Noida airport offers cheaper airfares
The Noida International Airport, currently under construction in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, is poised to provide significant cost savings for travelers compared to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI). This price advantage is primarily due to the substantial difference in the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) weight charge, with Uttar Pradesh imposing a mere 1 percent tax, while Delhi’s tax stands at a high 25 percent. As a result, passengers can expect to save between 10 to 15 percent on their airfare when choosing Noida International Airport, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious travelers.
This cost difference is expected to lead to a notable drop in ticket prices, with flights from Noida International Airport offering savings of up to Rs 1,500 per ticket compared to IGI. For example, a flight from Delhi to Lucknow, originally priced at Rs 3,500, can now be secured for an estimated Rs 2,800 when departing from Noida International Airport.
The airport, set to be fully operational by February, will begin passenger services in October. The Yamuna Authority has ambitious projections, with expectations that at least 65 aircraft will take off from Noida International Airport on its inaugural day.
Despite being in the construction phase, the airport has attracted significant investments in the real estate sector. The runway and air traffic control (ATC) tower are on track to be ready by March 2024, with the runway already 70 percent complete. Spanning 1,334 hectares, the Jewar airport is set to become one of India’s largest airports with six proposed runways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for this project in November 2021.
The airport’s development has contributed to the growth of Noida as an industrial and technology hub. Companies like HCL, Tech Mahindra, and Microsoft have established a presence in the region, with Microsoft planning to create 3,000 jobs and invest Rs 1,800 crore. Other companies, including Samsung, Dixon, LG, Oppo, Vivo, Lava, and Optiemus, have also made investments in the area, with expansion plans in progress.
