Manchester Airport has announced that it will begin operating direct flights to India in the summer of 2025, with Indian budget airline IndiGo set to operate the route. The service will be the airport’s first direct route to India and will make Manchester the only airport in the north of England to operate services directly to India. The flights are expected to operate three times a week and are scheduled to begin in July 2025, pending completion of operational preparedness and regulatory approvals.
While the route has been confirmed, one detail remains to be publicly announced: the specific airport in India that the service will operate to. There has been speculation that the route will run to New Delhi, but this has not been officially confirmed. The Indian government is still processing the necessary regulatory approvals for the route.
The new service is expected to be a significant boost for the region, with Manchester’s economy already benefiting from a strong partnership with India, which has more than doubled in value between 2019 and 2022. The route is expected to open up opportunities for leisure and business travel, as well as reconnecting the half a million people with Indian heritage in the area with their families and friends.
Local MP Jonathan Reynolds, who has relaunched trade talks with India, welcomed the news, stating that it will be “hugely welcomed by businesses and visitors”. The UK’s strong relationship with India, worth £41 billion, is expected to continue to grow with closer connections like this new route.