IndiGo marks long-haul debut with non-stop flights to Manchester and Amsterdam

IndiGo expands into long-haul flights with Boeing 787-9s, wet leased from Norse Atlantic, offering European connectivity ahead of schedule.

IndiGo on Thursday (March 6, 2025) announced its entry into non-stop long-haul international flights with the launch of services to Manchester and Amsterdam as its first European destinations - moving ahead of its earlier plans.

The airline will offer thrice weekly flights each to Manchester and Amsterdam from July 2025, “subject to completion of all operational preparedness and regulatory approvals,” the airline said in a press statement.

The airline has taken the delivery of a Boeing 787-9 widebody aircraft on wet lease (leasing planes with crew) from Norwegian carrier Norse Atlantic, which will enable it to serve this route. The aircraft comprises 56 of the newly launched IndiGo Stretch seats which offer more leg room and better cushioning, along with 282 economy seats.

The airline said three more of these Boeing 787-9s will be joining the fleet in the second half of 2025. The airline with a fully- narrow body fleet comprising A320s - except for some Boeing 737 MAXs leased to overcome the shortage of planes due to Pratt and Whitney engine related groundings- also has two Boeing 777 aircraft wet leased from Turkish Airlines that are used for flights to Istanbul from Mumbai and Delhi, as well as offer travellers one-stop travel to 35 destinations in Europe and the US through a codeshare with Turkish Airlines.

The new wet leased aircraft that provide IndiGo the capability to provide connectivity into Europe help the airline fill the gap due to the delay in the delivery of Airbus A321 XLR aircraft. The longest range narrow-body planes were earlier planned for delivery to IndiGo in 2024-2025, but have been delayed due to certification issues. The airline’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, has spoken of plans to connect destinations in Europe such as Athens and Rome as well as Seoul in the Far East with the XLRs.

“Collectively, these aircraft will enable IndiGo to make an early entry into the long-haul market and establish itself in Europe while the airline awaits the delivery of its Airbus A321 XLR, and A350-900 aircraft from 2027 onwards,” the airline said in a statement.

Last April, IndiGo placed its maiden order of widebody aircraft of 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft to expand its long-haul international network. These are expected to join the fleet fr0m 2027.