Asia’s largest international airport in Noida to start operations in June 2026

NOIDA International Airport (DXN) has received its final security clearance from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), paving the way for commercial operations to begin.

The airport’s launch airline partners, IndiGo (6E), Air India Express (IX), and Akasa Air (QP), are now expected to start selling tickets for domestic flights from the new Delhi-NCR (DEL) gateway.

The clearance came days after the airport replaced its expatriate CEO with an Indian executive to resolve a regulatory hurdle.

The first commercial flight from Noida International Airport (DXN) is expected to take off in the first week of June 2026, marking the arrival of Delhi’s second international airport.

The first week of June 2026 holds significance for the entire Delhi-NCR region. While Noida International Airport (DXN) prepares to launch domestic operations, Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) will simultaneously begin hub-and-spoke operations.

This model will enable seamless transfers between domestic and international flights, similar to the transit systems at Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Singapore (SIN), and Frankfurt (FRA).

Under this hub-and-spoke structure, Delhi’s IGI Airport (DEL) will start integrating processes between spoke airports and the hub.

International passengers from smaller cities will benefit from smoother transit experiences, with certain check-in and security procedures handled at the spoke airport before they arrive at the hub. This move positions Delhi (DEL) to compete with major global transit airports.

In a further capacity expansion, Delhi IGI Airport’s (DEL) international handling ability will grow from approximately 2 crore passengers annually to 3.2 crore. This increase follows the conversion of Terminal 3’s Pier C into an international pier, which becomes operational next week.

Seamless transfers and airside transit between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 will roll out approximately one month after that.

The Aerodrome Security Programme (ASP) approval had been pending due to a regulatory issue linked to the airport’s expatriate CEO, TOI reported.

Once Noida International Airport appointed its Chief Financial Officer, Nitu Samra, as interim CEO, the clearance process moved forward.

The ASP covers all critical aspects of airport security. It includes perimeter security, anti-hijacking measures, access point controls, and background checks for personnel seeking airport entry passes.

BCAS treats this as the most essential clearance before any airport can begin commercial operations. The agency also conducts regular reviews and audits throughout the airport’s operational lifetime, requiring any shortcomings to be corrected within a set timeframe.

Noida International Airport (DXN) will begin with domestic flights, following the same approach adopted by Manohar International Airport (GOX) in Goa and Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI) before it.

Following the ASP approval, the airport issued a statement confirming it would coordinate with all stakeholders to finalize timelines for commercial operations.

The focus remains on ensuring all systems, processes, and personnel are fully aligned to deliver a safe and efficient start.

The dual aviation boost for Delhi-NCR arrives during a challenging period for Indian airlines. Carriers are dealing with cost overruns and declining international travel demand caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

The aviation ministry has introduced several measures to support airlines through this phase. These include a reduction in major airport charges for three months, efforts to keep jet fuel prices in check for domestic flights, an emergency credit scheme, and a revamped UDAN scheme.

These steps aim to help airlines survive the current downturn and continue providing affordable connectivity to passengers.