NOIDA: The Noida International Airport (NIA), a greenfield aviation hub under development in Jewar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, is set to commence operations by the end of this year.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu recently announced that the airport will be inaugurated on October 30, with flight operations starting within 45 days and 10 routes initially planned.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also confirmed that commercial flight operations are expected to start by the end of 2025.
Once fully developed by 2050, the NIA will be the largest airport in India. The project, which began in 2019 and faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was initially expected to launch in September 2024.
The airport is being constructed in four phases and has completed significant infrastructure work for Phase 1, which includes one runway and a passenger terminal capable of accommodating 12 million passengers annually.
Current work involves technical installations and final touches inside the terminal, alongside an extensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) program.
“Phase 1 construction is progressing steadily, and the airport remains on track for commissioning this year. A validation flight was successfully completed in December 2024, confirming the readiness of our navigational systems and ATC,” stated NIA Chief Executive Officer Christoph Schnellmann.
The next step is to secure an aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Once regulatory clearance is obtained, flight operations will be coordinated with airlines and stakeholders for a seamless launch.
Importantly, the runway will be CAT III-compliant, allowing operations during low visibility conditions, which is crucial for North India’s weather challenges.
The NIA has announced IndiGo as its launch airline, and Akasa Air will provide both domestic and international flights from the airport, with ongoing discussions with other international airlines.
“Airlines from the Middle East and Southeast Asia have expressed strong interest in operating from NIA. Route planning and slot discussions are underway, with more updates expected closer to operations,” Schnellmann noted.
Additionally, the NIA is focusing on cargo and MRO infrastructure. A cargo terminal in partnership with Air India SATS is nearing completion and will commence its ORAT program soon, serving as a multi-modal cargo hub strategically located for northern India’s industrial and commercial sectors.
Expressions of interest for a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility have been received, demonstrating significant interest, according to the CEO. This MRO initiative aligns with the airport’s long-term goal of becoming a comprehensive aviation hub.
The project has also created substantial employment opportunities, with nearly 9,000 workers currently engaged, alongside thousands more expected as construction progresses. Upon full completion, the airport will handle up to 70 million passengers annually.
Developed under a public-private partnership model, the NIA is managed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International.
Located next to the Yamuna Expressway, the airport will be NCR’s second international facility, following Delhi’s IGI Airport, and is situated about 75 km from the national capital, serving the wider Delhi-NCR region along with parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh.
