The annual conference of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) was held in Delhi this year. The event highlighted the increasingly important role played by India as an aviation nation. This was also confirmed by a new partnership between Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and the Indian carrier IndiGo.
Existing agreement extended to Delta Air Lines
This training partnership will connect IndiGo's extensive domestic network with Delta's strength in North America and on transatlantic routes. It will complete IndiGo's 2022 cooperation agreement with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic. The new partnership will offer travellers greater connectivity, smoother journeys and a harmonised travel experience across continents.
Connecting dozens of cities in the United States, Canada, Europe and India, the airlines aim to meet the growing demand for international travel.
For Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGoThis partnership confirms the ambitions of the Indian company. " IndiGo is committed to the ambitious project of becoming a global airline by 2030. This partnership therefore marks an important step in the implementation of commercial synergies. This announcement strengthens our relationship with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic. It also marks the start of a new chapter with Delta Air Lines as our preferred partner. We are particularly excited to begin our long-haul development this summer and to connect to our partners' networks. ".
Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Linessaid: " By combining our strengths with those of IndiGo, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic, we will offer unrivalled connectivity and fluidity. We look forward to resuming direct flights between Atlanta and Delhi in the near future. ".
For his part, Benjamin Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Air France-KLMunderlined that " India is a strategic market for Air France-KLM. We have a strong and historic presence there that will soon grow. We look forward to playing an active role in the country's connectivity.".
New routes between Europe and India
This association will take on its full meaning with the future launch of IndiGo flights to Europe. These routes will pave the way for an extension of the existing partnership with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic. It will also open up new partnership prospects with Delta.
Once the commercial contracts have been signed and approved, IndiGo will be able to sell its partners' flights under its own code. In detail, the partnership will enable IndiGo to market:
- KLM flights departing fromAmsterdam to 30 destinations in Europe
- Delta and KLM frequencies from Amsterdam to the United States and Canada
- Virgin Atlantic routes from Manchester to the United States
Additional information, KLM has announced a new flight between Amsterdam and Hyderabad. From those early days in September 2025Air France-KLM will be selling IndiGo flights to 24 destinations from Hyderabad.
IndiGo has previously announced that it intends to strengthen its Boeing 787 fleet with the lease of six aircraft by the end of the year. The airline has also placed a firm long-term order for 30 Airbus A350-900s, with options for a further 70 aircraft.
