IndiGo celebrates 18th anniversary with major announcements heralding new era of growth, BA

Marking a significant milestone, IndiGo, India’s leading airline and one of the largest globally, celebrated its 18th anniversary with a series of announcements that set the stage for its next phase of growth. Held at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the celebration gathered dignitaries from the travel community, partners, investors, and the airline’s leadership team.

Since its inception, IndiGo has transformed and democratised air travel in India, connecting 88 destinations with over 400 domestic routes and opening the skies to millions of first-time flyers. Internationally, the airline serves 33 cities with over 100 routes, further expanding its footprint. The airline has placed a record order of 500 aircraft, introducing XLRs in 2025, and ordering the widebody A350-900 for delivery in 2027.

On the occasion, IndiGo Founder, Rahul Bhatia discussed the airline’s remarkable journey from inception to becoming the seventh largest airline in the world. He highlighted IndiGo’s commitment to cost leadership, quality, and customer satisfaction, as well as its ambitious expansion plans. He further emphasised on the importance of complexity in IndiGo’s offerings while maintaining structural cost leadership.

Expansion plans and new destinations
IndiGo recently announced the addition of Jaffna as its 34th international destination, which would be its first ATR aircraft-operated international station. The carrier has plans to reach over 40 international destinations by the end of this financial year. This expansion underscores the airline’s ambition to double in scale by the end of the decade.

Entry into Business Class with IndiGoStretch
In a groundbreaking move, IndiGo announced the launch of IndiGoStretch, offering business class seats on metro-to-metro routes served by the airline. Starting mid-November on the Delhi-Mumbai sector, IndiGoStretch features coupe-style, two-seat wide bays, which comes with premium seats, and multiple power outlets, among other amenities.
New loyalty program: BlueChip
IndiGo also unveiled its much-anticipated loyalty program, IndiGo BluChip, designed to reward frequent flyers with BluChips based on their spending. The program offers exclusive benefits, real-time tier upgrades, and the rewards per spend on flights. Members can nominate up to five beneficiaries to redeem BluChips and enjoy lifetime validity for active members. Early bird pre-registration opens today, with the full program launching in September 2024.

Website & App revamp
To complement these advancements, IndiGo has revamped its website and mobile application to deliver a seamless and user-friendly interface, enhancing the overall customer experience.Sharing a detailed presentation on these multiple announcements, Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo, reflected on the airline’s journey, “On our 18th anniversary, it’s time to reflect on the incredible IndiGo journey of giving wings to the nation. We thank the 600 million customers who have chosen to fly with us and our dedicated team for their relentless service. With India’s soaring economy and evolving aspirations, we are redefining air travel once again. The launch of IndiGoStretch and IndiGo BluChip marks the beginning of a new era in our journey, as we continue to deliver on our promises of on-time performance, affordable fares, and hassle-free travel experiences.”