NEW DELHI: Air India Express has announced direct flights between Navi Mumbai International Airport and Abu Dhabi. The move makes it the first airline to operate international services from Maharashtra’s newest airport.
Flights are scheduled to begin on 15 July 2026 with bookings already open across airline’s website, mobile app, and other major booking platforms.
New gateway for Mumbai travellers
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is the latest addition to Maharashtra’s aviation infrastructure.
With this new route, travellers across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will have second departure point for flights to the UAE reducing dependence on the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.
The route directly links Navi Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, and gives passengers from Navi Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and surrounding areas easier access to international travel without crossing into the city.
Flight schedule and frequency
Flights on the Navi Mumbai to Abu Dhabi route will start with two weekly services on Wednesdays and Fridays.
From 29 July 2026, the frequency will increase to three weekly flights, adding Sundays to the schedule.
Departure timings are as follows:
From Navi Mumbai: 02:55 (local), arriving Abu Dhabi at 04:35
From Abu Dhabi: 05:45 (local), arriving Navi Mumbai at 10:20
The schedule remains the same after the frequency increase, with Sunday added as a third operating day from 29 July.
Air India Express operations at Navi Mumbai
With the Abu Dhabi route now confirmed, Air India Express will run 30 weekly flights from Navi Mumbai International Airport.
The airline currently connects the airport to Bengaluru and Delhi on domestic routes. Abu Dhabi becomes the first international destination served from Navi Mumbai.
The airline’s overall presence in Maharashtra is spread across multiple cities. From Mumbai, it operates over 95 weekly flights.
From Pune, the count crosses 100 weekly flights. Nagpur sees 14 weekly flights. The addition of Navi Mumbai further extends its footprint across the state.
Air India Express operates one of the larger networks between India and West Asia. Its destinations in the region cover Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Multiple Indian cities are connected to these destinations through its route network.
Air India Express is part of the Tata Group. It operates over 500 daily flights covering 43 domestic and 16 international destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia.
The fleet consists of over 100 aircraft including Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. - The Statesman/ANN
