Mumbai Air Freight Update: Dedicated Freighters Are Moving to NMI Airport ✈️
A clear structural change is taking place in the Mumbai air cargo market.
Dedicated freighter operations are progressively relocating to NMI Airport, and this is set to become the standard going forward. NMI is rapidly establishing itself as the primary freighter gateway for the Mumbai region, while BOM continues to focus on passenger belly cargo.
Recent progress at NMI includes:
• Early August: First dedicated freighter operations commenced
• Mid-August: First international scheduled freighter service launched (Hong Kong–NMI)
• 24 August: First Boeing 747 freighter arrived, confirming wide-body freighter capability
More carriers are in the process of shifting their freighter services to NMI. The industry direction is clear — dedicated freighter capacity serving western India is consolidating at the new airport.
What this means for shippers and forwarders:
📦 When booking shipments to the Mumbai area, NMI freighter options are becoming the primary choice for dedicated freighter uplift.
🚚 Destination handling arrangements are adjusting to NMI. Early confirmation of warehouse location and transit details with local partners is recommended.
📈 As the traditional peak season approaches, freighter capacity via NMI will play an increasingly central role for time-sensitive and higher-volume cargo.
At HMI Logistics, we are closely tracking this transition and working with our partners to keep routing and capacity information accurate. Understanding the new gateway structure helps us provide clearer options and more reliable support for our clients.
If you are planning air freight to the Mumbai region and would like current insights on NMI freighter capacity, feel free to reach out.