Indians’ Travel Trends: Airlines Expand from Bali to Baku

The expansion of Indian airlines into new international destinations is a clear indicator of the changing travel patterns of Indian tourists. IndiGo is set to increase the frequency of its flights to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, starting next month. This move comes after the airline’s successful launch of flights to Baku last August, signaling the strength of the route. Vistara also made its mark by launching non-stop flights to Bali from Delhi in December last year, a first for any Indian airline.

The expansion of Indian carriers to international destinations is a reflection of the shifting landscape of travel. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian airlines had already begun expanding to international shores, including new connections to Male and Phuket, as well as expanded services to Sri Lanka. However, the pandemic brought about a sudden surge in revenge tourism, with Indians taking advantage of better pandemic management and vaccination rates to explore new destinations.

Data provided by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, shows that Indian carriers have launched flights to multiple new destinations that were previously untapped. IndiGo leads the pack with 41 new city pairs on international routes, including flights to CIS and new city pairs to existing destinations like Abu Dhabi. Vistara has also expanded rapidly, launching multiple flights to Kathmandu and being the only Indian carrier to operate flights to Mauritius.

While Indian carriers are rapidly expanding, there have also been some route withdrawals. IndiGo has pulled out of routes such as Bengaluru to Hong Kong and Bengaluru to Kuala Lumpur, while SpiceJet has vacated routes like Ahmedabad to Muscat and Mumbai to Bangkok.

The increasing economic might of the middle class in India, coupled with visa incentives from other countries, is likely to see more Indian carriers capitalizing on the changing travel patterns of Indian tourists. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years, with new points in Europe and Southeast Asia opening up for direct flights from India.

In conclusion, the expansion of Indian airlines into new international destinations reflects the evolving travel patterns and preferences of Indian tourists. With the increasing economic strength of the middle class in India, along with visa incentives from other countries, Indian carriers are well-positioned to take advantage of this shifting landscape.