Mumbai travellers get new Abu Dhabi flight as Navi Mumbai airport goes international

Dubai: Travellers from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region now have another direct option to reach the UAE after Navi Mumbai International Airport launched its first international service to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Air India Express began operating three flights a week between Navi Mumbai and the UAE capital from July 15, marking the start of scheduled international operations at India’s newest greenfield airport.Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The overseas expansion comes less than 200 days after Navi Mumbai airport opened for domestic services on December 25, 2025, giving passengers across the region an alternative to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.New UAE connectionThe Abu Dhabi service strengthens travel links between one of India’s largest urban and commercial centres and the UAE, while supporting Navi Mumbai airport’s role as the second international gateway serving the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.Navi Mumbai airport has served more than 2.3 million passengers and built connections to 46 domestic destinations in less than seven months. It currently handles around 150 aircraft movements each day.More international routes plannedThe Abu Dhabi service is the first of several international routes planned from the airport, with additional airlines and destinations expected to join its network as operations expand.Abu Dhabi gets new direct flights from Navi Mumbai as Indian airline launches routeUAE gets direct air link to Northeast India as Air India Express launches Dubai, Abu Dhabi flights Air India Express boosts UAE flights as Gulf routes resume from April 30The inaugural international flight also carried the airport’s first overseas shipment of perishable goods, opening another route to global markets for Indian exporters handling time-sensitive products.International passenger and cargo services are expected to support additional aviation capacity across Mumbai and western India while improving links with overseas tourism and trade markets.