The new service will launch on February 2, 2026, featuring five flights weekly operated by Boeing 787 aircraft acquired through a wet or damp lease from Norse Atlantic Airways. These aircraft will include a dual-class setup, offering IndiGoStretch and Economy Class. With this new route, IndiGo will provide a total of 12 weekly flights to London, having already established daily direct flights from Mumbai to Heathrow.
The Delhi-London route is part of the airline’s efforts to expand internationally from the national capital. Recently, IndiGo has also introduced direct services from Delhi to Denpasar (Bali), Krabi, Hanoi, Guangzhou, and Manchester, with flights to Athens set to begin in January 2026. Over the last year, the airline has added 10 new international destinations and over 30 international routes from various cities across India.
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Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo, stated that the new route would enhance connections between India and the UK. “We are excited to launch direct flights between Delhi and London, providing more travel choices between India and the United Kingdom. This follows the recent introduction of our direct flights from Mumbai to London, along with services from both Delhi and Mumbai to Manchester,” he said.
“This new service is anticipated to cater to the rising demand for travel between the two cities for business, tourism, and family visits. IndiGo is dedicated to making international travel more seamless and accessible while improving connectivity between India and key global locations,” Elbers added.
The announcement coincides with ongoing operational challenges faced by the airline. On Tuesday, IndiGo canceled approximately 50 domestic flights across various airports, including Mumbai, Delhi, Varanasi, Pune, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Indore, and Patna, as per details available on its website. The airline did not provide reasons for these cancellations.
Under its winter schedule, IndiGo was initially authorized to operate 15,014 domestic flights weekly, or 2,144 flights daily. However, due to extensive disruptions in early December, when thousands of flights were canceled and passengers nationwide were impacted, the government reduced the airline’s winter allocation by 10%, equating to 214 flights daily.
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As a result, IndiGo is now limited to 1,930 domestic flights daily, excluding international and cargo operations. During the peak of the disruptions, the airline canceled as many as 1,600 flights in a single day.
In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation established a four-member investigative panel to scrutinize the airline’s manpower planning, variable rostering systems, and readiness to implement revised duty periods and rest protocols for pilots. The panel has already interviewed IndiGo’s senior leadership, including CEO Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras, and is expected to submit its findings later this week.
(With inputs from agencies)
