Noida International Airport Opens for Commercial Flights Today

Commercial flight operations from Noida International Airport in Jewar will commence on June 15, marking the operational launch of one of India’s largest greenfield aviation projects and a major boost to connectivity in northern India.

IndiGo will operate the inaugural flight, departing Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport at 7:05 am and arriving in Jewar at 8:05 am. The airport’s first scheduled commercial departure will subsequently be a flight to Bengaluru . Akasa Air is expected to begin operations from the airport on June 16, while Air India Express has indefinitely deferred its planned launch as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

In a symbolic gesture, around 170 farmers , including 20 women, whose land was acquired for the project will travel on the inaugural flight. Local leaders said the move recognises their contribution to the airport’s development.

Located in Gautam Buddh Nagar district within the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area, the airport is expected to ease pressure on Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport while serving western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

The first phase, developed at an investment of about Rs 11,200 crore under a public-private partnership model, spans roughly 1,334 hectares and includes a runway, integrated passenger terminal, cargo facilities and air traffic control tower. The airport received its DGCA aerodrome licence on March 6 and recently completed full-scale Operational Readiness, Activation and Transition (ORAT) trials, including aircraft turnaround exercises, baggage handling and airside operations.

Initially capable of handling 12 million passengers annually , the airport is planned in four phases. Capacity is projected to rise to 30 million by 2031, 50 million by 2036 and 70 million by 2040. Long-term plans envision multiple runways and one of the world’s largest airport ecosystems.

Ahead of the launch, Uttar Pradesh introduced electric and hydrogen-powered buses and implemented a traffic management plan to improve access. IndiGo plans to connect the airport with more than 16 destinations, including Hyderabad, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Srinagar and Pantnagar. Officials estimate the project will create around one lakh direct and indirect jobs while attracting major investments in logistics, warehousing, hospitality and manufacturing sectors.