The Noida International Airport (NIA) at Jewar is set to become India’s newest aviation hub, with its inauguration scheduled for October 30, 2025. Commercial flight operations are expected to begin within 45 days of the ceremony, likely after Diwali, offering travellers in the National Capital Region a long-awaited new gateway. Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu confirmed the timeline, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assured that services will be operational before year-end.
Construction of NIA began in 2019 and pressed forward despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally slated for a September 2024 opening, the project faced delays but has now reached its first-phase completion. The current stage includes one runway and a passenger terminal capable of handling up to 12 million passengers annually. A validation flight in December 2024 confirmed the readiness of the airport’s navigation and control systems, and the final milestone now rests on securing an aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Once fully developed by 2050, the airport will feature six runways and accommodate 70 million passengers per year, making it India’s largest aviation facility. The initial phase already includes a CAT-III compliant runway, enabling operations during low visibility conditions such as dense fog — a major advantage for northern India. IndiGo will be the launch carrier for domestic routes, while Akasa Air has announced plans to serve both domestic and international markets. Several Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian airlines are also in talks to connect with Jewar.
Beyond passenger traffic, the airport is designed as a multi-purpose hub. A multi-modal cargo terminal, built in partnership with Air India SATS, is nearing completion, positioning NIA as a future centre for logistics and trade. Plans for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities have also drawn strong interest, aligning with the vision to establish Jewar as a comprehensive aviation hub.
Developed under a public-private partnership, NIA is managed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International. Strategically located along the Yamuna Expressway, 75 km from Delhi, the project is expected to transform connectivity across the NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh. With nearly 9,000 workers currently on-site and thousands more jobs anticipated in future phases, the airport is poised to boost trade, tourism, and investment, reshaping the region’s economic landscape.
