Navi Mumbai International Airport to redefine the business of non-aero experiences

With curated retail, immersive experiential zones and food and beverage mix that foster sense of place, Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is positioning itself as more than just a passenger gateway, but an exciting destination in itself. Its non-aero offerings signal how India’s airports are becoming self-sustaining business ecosystems.

When Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is inaugurated at the end of September, attention will naturally focus on its scale: a first-phase capacity of 20 million passengers annually and multimodal connectivity. Yet equally significant, and often less discussed, are the non-aero initiatives that will shape NMIA’s revenue profile and set benchmarks for India’s aviation sector.

Globally, airports are no longer dependent solely on passenger traffic or landing charges. Data shows that up to 40 per cent of revenues in leading hubs come from non-aero streams such as retail, food and beverage (F&B), car parking, real estate and advertising. NMIA’s developer, Navi Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd. (NMIAL) has taken this model seriously, planning a comprehensive ecosystem that balances passenger convenience with commercial sustainability.

Unlike other airports, that work with “product to passenger” strategy, NMIA has adopted “passenger to product strategy”. For this strategy, it is imperative to identify the different passengers’ cohorts and then work towards understanding their distinct needs to provide an experience more than a mere service. Research done in Mumbai Airport identified that along with existing cohorts like leisure, work, group travellers, a big umbrella of emerging cohorts like UHNWI (Ultra High Net Worth Individuals), work + vacation, dependents: kids under the age of 10 and elderly above the age of 60 travelling alone, were identified. Research by Statista has also confirmed that the major expenditure trend globally is shifting from Gen-x to Gen-z & Millennials. Today, these passengers need authenticity, sustainability, convenience, immersion, entertainment & health-conscious offerings, while they travel from one place to another. To boost convenience and efficiency, all the offerings are just a click away via digital enablement on Adani OneApp.

The intent of NMIA is to address these need gaps with its experiential offerings and engage with every passenger in their own comfort zone. At the heart of this approach is the experiential zone. This is designed to transform what is traditionally “dwell time” into economic opportunity. By curating interactive art installations, digital storytelling spaces, and calm zones, NMIA is seeking to extend passenger engagement beyond transactions and make the entire airport journey a delightful experience with reduced anxiety levels. In business terms, more engaged passengers spend more—whether on retail, dining or services.

Retail is expected to be a significant contributor. The airport is planned to house about 110 retail and F&B outlets of top-of-the-line brands including duty-free shops in both arrivals and departures, each spanning roughly 1,800 square metres. Duty-free retail, with its high margins, will be an anchor of non-aero earnings, while curated domestic brands and regional crafts aim to appeal to travellers seeking differentiated experiences. The model reflects a global best practice: airports leveraging local identity to drive both brand value and higher spend per passenger.

Food and beverage offerings are also positioned as more than an amenity. NMIA’s planners are integrating high-street names, international chains and local food concepts into a single dining strategy. The business logic is clear: dining remains one of the fastest-growing categories in airport spending. NMIA aims to create a sense of place for its passengers with F&B experiences, by providing Bombay home grown dining concepts, open food hall concepts that serve a variety of cuisines not just from all over India but also abroad. By positioning F&B as an experience rather than a stopgap, NMIA can enhance yields while offering passengers a taste of Mumbai’s culture.

Another innovation is in landside access. NMIA has planned its arrival forecourts and entertainment areas for non-passengers as well. Families waiting to receive travellers, and nearby residents will have access to entertainment zone with bowling alleys & AR-VR games, cafés, and another food hall. This food hall is specially crafted for the city-dwellers and arriving passengers who can indulge themselves in street food concepts of popular F&B chains across Mumbai & India. The entire zone is a non-vehicle zone, providing safety and security to all people in this zone. This is not simply a passenger comfort feature. It extends the customer base for non-aero businesses beyond travellers, creating footfall from the wider catchment. In effect, NMIA becomes a destination, supporting recurring revenue even from those not flying.

Importantly, NMIA’s design integrates sustainability and commercialization. Experiential zones are not only visually appealing but are also aimed at maximizing passenger dwell time without increasing stress. Retail layouts are being optimized for visibility and ease of navigation, while F&B hubs are distributed to ensure catchment from diverse passenger cohorts. For investors and stakeholders, these are not aesthetic choices alone, they are business enablers, built on research into consumer psychology and global best practices.

The business aviation segment is another differentiator. With more than 67 general aviation aircraft stands and a dedicated heliport planned, NMIA is investing in a lucrative niche. Private aviation passengers are typically high-spending consumers whose needs extend to premium retail, F&B and services. By creating infrastructure tailored to this segment, NMIA enhances its ability to capture premium non-aero revenue streams.

From a sectoral standpoint, NMIA’s approach has implications well beyond Navi Mumbai. According to a Knight Frank India report, Indian air passenger traffic is expected to increase by nearly 50 per cent, reaching 600 million by the financial year (FY) 2030 from 412 million in FY25. As capacity expands, competition will no longer be limited to connectivity but will extend to the quality and depth of non-aero experiences. Airports that differentiate in retail and F&B will be able to diversify revenue, absorb traffic shocks, and sustain profitability.

For Maharashtra specifically, NMIA’s non-aero strategy has a wider impact. Located within 15 kilometres of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), the country’s largest container port, NMIA sits at the intersection of passenger and cargo flows. While cargo operations will contribute directly to aero revenues, the surrounding logistics and trade traffic also represent demand for ancillary retail, hospitality and leisure services. With curated commercial spaces, NMIA is positioned to capture a portion of this ecosystem.

The move towards immersive, revenue-generating non-aero infrastructure also signals a broader shift in airport economics. In India, non-aero revenue typically contributes 25–30 per cent of total airport earnings, compared with 40–50 per cent at global hubs such as Singapore’s Changi or Dubai International. NMIA’s model, if successful, could set a precedent for other greenfield airports, encouraging developers to build business resilience through diversified earnings.

In the coming years, as NMIA expands to its full design capacity of 90 million passengers annually, the role of non-aero revenue will only deepen. Real estate development around the airport, potential for airport-linked business districts and growth in premium retail categories could together redefine how airports contribute to urban economies. For Navi Mumbai, this means more than connectivity—it means becoming a node of commerce and consumption in its own right.

As the countdown to the inauguration approaches, the spotlight will understandably fall on operational readiness and connectivity. But for the aviation business, NMIA is already making a statement: the future of Indian airports will be decided as much by what happens off the runways as on them.

INFOGRAPHICS
TITLE: NMIA by the Numbers
•    20 million passengers annually in Phase 1
•    90 million passengers at full capacity
•    2 runways with multimodal connectivity when fully operational 
•    67+ general aviation stands and dedicated heliport

TITLE: How NMIA Will Build Beyond Flights
•    40%+ revenues at global hubs come from non-aero streams
•    Indian airports: 25–30% non-aero share
•    NMIA aims to bridge the gap with global benchmarks
•    Focus on retail, F&B, experiential zones, real estate and advertising

TITLE: Rosy Outlook of Indian Civil Aviation Sector
·       Projected Indian Air Passenger Traffic (FY 2030): 600 million passengers.
·       Previous Indian Air Passenger Traffic (FY 2025): 412 million passengers.

TITLE: Shopping and Dining as Growth Engines
•    110 retail & F&B outlets planned
•    1,800 sq. m. duty-free shops in arrivals & departures
•    High-street + global brands + regional crafts
•    Dining as an experience, not just utility

TITLE: NMIA: Destination Beyond Travel
•    Family & community zones accessible to non-passengers
•    Positioned near JNPT, India’s largest container port
•    Integration of experiential zones + local culture
•    Growth driver for Maharashtra’s commerce & consumption