Lucknow: The Noida International Airport (NIA) at Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar commenced operations on Monday morning when an IndiGo flight from Lucknow touched down at 7:58 am. Immediately after, the greenfield project saw its first take-off with a flight to Lucknow. Among the passengers were 172 farmers from the Jewar region, whose land was acquired by the state government for the first phase of the airport's development.
Minister Highlights Government's Efforts
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu remarked that what seemed impossible a decade ago was made achievable by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He emphasized that for India to become a developed nation, a robust transport network is essential.
Modi laid the foundation stone for the airport on November 25, 2021, and inaugurated it on March 28, 2026.
“We want to see Noida International Airport grow, not only as a transit hub or a hub for transportation, but as an aerotropolis. When we say aerotropolis, we want to see multiple industries come around this area and create a strong economic base, which is not only going to be catering to the country but also internationally,” Naidu stated.
Inaugural Flight Details
The inaugural flight, 6E 2278, departed from Lucknow at 7:12 am and landed in Noida at 7:58 am, carrying 182 passengers. Onboard was actor and entrepreneur Gul Panag. IndiGo unveiled an ambitious network that will connect NIA directly with more than 16 domestic destinations.
The new service attracted strong interest from the corporate sector, with around 80 employees of a private business group traveling on the maiden flight, taking advantage of the new direct connectivity between the two cities.
The first flight from Noida took off around 8:10 am, carrying Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh and officials of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority, including CEO Rakesh Singh, additional CEO Shailendra Bhatia, and former Jewar SDM Abhay Singh.
Flight 6E5212 arrived in Lucknow from Noida with 172 farmers who met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. After the meeting, the farmers returned to Noida on a flight at 2:30 pm, an additional flight operated by the carrier on launch day.
Regular Services from July 1
While the Lucknow-Noida sector formally opened operations, regular scheduled services on the route will begin on July 1. According to IndiGo's published schedule, the airline will operate two daily flights in each direction between the two cities. Flights from Noida to Lucknow will depart at 5:50 am and 3:05 pm, while return services from Lucknow to Noida will leave at 7:25 am and 9:40 pm.
The Noida airport will initially be connected to major metros such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Amritsar, and Jammu. Additional routes to Bareilly, Bhopal, Dehradun, Dharamshala, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Pantnagar, and Kishangarh will be phased in from July.
Industry Reactions
Aloke Singh, IndiGo's Chief Strategy Officer, termed the opening of the airport a new chapter in India's aviation story. “For IndiGo, the privilege of being the launch carrier at NIA is more than a commercial milestone; it is a commitment to western Uttar Pradesh, to the broader Delhi NCR, and the millions of travellers for whom this gateway opens new possibilities. We are proud to be here from day one,” Singh said.
The carrier stated that the new airport would strengthen regional connectivity and improve travel options for passengers across Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh. The airline noted that the network would also facilitate one-stop connections between several Tier-II and Tier-III cities and major metropolitan centres, creating new travel opportunities across northern and central India.
“As our launch carrier, IndiGo will connect NIA to key destinations across India, providing passengers with greater choice and convenience from day one. We look forward to working closely with IndiGo to deliver a seamless travel experience and support the continued growth of aviation, trade and tourism across the region,” said Christoph Schnellmann, Vice-Chairman of NIA.
