The much-anticipated Noida International Airport (NIA), also known as Jewar Airport, is set for its official inauguration on October 30, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has confirmed. While the inauguration will take place at the end of October, passenger flight operations are expected to commence approximately 45 days later.
The greenfield airport, located in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, is a key infrastructure project in the National Capital Region (NCR) and is being developed as a second major hub to ease the pressure on Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI).
NIA has been widely touted by officials as Asia’s largest international airport upon its full build-out.
- Phase I Capacity: The initial phase will feature one runway and one terminal, capable of handling 12 million passengers annually (MMPA).
- Ultimate Capacity: The massive expansion plan includes up to six runways and is projected to scale up to an ultimate capacity of 70 million passengers annually (MMPA) in the final phase, which is expected to be completed by 2050. Some earlier projections have even indicated a final capacity of up to 225 MMPA across all phases, reinforcing the “Asia’s largest” claim.
The airport’s development is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, responsible for its construction and operation.
In its opening phase, the airport is expected to connect approximately 10 Indian cities. The Aviation Minister also highlighted the airport’s strategic importance, noting its strong focus on cargo operations in addition to passenger flights.
The facility is also being equipped with advanced technology, including CAT-III infrastructure, to enable safe landings even during low-visibility conditions like fog, which is common in North India during the winter months.
