after the first test flight on 9 December 2024 Noida International Airport was originally proposed in 2001 as the
greenfield Taj International Aviation Hub by then
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh. The project subsequently saw repeated delays, changes in location and political reversals. Initially planned near Greater Noida, it was held up partly because of its proximity to Delhi's IGI Airport and the right of first refusal attached to Delhi airport's concession. The project was briefly considered for Agra under a different state government, but was eventually revived and moved back to
Jewar in 2014.
Summary of phases The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority's (YEIDA) currently published table describes the airport's long-term build-out as: •
Phase I: 12 MPPA (million passengers per annum), ₹4,588 crore cost, FY23-FY27 operation period. The airport is being developed under a
public–private partnership model. Zurich Airport International, a subsidiary of
Flughafen Zürich AG, won the bid to develop and operate the airport in November 2019, and the concession agreement was signed on 7 October 2020 for a 40 year period. It is being implemented on a DBFOT (design, build, finance, operate and transfer) basis, with the concession running from 2021 to 2061. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the airport on 25 November 2021. In June 2022,
Tata Projects was awarded the civil construction contract for the first phase. In September 2023, the
International Air Transport Association assigned the airport the IATA code
DXN. In November 2023, the airport signed a memorandum of understanding with
IndiGo to become its launch carrier, and in January 2024 it entered a strategic collaboration with
Akasa Air. In October 2024, the airport completed calibration of its
instrument landing system and precision approach path indicator, and in December 2024 an IndiGo validation flight tested its approach procedures, navigational aids and air traffic control systems. Originally slated for opening in 2022, On 6 March 2026, the airport received its aerodrome licence by the
Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Phase I was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 March 2026. Scheduled commercial flights are expected to begin in mid-April to May 2026, initially with limited domestic services before wider expansion.
Later phases Noida International Airport is described as a four-phase project with an initial capacity of 12 million passengers annually in Phase I with scalability to 70 million passengers annually with its full development. The YEIDA's project page however describes a broader long-term concept, including a six-runway end state. Phase I covers the initial single-runway layout while Phase II builds on this with expanded terminal, apron, cargo and support facilities. Phase III will introduce a second 4,150 m runway, Terminal 2 and a Ground Transportation Centre. Phase IV is projected to handle 489,700 aircraft movements a year with 186 apron stands. ==Design and architecture==