Mumbai: Air connectivity from Solapur to Mumbai and Bengaluru will commence on October 15, 2025, marking a major milestone for the people of Solapur and the region’s growing aviation infrastructure. The launch will provide the city direct access to Maharashtra’s financial capital and Karnataka’s IT hub, fulfilling a long-standing demand of residents and businesses.

The new routes come nearly a year after the renovation of Solapur Airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2024 following an extensive upgrade project costing around ₹60 crore.

Announcing the launch, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol took to social media to share the news, calling it a “dream come true” for the people of Solapur.

“Solapurkar’s dream come true; Solapur–Mumbai and Solapur–Bengaluru air services to start from October 15! The wait for Solapurkar is over, and regular passenger air services will start from Solapur Airport on both routes. This double gift to Solapur on the auspicious occasion of Navratri is a big step towards convenient, fast and modern transportation,” Mohol said.

The minister further confirmed that the inaugural flight from Mumbai will be flagged off on October 15 by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Flight schedule and operations

The Solapur–Mumbai and Solapur–Bengaluru flights will operate four days a week — Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays — according to the flight schedule shared by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

  • Solapur–Mumbai: 12:55 pm
  • Mumbai–Solapur: 02:45 pm
  • Bengaluru–Solapur: 11:10 am
  • Solapur–Bengaluru: 04:15 pm

Bookings for these routes are already open.

Currently, Fly91 operates the only flight service from Solapur, connecting the city to Goa four times a week. The Goa route began in June 2025, after being postponed from its initial December 2024 launch date.

Boost to regional connectivity

Officials said the new flight services are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance regional air connectivity under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, aimed at linking tier-2 and tier-3 cities with major metropolitan centres.

The introduction of flights to Mumbai and Bengaluru is expected to significantly improve business travel, tourism, and industrial trade, especially as Solapur continues to develop as a textile and manufacturing hub in southern Maharashtra.

Civil aviation experts believe the new services could also reduce travel time from Solapur to Mumbai and Bengaluru from nearly eight hours by road or train to just over one hour by air.

Solapur Airport’s growing role

The renovated Solapur Airport, equipped with improved runway facilities, modern terminals, and night landing capabilities, is emerging as an important aviation node in the state.

With the addition of these two new routes, Solapur Airport now connects to three major destinations — Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Goa — with more routes expected to be announced in the coming months.

The government is also reportedly exploring additional links between Solapur and Pune, Hyderabad, and Nagpur to strengthen intra-state connectivity.

A festive boost

The timing of the launch during Navratri has further amplified excitement among locals. “This will help people from Solapur travel conveniently for business and pilgrimage, especially to Mumbai during the festive season,” said a local trader.

As Solapur gears up to become a growing aviation hub, the latest air routes mark another step towards faster, more efficient regional transportation in Maharashtra.