Noida International Airport eyes April 2025 opening with flight trials this November

The Noida International Airport is getting ready to roll out domestic and international commercial flights from April 17, 2025. This decision comes in the wake of a high-level meeting hosted by Noida International Airport Ltd on October 1, followed by a detailed timeline provided by Yamuna International Airport Ltd for necessary approvals before the airport’s launch.

Located in Jewar, Gautam Buddha Nagar district, this greenfield airport aims to bolster connectivity in the Delhi-National Capital Region, Noida, and western Uttar Pradesh.  After completion, it will be India’s largest airport developed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, which is a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, working in association with the state government.

NIAL CEO Arun Vir Singh stated, “The concessionaire has submitted a plan to start commercial operations by 17 April. However, we will try to bring the launch date forward.”He stressed the importance of adhering to the deadline to avoid delays in obtaining international approvals and time slots from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which could potentially postpone operations by six months.

Flight schedule and operations

The airport is scheduled to begin operations by the end of September 2023 and will accommodate 65 daily flights that include 62 domestic, two international, and one cargo flight. Singh confirmed that the flight schedule would likely be unchanged as communicated to the states for the future launch. Discussions with IATA for international slots and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for domestic routes have already begun. “Airlines have already submitted applications for international destinations,” Singh explained, “but the approval of routes will depend on bilateral licensing agreements between the countries and airlines.”

Flight trials are scheduled for November 30, including tests by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). “Code C aircraft will participate in the trials to meet approval requirements, with partner airlines like IndiGo and Akasa Air conducting full-crew flight tests to evaluate runway readiness and validate operational systems,” Singh added.

A recent letter from the Ministry of Civil Aviation prompted this meeting, urging the finalization of the flight schedules and necessary trials before the launch. The DGCA has already examined all the systems and has already agreed to test the ILS from 4-6th October. Moreover, a comprehensive report of runway is to be provided before 10th October, and documents pertaining to flight handling are to be provided before November 15. Approvals for flight trials are expected from the DGCA by November 25.

Future plans and expansions on Noida International Airport

YIAPL plans to apply for an aerodrome license in December, anticipated to be granted by mid-March. Key airport details and codes should appear on the IATA website by February 6, along with booking information. Ticketing for international flights will open 90 days prior to travel. Domestics should be available 60 days before your travel date, and it probably will open sometime between January or February.

The first phase which covers 1,334 hectares, is estimated to cost Rs 5,700 crore and will feature one runway and terminal capable of handling 12 million passengers annually. The subsequent planned phases are aimed at increasing the capacity of the airport to take up to 70 million passengers across two runways and terminals, thereby taking the entire project to Rs 29,561 crore.

On reaching 80% of its 12 million passengers a year, construction of the second runway and terminal building will be started followed by additional runways as passenger traffic increases.

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