In a historic move for Indian aviation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated Phase 1 of the Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar on March 28, 2026. This greenfield project, built at a cost of approximately ₹11,282 crore, is set to become the second international gateway for the Delhi-NCR region, significantly easing the load on IGI Airport.
While the physical infrastructure is ready, commercial flight operations are expected to take off in mid-April to May 2026, following final regulatory clearances.
5 Key Features of Noida International Airport
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Massive Scale & Capacity: Phase 1 alone can handle 12 million passengers annually. Upon its final completion (planned across four phases), it is projected to become India’s largest airport with a staggering capacity of 225 million passengers per year.
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India’s Largest Runway: The airport features a 3,900-metre (3.9 km) runway, the longest in the country. It is specifically designed to handle massive wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 777-300ER and is equipped with Category III (CAT III) Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) for all-weather operations.
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Integrated MRO Hub: It will be the first airport in India to host an in-house Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility on a 40-acre plot. This will allow airlines to service their aircraft on-site, drastically reducing operational costs.
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Multi-Modal Logistics Hub: An 87-acre cargo hub is being developed to position Jewar as a global logistics center. This includes an integrated terminal capable of handling 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of cargo initially, scaling up to 18 lakh metric tonnes.
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Net-Zero Commitment: The airport is designed with a “net-zero emissions” goal. It incorporates sustainable architecture inspired by Indian heritage (like ghats and havelis), utilizing natural light, rainwater harvesting, and renewable energy.
Launch Partners
Several airlines have already confirmed they will be operating from the new DXN (IATA code) hub:
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IndiGo: The official launch carrier.
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Akasa Air: Focusing on domestic expansion.
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Air India Express: Expected to spearhead international routes from the facility.
