The short answer is that the airport is finished with big building work, but commercial flights will likely start in late 2026. You have to wait for the government to check every single wire and bolt before they let families get on a plane.
I have been looking at land and buildings for over 50 years now. I started back when we used paper maps and long walks to see a property. I have seen many projects promise the moon and deliver a pebble. When people ask me about this airport, I tell them to look at the Civil Aviation Authority rules first. It is not like opening a grocery store. You cannot just turn on the lights and start selling tickets.
Why the wait is so long
- Safety checks are everything. I remember a project in the late seventies where they rushed the opening. It was a mess. For this airport, they need to do ground calibration tests. This means flying a small plane over and over to make sure the radio signals work.
- The paper trail. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has to give a license. This is the hardest part. If one document is wrong, they stop everything.
- Hiring people. A giant building is just a shell without workers. They are currently training security and baggage handlers. This takes months of practice.
What I see happening on the ground
I visited the site last month. The runway looks smooth and the glass on the terminal is shiny. But the roads leading to the airport are still a bit of a disaster. I have watched cities grow for five decades, and the infrastructure surrounding the airport is usually what slows down the actual start date.
- The radar is spinning. This is a good sign. It means the “eyes” of the airport are awake.
- Retail space is being bid on. I spoke to some shop owners. They are being told to have their coffee shops ready by the end of next year.
- Proving flights. Before you can buy a ticket, the airline must fly an empty plane there. We call these operational readiness trials. We haven’t seen the big jets doing this yet.
My advice to you
Do not buy a house nearby just because someone said the planes are coming tomorrow. I have seen many good people lose their life savings because they believed a salesman. In the Gujarat RERA world or even looking at Sub-Registrar office filings, things move slow.
If you are planning a vacation, do not count on this airport for your 2025 Christmas trip. It is much safer to bet on early 2027 if you want to be 100 percent sure. I have seen enough delays in my fifty years to know that “coming soon” usually means “wait a while longer.” Just stay patient and keep your eyes on the official government gazette. That is the only place where the truth actually lives.
