IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic announces plans to build an industry-leading partnership connecting India with Europe and North America, with ambitions to grow to a global scale, by linking IndiGo’s extensive domestic network with Delta’s strength in North
America and the transatlantic, the extensive reach of Air France-KLM in Europe and North
America, and the U.K. and transatlantic presence of Virgin Atlantic, the partnership is poised
to offer travelers broader access, smoother journeys, and a more consistent experience
across continents.
Linking dozens of cities in the United States, Canada, Europe and India,
the airlines aim to meet rising demand for international travel while setting new standards
for connectivity and cooperation in global aviation.
Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo said: “IndiGo has embarked on an ambitious journey to
become a global airline by 2030. This partnership represents another important milestone to
pursue commercial synergies, operational excellence and innovation.
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
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.”
Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, said: “This agreement is another example of our
commitment to making travel more connected, more inclusive and more accessible.
Combining our strengths with those of IndiGo, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic, will enable
us to offer unparalleled connectivity and convenience, ensuring that our customers enjoy the
highest standards of service and reliability across the globe. We look forward to restarting
Delta’s direct service from the U.S. to India in the near future.”
Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, said: “We are very glad to extend our existing
partnership with IndiGo and to do so alongside our partners Delta and Virgin Atlantic. India
is a strategic market for Air France-KLM, where we have a strong and historic presence soon
to increase. and we look forward to welcoming IndiGo customers on our flights and to play
an active role in the country’s connectivity.”
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said: “In our 25th year of flying to India, we’re delighted
to build on our Joint Venture with Delta and Air France-KLM, and our successful codeshare
with IndiGo, by going further with this partnership. As IndiGo starts long haul operations, we’ll
connect four of the world’s largest economies, enhancing the travel experience for our
guests, from greater connectivity and optimized flight times to loyalty benefits.”
Connecting Route Networks, 2022 and Beyond IndiGo has had partnerships with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic and with Air FranceKLM since 2022. Since then, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic customers have had access to more than 30 IndiGo points in India.
More recently, IndiGo announced the start of service to Europe, which, in addition to
expanding the existing partnership with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic transatlantic
flights, facilitates a new partnership opportunity between IndiGo and Delta, enabling
Indigo’s customers to connect to Delta’s broad transatlantic network. 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, making it easier to reach
destinations across Europe and North America.
These include:
• KLM flights from Amsterdam to 30 points within Europe
• Delta and KLM flights from Amsterdam to the United States and Canada
• Virgin Atlantic flights from Manchester to the United States For its part, KLM’s recently announced new route connecting Amsterdam with Hyderabad offers further opportunity for cooperation with IndiGo. With the route’s launch in September
2025, Air France-KLM will begin selling IndiGo flights to 24 destinations beyond Hyderabad.
IndiGo has previously announced that it 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 IndiGo’s fleet, the airline’s long-haul
expansion will enable further and deeper cooperation between IndiGo and Delta, Air FranceKLM, 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.
Future Collaboration
The MoU also creates a framework for deeper collaboration between the carriers on a
bilateral and multilateral basis; contemplates commercial collaboration including network,
loyalty, cargo and sales, subject to regulatory approvals; explores areas of non-commercial
cooperation including aircraft maintenance, sustainability, training, ground handling; and
acknowledges the need to develop advanced collaboration through use of technology to
efficiently service joint customers.
