity for the redevelopment of Terminal 1 at CSMIA.
The existing Mumbai airport currently handles approximately 55 million passengers annually. According to the operator, about 91 per cent of its traffic will continue to operate from CSMIA during the redevelopment programme.
The temporary relocation is intended to allow modernisation work to proceed without significantly disrupting the airport's overall operations.
Terminal 1 capacity to rise by 33 per cent
The redevelopment of CSMIA's Terminal 1 is expected to increase its annual passenger-handling capacity by approximately 33 per cent, from 15 million to 20 million.
The planned improvements include safety enhancements, upgraded passenger facilities, modernised digital systems and more efficient passenger-processing infrastructure.
AAHL has said that airlines' historical slots at CSMIA will be restored after the redevelopment is completed.
The transition is also designed to distribute airport capacity more proportionately between carriers, taking into account their existing operations at CSMIA and providing greater certainty for future flight planning.
Navi Mumbai airport designed for expansion
Navi Mumbai International Airport has been designed to handle 20 million passengers annually in its initial phase, with future expansion planned to increase its capacity to 90 million.
The airport features automated baggage-handling systems, digital passenger-processing facilities and road connectivity to business districts, logistics centres and other parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Additional multimodal transport connections are also planned to improve accessibility as passenger traffic increases.
The development of a dual-airport system is intended to expand Mumbai's overall aviation capacity, improve domestic and international connectivity and create opportunities for additional routes and airline operations.
Passengers advised to check departure airport
The phased relocation of airline services will require passengers to pay particular attention to their departure and arrival airports while booking tickets and before travelling.
With some flights continuing from CSMIA and others shifting to NMIA, passengers will need to verify their airport details to avoid confusion.
For airlines, the transition is expected to create opportunities to expand services without adding further pressure on the capacity-constrained CSMIA.
The planned shifts by Akasa Air, IndiGo and Air India Group represent an important stage in the development of Mumbai's dual-airport system, enabling the modernisation of existing infrastructure while establishing Navi Mumbai as a major domestic and international aviation gateway.