Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) welcomed 5 million international passengers in the first eight months of 2025, with the highest number of incoming passengers from the UAE, UK, and Thailand. At the same time, Colombo, Kuwait, and Dammam stood out as emerging destinations with strong growth in international arrivals to Mumbai.
CSMIA’s Role and Connectivity
CSMIA plays an important role as India’s premier gateway for air travelers, witnessing over 5 million international passengers between January 2025 and August 2025. According to CSMIA’s operator Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL), international arrivals at the airport have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21% over the past three years.
Global Connectivity and Source Markets
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Considered one of the most globally connected airports in the region, CSMIA offers direct connectivity to 55 international destinations. The UAE remains CSMIA’s largest source market, contributing 1.5 million arrival passengers between January 2025 and August 2025, followed by England and Thailand with 0.38 million and 0.32 million international arriving passengers, respectively.
New Routes and Emerging Destinations
CSMIA added seven new international routes between April 2024 and 2025, linking Mumbai with Al-Fujairah, Tashkent, Krabi, Almaty, Amman, Manchester, and Tbilisi. Meanwhile, emerging destinations such as Colombo recorded 0.17 million arrival passengers, Kuwait 0.16 million, and Dammam 0.16 million, becoming significant contributors to passenger volumes in 2025.
Passenger Growth Trends
Between January 2025 and August 2025, arrivals rose steadily over 5 million, compared with 4.8 million during the same period in 2024 and 4.1 million in 2023. Between August 2024 and August 2025, the airport handled 8.24 million international arrival passengers. January 2025 emerged as a milestone month, with 0.69 million international arrival passengers, marking a 415% increase compared to January 2022, when travel recovery post-COVID had just begun.
CSMIA Experience and Mumbai Spirit
“Beyond being a transit hub, CSMIA offers a uniquely local experience, ensuring that every traveller’s journey begins with a taste of Mumbai’s spirit, warmth, and hospitality. By combining international connectivity with these distinctly local experiences, the airport ensures that every passenger’s journey starts with a sense of Mumbai’s culture, heritage, and charm, reinforcing the city’s role on the global travel map, which is a fitting reflection of the spirit celebrated on World Tourism Day,” said a spokesperson.
