The Noida International Airport in Jewar officially began operations on Monday, with its inaugural flight from Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport scheduled to land at 8.05 am. The launch marks a major milestone for the long-awaited aviation project in western Uttar Pradesh.
The return service, IndiGo flight 6E-2279, will depart from Noida International Airport at 6.55 pm and arrive in Lucknow at 8 pm. Officials quoted by Hindustan Times said that while the inaugural flight will operate on Monday, regular services on the route are expected to begin later.
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Several dignitaries, including Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, Chief Secretary SP Goyal and other ministers, are expected to travel on the first flight from Lucknow. According to officials, all tickets for the inaugural service have already been sold out.
At the airport, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, Gautam Budh Nagar MP Dr Mahesh Sharma, and officials from Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) and the Yamuna Authority are expected to welcome the arriving flight, reported HT.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | Noida International Airport to begin commercial flight operations from today pic.twitter.com/O8r0SZzolH
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 15, 2026
New connectivity boost for Noida and Lucknow
At present, many travellers between Noida and Lucknow depend on flights operating through Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport or undertake the journey by road. The new direct air link is expected to improve connectivity between Uttar Pradesh’s administrative and commercial hubs.
“The launch of this flight is expected to be followed by similar services from other airlines, strengthening connectivity between the state capital and commercial centres such as Noida,” a Lucknow airport spokesperson told HT.
1 Day to Go…
— Noida International Airport (@NIAirport) June 14, 2026
The energy is rising, and everything is about to come alive.
A celebration is almost here.#Noidainternationalairport #newchapterbegins #airportoperations #onedaytogo #wheredreamstakeoff pic.twitter.com/ossFQHrXt9
Security systems in place ahead of launch
Airport authorities said extensive security arrangements have been made for the start of operations.
Shailendra Bhatia, nodal officer NIAL told HT, “It is an emotional moment for me personally being associated with the project from the first day. It is a historic day when the first flight will land at the Noida International Airport. The airport has put in place security arrangements in accordance with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security’s (BCAS) standard operating procedures.”
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“Zurich and the NIAL team are ready to welcome the inaugural flight and passengers. The first inbound flight will be from Lucknow to Noida while the first outbound flight will be from Noida airport to Lucknow,” Bhatia said.
Officials said the airport is secured through a multi-layered system that includes AI-based surveillance, high-resolution CCTV monitoring, CISF deployment, police personnel, dog squads, firefighting units, medical response teams and quick reaction teams. The first cargo flight from the airport is also scheduled to take off on June 17.
FAQs:
Which was the first flight to land at Noida International Airport?
The inaugural flight arrived from Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport.
When will the first cargo flight operate from Noida International Airport?
According to officials, the first cargo flight is scheduled to take off on June 17.
