In 2023, India received nearly 65 million international footfalls from across the world. Of these, 37 million passengers took direct or nonstop flights to India. There was a new high in the numbers compared to 2019, according to the reports by OAG, a UK-based air consultancy firm. While the booking of direct flights to and from India rose 3% in 2023 from 54% in 2019, the sales of flight tickets for itineraries with connecting airports dipped by 2.5 million last year.
Air India and IndiGo are the biggest Indian carriers increasing the number of direct international flights. The demand soaring for direct international travel seems to pose an opportunity for Delta Airlines’ comeback to India. In one of the recent business meetings held in Minnesota, Delta Airlines’ CEO Ed Bastian hinted at the likelihood of making a comeback to India that the airline served with its New York to Mumbai nonstop flights until the COVID-19 pandemic hit aviation.
Following the pandemic, the Russian airspace closure became too strong an obstacle for Delta Airlines to resume flying to India. It forced Delta to lease some long-range planes like B777-200LRs from its fleet grounded during the pandemic to Air India and other airlines. Subsequently, Delta Airlines’ nonstop service to its favorite destination, Mumbai BOM, has not been reinstated since then. Needless to say, Delta’s loss has been Air India’s gain in the US-India market.
Precisely, Delta Airlines’ CEO is looking forward to 2026 for a comeback to India with nonstop flights from Atlanta to New Delhi, as per reports. It all depends on the delivery of Delta’s order for twenty A350-1000 planes. This aircraft is capable of flying a longer range than the current A350-900 in the fleet of Delta Airlines. A350-1000 aircraft will facilitate the comeback of Delta Airlines to India bypassing the Russian airspace restricted to American carriers. “We really want to serve that market directly,” CEO Ed Bastian said.
Alongside the plans to revisit India, Delta Airlines has partnered with IndiGo, the only Indian carrier with the largest domestic network. Providing India-bound passengers with easy connectivity to domestic destinations from a major entry airport, New Delhi or Mumbai, is key to the survival of foreign airlines in the Indian market. That’s why IndiGo is a codeshare partner of Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, and Japan Airlines for their expansion in India.
A number of developments accomplished and lined-up by IndiGo makes it a favorite codeshare partner of the Middle East airlines and their European counterparts to bet on for domestic penetration across India. IndiGo, which operated as an all-economy airline for budget travelers until the end of 2024, has rolled out business class cabins on domestic and short-haul international flights. It has placed an order for 30 Airbus A350-900 planes in a strategic move to reposition itself as an international carrier and expand its network to long-haul destinations.
Delta’s plans for nonstop Atlanta to India flights in 2026 is good news for Indians in Georgia given the failure of their petitions to Air India for nonstop connectivity to the home country. By the way, you can have the most affordable phone-only deals of Virgin Atlanta, Air France-KLM, British Airways, Etihad, Qatar Airways, and other airlines by calling Indian Eagle at +1800-615-3969 (24/7) or visiting IndianEagle.com to save BIG this year.
Absolutely prefer Delta over Air India. I hope a direct flight between Bangalore and NYC becomes a reality.