It’s time for 6Europe! IndiGo has announced new nonstop flights to Europe. The airline has added Manchester in the United Kingdom and Amsterdam in the Netherlands to its network, with flights beginning in July 2025.
IndiGo to Europe!
Starting July 2025, IndiGo will operate three-weekly flights from Delhi (DEL) to Manchester (MAN) and Amsterdam (AMS) using its leased Boeing B787-9 Dreamliners. While it currently has one B787-9 in its fleet which it uses on flights to Bangkok (BKK) from Delhi, three more will join the fleet by mid-2025 when these new routes to Europe are scheduled to launch. This is mostly the first time that IndiGo has announced new destinations but has not opened bookings and also the first time that it has announced new destinations so much in advance.
The Indian low-cost carrier says that with “its signature blend of unparalleled network, affordable fares, hassle-free and on-time services, IndiGo is ready to revolutionize the long-haul travel experience, making international travel even more accessible”. The airline says that this development signals a significant step in IndiGo’s journey to become a global player by 2030.
Today, we unlock a new and very exciting chapter in IndiGo’s growth journey, connecting India to the heart of Europe. We’re thrilled to announce our first-ever long-haul destinations – Manchester and Amsterdam. India has strong ties both with the United Kingdom and the Netherlands for business and tourism; and there is a large Indian diaspora who live in these countries. These new flights will benefit both our existing and potential customers who fly on these routes. These new IndiGo long-haul routes are steps towards inching closer to realising our shared vision to build India into a global aviation hub.
Personally, I’m delighted to introduce IndiGo to the Netherlands, a country with which India, my present home, shares a rich history of trade, collaboration, and air connectivity. The United Kingdom is an important market for us, und we’re excited to announce direct flights between India and Manchester.
Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said.
IndiGo’s comprehensive network in domestic India and Asia will now be accessible to Manchester and Amsterdam. The low-cost carrier says that this will fulfill “a long-standing need for seamless connectivity between Europe and Asia by Indian operators”. Over the past two years, IndiGo has been already building its brand presence in Europe through multiple codeshare partnerships connecting several European cities to India. These includes codeshare with Turkish Airlines, Air France-KLM, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
The leased B787-9s will help IndiGo to make an early entry into the long-haul market and establish itself in Europe while the airline awaits the delivery of its Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) from 2026 onwards and Airbus A350-900 aircraft from 2027 onwards.
The flights will be on sale soon. We will get to know more about whether IndiGo will adopt a hybrid model or continue its existing low-cost approach on long-haul flights. These leased B787-9s feature 56 Premium Economy seats which are sold as IndiGoStretch seats (name of its domestic Business Class product) and 282 standard Economy Class seats.
Featured image by IndiGo and Planespotters.net/Hassakorn Panngam
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