The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has established higher user development fees for Navi Mumbai airport compared to the existing Mumbai airport, citing the need to support investment recovery at the greenfield facility. According to AERA's order issued on Wednesday, each domestic departing passenger at the new airport will pay ₹620 as UDF between June 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027, while arriving domestic passengers will pay ₹270 as UDF. The UDF will increase annually until FY30, reaching ₹738 for departing passengers and ₹322 for arriving passengers by the end of the period. This represents a significant increase compared to the existing Mumbai airport's UDF of ₹175 for departing passengers and ₹75 for arriving passengers for the period between May 16, 2025, and March 31, 2029.
For international passengers, the UDF structure is significantly higher at the new airport. Each international departing passenger will pay ₹1,225 between June 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027, with this fee gradually increasing to ₹1,459 per passenger by FY30. Similarly, each arriving international passenger will pay ₹525 until March 31, 2027, rising to ₹625 per passenger by FY30. At the existing Mumbai airport, international economy-class passengers pay ₹615 for departing and ₹260 for arriving, with these rates remaining until March 31, 2029. The tariff structure for international passengers at Mumbai airport differs between economy and business class travellers, with economy class passengers paying higher UDF rates.
The AERA emphasized that greenfield airport charges are typically higher in initial years to support investment recovery and viable operations. As reported by AERA, the tariff structure of a greenfield airport cannot be directly compared with an established brownfield airport due to significantly higher and stable passenger traffic flow. At the Mumbai airport managed by Adani Group-led Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), AERA had fixed ₹175 for domestic departing passengers and ₹75 for arriving passengers for the period between May 16, 2025, and March 31, 2029. With both Mumbai airport tariff structures now finalized, airfares from Navi Mumbai airport are expected to be higher than those from the existing Mumbai airport, reflecting the higher operational costs and investment requirements associated with developing a new airport infrastructure compared to operating an established facility.
The UDF is typically collected by airlines during ticket booking and included in the final airfare paid by passengers. Airlines then transfer the collected UDF to the respective airport operator. According to AERA's statement, this fee structure reflects the higher operational costs and investment requirements associated with developing a new airport infrastructure compared to operating an established facility. The higher charges at greenfield airports such as Navi Mumbai are designed to support investment recovery and ensure viable operations in the initial years of airport operations.
