Four airlines form consortium to offer Indian passengers better connectivity to USA, Europe

New Delhi: IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic on Sunday announced plans to build an industry-leading partnership connecting India with Europe and North America, with ambitions to grow to a global scale.

India, one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, is at the heart of this collaboration, a release from the consortium of airlines has said.

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 travellers 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 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.

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.

Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, said: “We are 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. 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.”

IndiGo has had partnerships with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic and with Air France KLM 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 services 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.