The air gap between two of Uttar Pradesh's biggest cities has just shrunk to a matter of hours. The first flight from the Noida International Airport (Jewar) in Greater Noida, carrying farmers, has touched down safely at Lucknow airport. What makes the moment special is the symbolism: these farmers boarded a plane from the very land where their families once tilled fields, and flew to the state capital.
The capital rolls out a welcome
Five buses have been lined up at Lucknow airport for the farmers. Those five buses will ferry 172 farmers to the Chief Minister's residence, where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself will receive them. Arrangements for the farmers' meals have also been made at the residence. In short, the entire plan — from stepping off the aircraft to reaching the CM's residence — was kept ready in advance.
MLA calls it a blend of sacrifice and development
Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh described the launch of the first commercial flights as an intensely emotional and historic moment in India's development story. According to him, the day marked not merely the start of an air service but the realisation of dreams once thought impossible. He pointed out, in particular, that the Jewar farmers who once farmed this very land with their families had now flown to Lucknow from an airport built on that same soil.
“The farmers who surrendered their ancestral land for the nation's interest and the bright future of the state — today members of those very families are travelling by air from that same land. This is not mere coincidence, but the result of a journey of development in which the farmers' contribution stands above all.”
The MLA called it a remarkable confluence of sacrifice, trust and development, and a reflection of a changing New India.
First flights in both directions
An IndiGo aircraft that took off from Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport landed at Jewar International Airport at 8:05 am. Shortly after, a flight carrying farmers and labourers departed for Lucknow. From this new aviation gateway of UP, that flight with 172 farmers made its maiden journey.
On the other side, the start of Jewar airport also saw the successful operation of the first direct flight between Lucknow and Noida — the first time these two major cities of the state have been linked by a direct air connection. A total of 182 passengers travelled on the first flight, 6E 2278, among them actress Gul Panag. The launch was marked by a lamp-lighting ceremony and cake-cutting, and 80 employees of a private group also availed of the new service. Additional flights are being operated on 15 June under special operations, while regular flight service will begin on 1 July 2026.
Among the country's longest runways
The Noida airport runway is among the longest in the country and is fitted with a state-of-the-art CAT-III lighting system. This technology ensures safe landings even in dense fog and very poor visibility. The runway has been built so that even the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, can land here with ease.
The first phase and the ground reality
Work on the airport's first phase is complete, with an annual passenger capacity set at 1.2 crore. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued the 'aerodrome' licence to the airport on 6 March 2026. In the current phase, all essential facilities — a single runway, a modern terminal building and an Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower — have been developed.
Built in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district, the airport is counted among the Uttar Pradesh government's most ambitious infrastructure projects. Around 1,334 hectares (roughly 3,300 acres) of land was acquired for it. The state government obtained the necessary clearances from various central agencies and completed construction within the set timeline. At the inauguration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a historic project not just for Uttar Pradesh but for the connectivity, trade and economic growth of all of North India.
The flight schedule from 1 July
Under regular service from 1 July, flight 6E 7624 from Noida to Lucknow will depart at 5:50 am and reach Lucknow at 7:00 am. On the return, flight 6E 7625 will take off from Lucknow at 7:25 am and reach Noida at 8:40 am. Similarly, flight 6E 7628 from Noida will depart at 3:05 pm and reach Lucknow at 4:15 pm, while flight 6E 7629 from Lucknow will leave at 9:40 pm and reach Noida at 10:50 pm.
As for fares, the direct Noida-to-Lucknow flight is currently priced at ₹3394, while the Lucknow-to-Noida fare is ₹4021 — roughly the same as a Lucknow-to-Delhi flight. This IndiGo service will run all seven days of the week. Until now, passengers heading from Lucknow to Noida had to travel via Delhi and then reach Noida by metro or private transport. The direct flight will now save travellers both time and money.
