Big update on Noida International Airport: First flight to take off from Jewar airport on...

Noida International Airport is all set to start commercial flight operations, with flights on both domestic and international routes starting from April 17, 2025. Yamuna International Airport Ltd. (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich AG, provided a detailed timeline detailing the required clearances for the airport's launch, and Noida International Airport Ltd. (NIAL) led the meeting with this information.

To guarantee a seamless and punctual opening, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed NIAL and other pertinent authorities to confirm flight schedules and other crucial operating milestones in advance of the airport's inauguration. The airport will serve the Delhi-NCR region as the second main airport.

The airport's commercial operations were postponed from their original target of opening by the end of September this year. Up to 65 flights per day are now anticipated, comprising 62 domestic flights, 2 foreign flights, and 1 cargo flight.

“The concessionaire has submitted a plan to start commercial operations by April 17. However, we are exploring the possibility of bringing the launch date forward. Any delay beyond April 17 could push the timeline for securing international approvals and time slots from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) by another six months,” NIAL CEO Arun Vir Singh told The Times of India.

Singh stated that negotiations are in progress with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for domestic routes and with IATA for international flight slots. He added that it is unlikely that there would be a change in the number of flights during the first year of operation.

The project is still on track, and on November 30 there will be flight testing, including tests carried out by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

In the meantime, work is progressing on the Namo Bharat Metro line, which would link Ghaziabad with the Noida International Airport. The 72.4-kilometer metro line, which should be finished by 2031, will make travelling between Jewar's new airport and Delhi NCR easier. There will be 22 stops along the line, which will begin in Ghaziabad's Siddharth Vihar and travel via Greater Noida West and Alpha One to the airport.