New Delhi [India], September 15 (ANI): IndiGo has announced Athens as the inaugural destination to be served by its first Airbus A321XLR aircraft, on Monday.

The airline is all set to bring home India's first A321XLR by the end of 2025 and begin six weekly direct flights to Athens by early January 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

This milestone will make IndiGo the only Indian carrier to offer direct flights between India and Greece. On receipt of the appropriate approvals, IndiGo intends to connect Athens to both Delhi and Mumbai, with operations of three frequencies per week on both routes.

These flights to Athens will also offer convenient access to the exotic Greek islands, including Santorini, Mykonos and Crete, besides other regional European cities.

The new connection is likely to be an enabler of the growing leisure travel, as well as MICE and wedding tourism between the two countries, while also further strengthening IndiGo's footprint in Europe.

Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo, said, 'Athens as the inaugural destination for IndiGo's and India's first Airbus A321XLR is a symbolic milestone of India's aviation ascent.'

'IndiGo is proud to be the only Indian airline, currently, to announce direct flights between India and Greece - two ancient civilisations with a history of long-standing relationship, now deepened by modern-day bilateral and economic ties,' he added further.

'This new aviation corridor is a strategic step in IndiGo's international expansion and aligns perfectly with India's growing economy and tourism industry. With flight schedules ensuring convenience for travellers, we are confident that this route will further encourage demand for business and leisure travel alike. With this, we also look to connect to more points in Greece, strengthening the connectivity between the two countries,' Elbers said.

The A321XLR is a next-generation narrow-body aircraft designed for longer ranges, allowing IndiGo to expand deeper into Europe while maintaining the cost-efficiency of a single-aisle fleet.

With a range of up to 8,700 km, the XLR opens access to destinations previously beyond the reach of narrow-body operations, enabling non-stop flights from India to Southern Europe with greater efficiency. It will feature Economy Class and also IndiGoStretch that offers more comfort, enhanced legroom, in-flight entertainment, and an elevated cabin experience.

The launch of Athens as IndiGo's first XLR destination comes at a time when the India-Europe aviation market is growing, driven by both business and leisure demand.

Greece, with its growing role as a tourism and trade hub, offers a strong complement to India's expanding outbound market. As IndiGo sets its sights on expansion in Greece, it will also work with partners to make Greece one of the top preferences for Indians.

At the same time, India has become one of the fastest-growing source markets for Europe, and direct services to Athens will further enhance people-to-people and economic exchanges between the two nations. (ANI)