September 21, 2025

Excitement is flying high as the Noida International Airport (NIA), located in Jewar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, gears up to open its doors by the end of 2024. Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu recently told reporters the grand inauguration is planned for October 30, and flight services will begin within 45 days on 10 routes! Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also confirmed flights will be commercially operational by the end of 2025. This massive greenfield airport, starting in 2019 and surviving the COVID-19 storm, is billed to be India's largest by 2050. The airport is being built in four phases, and the first phase is already rocking! It has a shiny new runway and a passenger terminal ready to serve 12 million passengers annually. Inside, the team is busy with technical fittings and final touches, alongside an important Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) program. "Phase 1 construction is progressing steadily, and the airport remains on schedule for commissioning this year," said Christoph Schnellmann, CEO of NIA, to PTI. Adding sparkle to the excitement, he shared, "The validation flight was successfully completed in December 2024, confirming the readiness of our navigational aids, approach procedures, and ATC systems." The next big step is getting the aerodrome licence from DGCA. After that, flights will smoothly start in teamwork with airlines and all stakeholders. What's extra special? The airport’s runway will be CAT III-compliant, meaning planes can safely take off and land even in dense fog, a blessing for North India's tricky weather! IndiGo is the star launch carrier, with Akasa Air ready to fly domestic and international routes. Talks are buzzing with Middle East and Southeast Asian airlines eager to join soon. "Route planning and slot allocation discussions are underway," CEO Schnellmann said, promising more announcements soon. But wait, there’s more! The cargo terminal, a joint effort with Air India SATS, is almost done and will soon start its ORAT trials. The airport aims to become a multi-modal cargo hub (MMCH), perfectly positioned to serve northern India’s big industrial zones. Plus, the hunt is on for a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, which has already attracted "very strong interest," according to Schnellmann. This vision points to NIA becoming a complete aviation powerhouse. The project also shines for jobs, employing around 9,000 workers right now, with thousands more expected as it grows. Eventually, when fully ready, NIA will handle a whopping 70 million passengers yearly! This airport is built through a smart public-private partnership. Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), owned by Zurich Airport International, is the key operator. Situated just off the Yamuna Expressway and about 75 km from Delhi, NIA will be the National Capital Region’s second big international airport after Delhi’s IGI Airport. It covers Delhi-NCR, parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh, promising to be a hot spot for air travel and cargo movement. Are you ready for this sky-high adventure? India’s dream airport is almost here!

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Tags: Noida international airport, Nia jewar, Airport launch, Aviation india, Indigo launch carrier, Airport infrastructure,