IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic are to form a partnership to better connect India with Europe and North America, with longer-term ambitions to take it to a global scale.
The partnership will link IndiGo’s extensive Indian domestic network with Delta routes in North America and across the transatlantic with Delta’s Joint Venture partner Virgin Atlantic. It will also link with Air France-KLM in Europe and North America.
IndiGo has had partnerships with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic in place since 2022, giving Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic access to more than 30 IndiGo points in India.
More recently, IndiGo announced the launch of services to Europe, which, in addition to expanding the existing partnership with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic transatlantic flights, facilitates new opportunities between IndiGo and Delta.
After commercial contracts and regulatory procedures are completed to allow IndiGo to sell partner flights as its own under its own 6E* marketing codes, IndiGo customers will be able to book onward travel on select flights operated by its international partners. These include KLM flights from Amsterdam to 30 points within Europe, Delta and KLM flights from Amsterdam to the US and Canada and Virgin Atlantic flights from Manchester to the US.
KLM’s new route connecting Amsterdam with Hyderabad, due to launch in September 2025, offers further opportunity for cooperation with IndiGo.
IndiGo will enhance its fleet of damp leased B787 to six aircraft later this year and has in place a long-term firm order of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, with options for 70 more.
As these aircraft join its fleet, the airline’s long-haul expansion will enable further and deeper cooperation between IndiGo and Delta, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic in the future.
Delta, meanwhile, plans to resume services to India with nonstop flights between Atlanta and Delhi, subject to government approval. The service start date will be announced later.
Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said: “IndiGo has embarked on an ambitious journey to become a global airline by 2030. This announcement not only expands our relationship with Air France–KLM and Virgin Atlantic but also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we welcome Delta Airlines as a valued partner.
“We are particularly excited to start our long-haul expansion from this Summer and connect with our partners’ networks to provide greater access to Europe and North America. This strategic partnership enables a compelling combined customer proposition in the form of comprehensive intercontinental connectivity, seamless experience and great loyalty value. It also lays the groundwork for us to exchange best practices in areas of technology, operational excellence and service delivery.”
The MoU also creates a framework for deeper collaboration between the carriers on a bilateral and multilateral basis and could lead to closer commercial collaboration including network, loyalty, cargo and sales, subject to regulatory approvals.
The airlines could also cooperator on non-commercial matters, including aircraft maintenance, sustainability, training and ground handling.
