Travellers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will soon have a new international departure option, with Air India Express set to become the first airline to launch overseas services from the Navi Mumbai International Airport.

The airline has opened bookings for direct flights between Navi Mumbai and Abu Dhabi, with operations scheduled to begin on July 15. The service marks a major milestone for the greenfield airport, which is preparing to expand aviation capacity in one of India's busiest travel markets.

Initially, the route will operate twice a week before increasing to three weekly flights from July 29, offering passengers an additional gateway to the United Arab Emirates without having to rely solely on Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The launch is expected to benefit both leisure and business travellers across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region by reducing travel time to the airport and easing congestion on existing international routes.

With the addition of Abu Dhabi services, Air India Express will operate 30 weekly flights from Navi Mumbai, including connections to Delhi and Bengaluru. The airline's move also positions it as the first carrier to establish international operations from the new airport.

The expansion comes as Air India Express continues to strengthen its footprint in Maharashtra. The airline currently operates more than 95 weekly flights from Mumbai, over 100 weekly services from Pune and 14 weekly flights from Nagpur.

A subsidiary of the Air India Group, Air India Express operates a network spanning 43 domestic and 16 international destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia and West Asia. The low-cost carrier flies more than 500 services daily and has a fleet of over 100 aircraft, including Boeing 737s and Airbus A320 family aircraft.

With PTI inputs