Indians Are Choosing Direct Flights For International Travel: Report

Marking an increase in the popularity of direct flights, India reported an increase in the number of passengers taking a non-stop flight from the country and the rest of the world. In 2023, around 37 million passengers opted to take a direct flight to travel as the country recorded approximately 65 million international air travellers, as per a report by OAG, a United Kingdom-based air consultancy firm.

As per the analysis of OAG quoted in a report of a leading media house, the number of passengers flying non-stop in 2023 increased by 2 million compared to 2019, even though the number of international air travellers dipped by around 6 lakh during the same period in case of India.

On the other hand, the number of passengers taking the indirect routes declined by 2.5 million to take the total to 27 million. This resulted in the share of passengers taking the direct flight route increasing to 57 per cent in 2023 from 54 per cent in 2019.

The growth in non-stop flight preference among travellers has been attributed to the growth in international flights by IndiGo and Air India Group. The entry of new players such as Akasa and other foreign airlines resulted in the shift.

Indian airports are getting increased prominence in terms of being a transfer hub as around one million passengers use them to connect to other destinations, highlighted the report. Over the last four years, around 52 new international routes have been adopted by the country’s airlines, providing a boost towards the aim of global connectivity.

As far as domestic air travel is concerned, Indian airlines carried around 79.35 million passengers from January to June 2024, registering a 4 per cent growth on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, as per the official data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).