- India’s international air travel reached 20 million in Q4.
- North American traffic slowed, while demand across Asia remained strong.
- Foreign carriers held a 54 percent market share.
INDIA’S INTERNATIONAL AIR travel exceeded 20 million between October and December, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. About 78 million people flew to and from India in the full year, up 8 percent from 72 million the previous year.
Growth remained strong despite a slowdown in North American traffic. Travel to the U.S. was affected by student and H-1B visa issues during the second Trump administration, according to The Economic Times. High visa rejection rates and delays in Canada, along with fewer Air India flights after the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad in June, affected passenger growth in those markets.
“Almost 15 million Indians were issued passports last year. Only 3.3 to 3.5 million of these passport holders traveled abroad,” said Anil Kalsi, Travel Agents Federation of India’s vice president, according to The Times. “So we have a large number of passport holders who aspire to travel but have not yet done so. Combined with the growing strength of the Indian passport, with more countries offering visa-on-arrival or visa-free access, and the rising aspirations of the middle class, this segment is set to grow for many years. Growth in direct connectivity between India and new international destinations, many popular with Indian travelers, is fueling demand. Countries in the region, such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand, consider Indians among their top foreign spenders and overseas travelers.”
Officials said that, except for North America, other regions continue to see growth in demand from Indian travelers.
“Since Indians are major spenders, many countries are increasingly welcoming them,” officials said.
In the latter half of the year, IndiGo overtook the Air India Group to become the largest operator of international passengers in and out of India. Foreign carriers held a 54 percent market share as India maintained bilateral flying rights. IndiGo’s rise marks the first time since Jet Airways’ closure that the Air India Group did not lead the international market.
In December, India’s aviation ministry issued non-objection certificates to Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress to provide Indian travelers with more airline options.
