After nearly two years without a direct air link between the Mumbai region and the Konkan coast, the Navi Mumbai to Sindhudurg flight is returning. Regional carrier Fly91 is set to begin direct services between the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) and Chipi (Sindhudurg) airport from 15 August 2026, cutting a punishing 10-12 hour road journey down to roughly one hour in the air. The timing is deliberate: it lands right before Ganesh Chaturthi on 14 September 2026, the one week of the year when lakhs of Konkani families head home to their villages.
For anyone with roots in Sindhudurg, Malvan, Vengurla or Kudal — and for travellers who have always wanted to reach Tarkarli’s beaches without an overnight drive — this is a genuinely useful change. Here is what is confirmed, what is still to be announced, and how to plan around it.
If you are already thinking about a Konkan trip this festive season, Book your Sindhudurg flight tickets with IMAD Travel. As an IATA-certified agency, we book Fly91’s Navi Mumbai–Sindhudurg seats and connecting flights from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and any Indian city. Seats on limited ATR aircraft fill fast around Ganeshotsav, so book early — WhatsApp us on +91 99597 77776 to reserve your tickets.
What exactly is starting on 15 August 2026?
Fly91 will operate direct flights between Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) and Chipi / Sindhudurg airport (SDW) from 15 August 2026, according to announcements by Sindhudurg Guardian Minister Nitesh Rane. Fly91 is the first airline confirmed on the route; IndiGo is expected to add its own Navi Mumbai–Sindhudurg service shortly afterwards.
The flying time is about one hour. By road, the same journey from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to Sindhudurg takes roughly 10 to 12 hours depending on traffic and the Konkan ghat sections — so this is not a marginal saving, it is a different way of travelling to the coast altogether.
Chipi already has Fly91 connections to Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Adding the Mumbai region closes the most obvious gap in the airport’s map and reconnects the coast to Maharashtra’s biggest travel catchment.
Why this counts as a “comeback,” not a brand-new route
The Chipi airport story actually began with a Mumbai flight. When the airport was inaugurated on 9 October 2021, the very first commercial service was an Alliance Air ATR 72 to Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport), operated under the government’s UDAN regional connectivity scheme. For a while, Sindhudurg had a daily lifeline to Mumbai.
That Mumbai link was later suspended, and for close to two years the Konkan coast has had no direct flight to the Mumbai region at all — only Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. So the 15 August launch is best understood as the Mumbai connection coming back to life.
There is one important nuance worth being precise about: the original flight used old Mumbai airport (BOM/CSMIA), while the new Fly91 service will use the brand-new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), which opened in 2025. For most travellers on the Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Thane and Raigad side, NMIA is actually the more convenient of the two Mumbai airports — so the “return” arrives at a better address than it left from. If you are new to the airport itself, our Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) guide covers terminals, access and connections.
The Ganeshotsav angle: why 15 August is smart timing
The launch date is not a coincidence. Ganesh Chaturthi falls on 14 September 2026, with visarjan on 25 September, and in the Konkan belt Ganeshotsav is the homecoming festival. Every year, roads and Konkan Railway trains out of Mumbai are jammed for days as families travel to their native villages in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri.
A one-hour flight from Navi Mumbai changes that calculation for a lot of families — especially those travelling with elderly parents or young children who find the long road or overnight train journey exhausting. Officials have indicated that additional Ganeshotsav flights are being planned to handle the surge, which mirrors what Fly91 has done before: it added extra Pune–Sindhudurg services during previous Ganeshotsav seasons when demand spiked.
A small piece of history makes the festival link even neater — the airport’s original test flight from Mumbai landed on Ganesh Chaturthi back in September 2018. The coast’s air connectivity has a habit of arriving with Bappa.
How many flights a week, and at what times?
Here is where we are being straight with you: Fly91 has not yet published the frequency or the exact timings for the Navi Mumbai–Sindhudurg route. As of now, the carrier’s official schedule still lists Chipi’s existing Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru services only, and the new sector had not been loaded for booking.
What we can reasonably expect, based on how Fly91 runs its other Chipi routes:
- The route is likely to start at a limited weekly frequency and scale up with demand, exactly as the Pune–Sindhudurg service did (it grew from twice a week to five times a week).
- Ganeshotsav is likely to see extra flights layered on top of the base schedule.
- Fly91 uses ATR-type regional aircraft on these Konkan sectors, so seats per flight are limited — early booking will matter during the festival peak.
We are tracking Fly91’s official schedule and will update this post with the confirmed flight numbers, days of the week and timings the moment they are released. If you want those exact details as soon as they are live, talk to our domestic travel desk and we will send them to you directly.
What Sindhudurg opens up once you land
Sindhudurg is one of Maharashtra’s most rewarding coastal districts, and a one-hour flight makes a long-weekend trip realistic for the first time. Chipi airport sits close to the Malvan–Tarkarli belt, which is the heart of what most visitors come for:
- Tarkarli — calm, clean water known for scuba diving and snorkelling, and among the better beginner-friendly dive spots in India.
- Malvan — the fishing town behind the famous Sindhudurg Fort, Shivaji Maharaj’s sea fort built on an offshore rock, reachable by a short boat ride.
- Malvani cuisine — the real reason many people return: fresh seafood thalis, sol kadhi, and coastal Konkani cooking that is hard to find done well anywhere else.
- Vengurla and Nivti — quieter beaches and backwaters for travellers who want the coast without the crowds.
For families combining a temple visit, a beach stay and Ganeshotsav in the village, it is an easy, well-rounded few days. Our Konkan and Maharashtra tour packages can bundle the stay, local sightseeing and transfers around your flight so you are not stitching it together yourself.
Should you fly or still take the road/train?
A quick, honest verdict, because the flight will not suit everyone.
Fly if: you are short on leave, travelling with seniors or small kids, or you value getting a full extra day at the coast instead of losing it to travel. One hour versus 10-12 hours is transformative for a two- or three-night trip.
Stick to road or Konkan Railway if: you are a larger group where flights get expensive on limited ATR seats, you want the flexibility of your own vehicle to hop between villages and beaches, or you simply love the Konkan monsoon drive. The train and the ghat road are part of the experience for many Konkani families, and that is completely valid.
For most festival-season travellers who just want to be home for Ganpati without two days of travel bracketing it, the flight is the obvious win — if you can book early enough to get a seat.
How to book Navi Mumbai–Sindhudurg flight tickets
You can book Navi Mumbai–Sindhudurg (Chipi) flight tickets through IMAD Travel, an IATA-certified travel agency, in four steps:
- Share your trip — tell us your travel dates, whether it is one-way or return, the number of passengers, and your preferred class, on WhatsApp +91 99597 77776 or through our enquiry form.
- Get a fare quote — our agent checks live Fly91 availability (plus connecting flights from Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi or your city) and sends you the best fare and timing options.
- Confirm and pay — once you approve, you pay securely by bank transfer and we hold your seats. This matters around Ganeshotsav, when the limited ATR seats sell out fast.
- Receive your ticket — we issue and email your confirmed e-ticket, and stay on call for changes or add-ons like Konkan stays and airport transfers.
Prefer a person over a portal? That is the point — an IATA-certified agent handles the booking end to end, so you are not left guessing at a self-service checkout.
Plan your Konkan trip with IMAD Travel
IMAD Travel is a Hyderabad-based, IATA-certified agency with 15 years of experience arranging domestic and international trips for Indian families. As the Navi Mumbai–Sindhudurg route firms up, we can help you lock flights, hand-picked stays near Tarkarli and Malvan, and local sightseeing into one smooth plan — including the Ganeshotsav peak, when seats and good hotels go fast.
Ready to plan your Konkan trip? Book your Sindhudurg flight tickets with IMAD Travel, WhatsApp us on +91 99597 77776 or request a custom quote, and we will send you the confirmed Fly91 timings the moment they are published.
Frequently asked questions
When do Navi Mumbai to Sindhudurg flights start?
Fly91 is set to begin direct Navi Mumbai (NMIA) to Chipi/Sindhudurg flights from 15 August 2026, as announced by Sindhudurg Guardian Minister Nitesh Rane. IndiGo is expected to follow on the same route shortly after.
How long is the Navi Mumbai to Sindhudurg flight?
The flight takes about one hour, compared with roughly 10 to 12 hours by road from the Mumbai region to Sindhudurg.
Which airport does the flight use in Mumbai?
It uses the new Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), which opened in 2025 — not the older Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) that the original 2021 Sindhudurg–Mumbai flight used.
How many flights per week will operate?
Fly91 has not yet published the weekly frequency or exact timings for the Navi Mumbai–Sindhudurg route. Based on its other Chipi routes, it is likely to start limited and scale with demand, with additional flights planned for the Ganeshotsav rush. We will update this page once the schedule is confirmed.
Was there a Mumbai–Sindhudurg flight before?
Yes. When Chipi airport was inaugurated on 9 October 2021, Alliance Air operated the first flight to Mumbai under the UDAN scheme. That service was later suspended, leaving the coast without a direct Mumbai-region flight for nearly two years until this 2026 relaunch.
Is the flight timed for Ganesh Chaturthi?
The 15 August launch lands just ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi on 14 September 2026, when large numbers of Konkani families travel home. Extra Ganeshotsav flights are reportedly being planned to manage the surge.
What can I see near Chipi airport?
Chipi is close to the Malvan–Tarkarli belt — Tarkarli beach and scuba diving, Sindhudurg sea fort, Malvani seafood cuisine, and the quieter beaches of Vengurla and Nivti.
Last updated: 23 July 2026. Flight schedule details are still being finalised by the airline; this post will be updated when Fly91 publishes confirmed frequency and timings. Content reviewed by IMAD Travel’s domestic travel desk.
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