Air India Express starts thrice-weekly Abu Dhabi flights from Navi Mumbai airport.
Dubai: Travellers from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region now have a new direct route to the UAE after Navi Mumbai International Airport operated its first international flight to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Starting July 15, Air India Express began thrice-weekly Abu Dhabi flights from Navi Mumbai, signalling the airport’s entry into international aviation operations.
The international expansion comes less than 200 days after Navi Mumbai Airport began domestic operations on December 25, 2025, offering passengers across the region an alternative to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
New UAE connectivity
The Abu Dhabi route enhances air links between one of India’s largest commercial hubs and the UAE, while reinforcing Navi Mumbai Airport’s position as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s second international gateway.
Navi Mumbai Airport has handled more than 2.3 million passengers and established links to 46 domestic destinations in under seven months. The airport currently manages around 150 aircraft movements daily.
More global routes in the pipeline
The Abu Dhabi service marks the beginning of the airport’s international expansion, with more airlines and overseas destinations expected to be added to its network as operations grow.
The first international flight also transported the airport’s inaugural overseas shipment of perishable goods, creating a new avenue for Indian exporters of time-sensitive products to access global markets.
International passenger and cargo operations are expected to boost aviation capacity across Mumbai and western India while strengthening connections with global tourism and trade markets.
