UAE – India travel: Budget carrier IndiGo to add more flights to Abu Dhabi

Dubai: The availability of travel options for Indian expatriates returning home has grown, as IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, has announced new direct flights from Abu Dhabi to two smaller Indian cities. IndiGo will operate direct flights to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Bhubaneswar in Odisha starting next month.

The flights on the Bhubaneswar–Abu Dhabi routes will operate three times a week, effective June 12, and between Visakhapatnam- Abu Dhabi four times a week, starting June 13.

IndiGo said by introducing these direct flights, the airline “is enhancing travel convenience for passengers, expanding international access to regional markets, and catering to the growing demand from both business and leisure travellers.”

Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, “With the additions of these flights, IndiGo now operates over 100 weekly flights to Abu Dhabi from 15 cities in India. This also increases our frequencies to the UAE to 275 flights a week from 18 cities in India.”  

Malhotra added, “As demand for direct international travel grows, we’re committed to connecting India with global economic centres, ensuring on-time, affordable, and seamless travel across our expanding network.”

Last week, IndiGo also said it would expand its footprint in the UAE by launching new daily direct flights to Fujairah from Mumbai and Kannur, effective May 15. This announcement marks Fujairah as IndiGo’s fifth destination in the UAE and its 41st international addition, solidifying its growing presence in the Middle East.

IndiGo will also provide dedicated bus services to and from Dubai and Sharjah passengers. This strategic move complements the airline’s existing services to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah, providing travellers with a broader range of options to access various parts of the UAE.

These expansions follow IndiGo’s recent announcement of new services from India to Manchester and Amsterdam Schiphol, scheduled to commence in July 2025.

These routes are part of the airline’s ambition to connect the Indian market with key European destinations. IndiGo intends to utilize the Norse Atlantic Airways’ aircraft on these longer-haul routes as an interim solution, eventually replacing them with its fleet of Airbus A350-900s.

The airline has 30 wide-body A350-900 aircraft on order from Airbus, with the first delivery expected in 2027.