Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India is third-largest domestic airline market: Report

India's capacity growth rate of seats over a 10-year average is the highest among the five markets. It has seen an annual growth rate of 6.9 per cent between 2014 and 2024

India is third-largest domestic airline market: Report

INDIA'S domestic airline market has registered robust growth in the last decade, and it is now the third-largest in the world, up from the fifth position a decade ago, according to global travel data provider OAG.

In its 2014 survey of large domestic aviation markets, India figured fifth on the list with eight million seats. The topper was USA, followed by China, Brazil, and Indonesia.


But in April 2024, India overtook Indonesia and Brazil with a capacity of 15.6 million seats. The US and China have retained their positions.

India’s capacity growth rate of seats over a 10-year average is the highest among the five markets.

"Over the last ten years, domestic airline capacity has almost doubled in India and has seen an annual growth rate of 6.9 per cent between 2014 and 2024. India is the fastest growing market across all five domestic markets we considered," OAG said.

China was close behind with annual growth of 6.3 per cent, while the US and Indonesia registered a growth of 2.4 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively. Brazil saw a yearly decline overall within the period of -0.8 per cent.

Low-cost carriers

The OAG report noted that the growth in India's domestic airline market was primarily driven by low-cost carriers (LCC).

In April 2024, LCCs accounted for 78.4 per cent of domestic airline capacity in India, the highest LCC share of any of these five domestic markets, and budget carrier IndiGo accounted for the most seats.

“In the last 10 years, IndiGo has almost doubled its market share, from 32 per cent of capacity in 2014 to 62 per cent today. While the rest of the market has barely grown, averaging just 0.7 per cent a year, IndiGo has a domestic capacity growth rate of 13.9 per cent annually,” the report mentioned.

Air India (including Air India Express and Vistara) is the next largest carrier in the domestic market, and accounts for 28 per cent of capacity.

The two airlines account for 9 out of 10 airline seats in India's domestic airline market.

The report noted that India’s ten largest airports account for more than two-thirds of the country’s domestic capacity.

Delhi, with over 5.2 million seats in April 2024, accounts for 17 per cent of all domestic seats, followed by Mumbai with 3.7 million seats (12 per cent). The other major airports include Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Guwahati.

According to the government, the number of airports in the country has increased to 157 from 74 in the last 10 years.

The report noted that the UDAN scheme, which was implemented in 2017 to make air travel accessible to all, has helped in improving connectivity. The number of routes served in the domestic market has risen to 540 in April 2024, from 215 in April 2014.

However, the report said that the airport infrastructure needs to be scaled up to unlock the next phase of India’s domestic market development.

More For You

Satya Nadella backs £30bn Microsoft push in UK
Satya Nadella
Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella backs £30bn Microsoft push in UK

MICROSOFT CEO Satya Nadella on Wednesday (17) said the American tech giant is “doubling down” on its investments in Britain as US president Donald Trump began his state visit with the launch of a US-UK Tech Prosperity Deal.

The agreement focuses on advancing fast-growing technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and nuclear innovation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jaguar Land Rover’s factory in Solihull, Britain

FILE PHOTO: A member of staff works on the production line at Jaguar Land Rover’s factory in Solihull, Britain. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Government steps in as JLR cyber attack stalls output

BRITAIN's largest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover, said a pause in production due to a cyber attack would now stretch to September 24, extending the stoppage at its plants to more than three weeks.

The luxury carmaker, owned by India's Tata Motors, said it shut down its systems in early September to contain the hack that has severely disrupted its retail and manufacturing operations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi & Trump

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House on February 13, 2025.

Reuters

India, US to discuss trade issues after tariff hike

INDIA and the United States will hold trade discussions in New Delhi on Tuesday, officials and Indian media reports said, as the two countries look to resolve a tariff dispute.

India currently faces high US tariffs on most of its exports and has not yet been able to reach a trade deal that would ease the pressure.

Keep ReadingShow less
Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal recalled that in February, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trade talks with US moving forward positively, says Indian minister Goyal

INDIA’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that negotiations on the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both sides are satisfied with the discussions.

He recalled that in February, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less