IndiGo and AirAsia X Launch New Longest Flights

India’s leading airline, IndiGo, has commenced its new longest flight route from Delhi to Manchester, marking a significant expansion in its international service offerings. The inaugural flight took off on November 15, 2023, and due to the necessity of avoiding Pakistani airspace, this route has emerged as the longest in terms of duration and distance for the airline.

Meanwhile, AirAsia X has also begun a new long-haul service, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. This new route boasts a flight time of up to 11 hours 30 minutes, surpassing its previous longest flight to Jeddah, which had a duration of 9 hours 55 minutes.

IndiGo Expands UK Presence with New Route

The introduction of the Delhi-Manchester route is notable as it revives a service that was last offered by Air India 25 years ago, in the year 2000. Despite the absence of nonstop options for many years, demand is evident, with approximately 60,000 round-trip passengers recorded in the year leading up to September 2025, averaging about 164 daily travelers. Interestingly, Delhi was identified as Manchester’s fifth-largest unserved European market, following cities like Islamabad and Bangkok.

IndiGo operates this new route five times a week using a 338-seat Boeing 787-9, leased from Norse Atlantic. The maximum block time for this flight is 10 hours 55 minutes. The airline has also initiated four other international routes within the past week, connecting Bengaluru with Riyadh, Delhi with Guangzhou, Kolkata with Siem Reap, and Vijayawada with Singapore. These routes are comparatively shorter than the new link to Manchester.

Due to restrictions on flying through Pakistan’s airspace, IndiGo’s flights must take a longer route, which increases both time and operational costs. Despite these challenges, the airline’s new Manchester route complements existing services from Mumbai to Manchester and Mumbai to Heathrow, further solidifying IndiGo’s position in the UK market.

AirAsia X’s New Long-Haul Service to Istanbul

On the same day, AirAsia X launched its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. This route operates four times a week aboard an A330-300 aircraft, which accommodates 377 passengers. In the past year, the market between Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur attracted around 152,000 round-trip passengers, predominantly utilizing Istanbul Airport’s flagship services.

The newly established service to Sabiha Gökçen, which catered to only about 17,000 passengers last year, is a strategic move for AirAsia X, focusing on establishing connections through Kuala Lumpur. The carrier aims to expand its reach while facilitating connections with its sister airline, AirAsia. Historically, AirAsia X has operated longer flights, including services to major cities like London and Paris, and it is exploring the possibility of re-entering the London market with newly acquired slots at Gatwick for the upcoming summer season.

Arajet Enters Chicago Market

In a related development, the Dominican Republic’s flag carrier, Arajet, launched its first flight to Chicago O’Hare on November 15, 2023. This marks a significant expansion of its operations in the United States, bringing the total number of U.S. destinations to four, alongside Miami, Newark, and Sanford. The new service from Punta Cana operates three times weekly using 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with a maximum flight time of up to 5 hours 10 minutes.

Previously, Arajet’s longest flight to the U.S. was the route connecting Santo Domingo with Newark, which took up to 4 hours 30 minutes. The addition of Chicago enhances connectivity for travelers from the Dominican Republic, offering more options for short-haul connections across the Caribbean and South America.

Overall, the recent expansions by IndiGo, AirAsia X, and Arajet illustrate a dynamic shift in international air travel offerings, responding to market demands and enhancing connectivity across key global destinations.