Incredible India, Six Incredible Months for India at Athens International Airport, with over 40 thousand PAX and soaring high…
40,000 Direct PAX in 6 months, with a strong 28% growth in O&D traffic in the first 5 months of the year, following 2025 record year with almost 100 thousand PAX between Athens and India
Six months back, January 2026, first ever direct connection between Greece and India – between Athens and Delhi-Mumbai was inaugurated, with IndiGo operating its very first ever (and the first for any Indian airline) A321XLR to Athens.
Since then and up to the 30th of June 2026, IndiGo carried from and to Athens over 40 thousand direct passengers. An incredible achievement !
But when you deep-dive in the numbers of IndiGo operations at Athens and the characteristics of the India market, an incredible journey is revealed.
Up to 2026, the strongest year of traffic between India and Athens was 2025, based on IATA AirportIS O&D traffic, almost reaching 100 thousand round-trip passengers.
Strong momentum in demand is accelerated in 2026, supported by the direct service, with O&D traffic increasing by +28% for Jan-May 26 vs.25. All of that, during a period with strong geopolitical unrest, airspace restrictions and increasing costs of living and air fares. Back in 2025, 81% of the traffic connected via the main Gulf HUBs, with situation in the region putting a significant limitation in travel. However, connecting volumes between India and Athens remained high in 2026 with Non-Stop traffic, stimulating the market further.
For the first 6 months (January to June) of Direct service between Athens and India, IndiGo carried over 40 thousand round-trip passengers (based on ATH airport data), with over 130 departures from Athens.
Traffic is almost evenly split between Delhi and Mumbai, with Inbound Load Factors to Athens in the range of 87% to 92%, indicating strong demand for Indians visiting Athens and Greece.
In addition to the Local traffic between Athens and India, strong demand is noted on IndiGo beyond India network to Asia. Thailand and Vietnam are the TOP 2 beyond country markets from Athens, connecting with the airline via DEL & BOM.
Hence, part of the demand between India and Athens is traveling Non-Stop, with connecting traffic volumes remaining almost unchanged to 2025, while a significant share of beyond traffic is accommodated on IndiGo services.
Strong growth of the India market for Athens in 2026 and the significant volumes of beyond traffic to Asia via DEL & BOM, are strong statements of the very successful start of this route.
Athens unmatched Asian Long-Haul potential
- Scoot: Back in 2017 selected Athens as its first European Long-Haul route, operating ever since with strong route performance.
- Air China: Connected Athens to Beijing non-stop in the end of 2017, operating uninterrupted since, even in the “darker months” of the COVID period (May/June 2020). Air China trusted Athens as one of the only 7 European routes it operated from Beijing during that time, from a total of 19 PEK-to-Europe routes in January 2020.
- Juneyao: Inaugurated a direct connection from Athens to Shanghai in April 2024 offering 3 weekly frequencies, with the airline constantly improving its offering, achieving strong Load Factors and eventually upgrading ATH-PVG flights to daily, in the peak Summer 2026 season.
All in all, the very successful start of IndiGo at Athens is further proof of the unmatched long-haul potential of Athens, adding on above successful cases in the Eastern part of the World.