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IndiGo hits $10 billion mark, sets sights on global expansion
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers outlines an ambitious global expansion strategy as the airline crosses $10 billion in revenue, driven by fleet growth, premium offerings, digital upgrades and a renewed focus on customer service and sustainability.
In a letter to shareholders, Pieter Elbers, the CEO of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, parent company of IndiGo, laid out a bold vision for the airline’s future, blending global ambition with deep Indian roots. As IndiGo celebrates its 18th year in service, Elbers described the airline’s evolution as not just an aviation success story, but a reflection of India’s growing global stature.
“While our roots and values are strongly Indian, the world is where we operate,” Elbers wrote. “We are not just connecting Indians with and within India, and the world but also welcoming foreign travellers to India.”
A $10 Billion Milestone
IndiGo reached a key financial landmark in FY25, becoming a $10 billion revenue airline — a first for the company and a rare feat globally. For the full fiscal year ending March 2025, the airline carried over 118 million passengers, expanded capacity by 13%, and posted a net profit of ₹7,300 crore. The company has proposed a ₹10 per share dividend, pending shareholder approval.
This growth comes amid a rapidly expanding network: IndiGo now serves 91 domestic and 40 international destinations with over 2,200 daily flights. It also boasts the largest aircraft fleet in India, with over 400 planes in operation.
Anchoring the Brand in Safety and Service
At the core of IndiGo’s operational success, Elbers emphasized, is an unwavering commitment to safety, punctuality, and customer satisfaction. “Above all, safety remains our unwavering priority,” he noted, citing industry-leading Net Promoter Scores and a low cancellation rate of just 1.03%.
The airline's “Reassure” strategy pillar has helped IndiGo sustain its market leadership. Despite weather-related disruptions in early 2024 and a mid-year dip in on-time performance, operational improvements and refined standard operating procedures led to a full recovery. Elbers credited IndiGo’s frontline staff and its "Service from the Heart" ethos for consistently delivering a seamless travel experience, especially for first-time flyers across India’s underserved regions.
A Global Strategy Takes Flight
IndiGo’s growth blueprint, launched in 2022 under the banner “Towards New Heights and Across New Frontiers,” is delivering tangible results. A major focus is international expansion, with Elbers announcing the launch of long-haul routes to Manchester and Amsterdam, supported by leased Boeing 787 aircraft and incoming Airbus A350s.
The airline aims to raise its international capacity share from 28% to 40% by 2030. An additional 30 A350-900s were recently ordered, doubling its existing commitment, and deepening IndiGo’s global reach alongside new partnerships with Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic.
Investing in Technology, People, and Infrastructure
Under the “Develop” pillar, IndiGo is leveraging digital transformation to streamline operations and elevate the passenger experience. The company rolled out an upgraded website and app, a hotel booking feature, and “6Eskai” — an AI-powered chatbot based on GPT-4 — for both customers and internal teams.
All workloads have been migrated to secure cloud environments, with enhanced cybersecurity protocols. Operational tools for flight and disruption management have also been modernized, improving resilience and efficiency across its network.
Elbers highlighted IndiGo’s investment in human capital as critical to sustaining its growth. The airline runs one of the world’s largest aviation academies — ifly — training over 2,000 people daily. Its leadership program, IndiGoLD, partners with ISB and Harvard to groom future leaders. The company has also doubled down on diversity, with 16% of its pilot workforce now female, and increasing representation from the LGBTQ+ and differently abled communities.
Expanding the Product Universe
Recognizing India’s aspirational middle class, IndiGo is elevating its product offerings. The airline introduced IndiGoStretch, a business-class experience on high-traffic routes, and IndiGo BluChip, a fast-growing loyalty program now boasting nearly 3 million members. Strategic tie-ups with global brands like Accor and Swiggy add further value.
Meanwhile, IndiGo is also expanding its cargo footprint. In FY25, it moved over 400,000 tonnes of freight, with international cargo volume growing 36% year-over-year.
In a strategic diversification move, IndiGo launched IndiGo Ventures, a new investment arm approved by SEBI to back startups in the aviation ecosystem.
Sustainability as Strategy
Elbers highlighted the airline’s green credentials, noting that 78% of its fleet comprises new-generation aircraft. With an average aircraft age of just 4.9 years, IndiGo has achieved a 17.3% reduction in CO₂ emissions per available seat kilometer since FY2016.
It has also adopted electric ground vehicles and is meeting stringent ICAO noise standards. “We are committed to minimising our environmental impact while meeting the future demand for aviation,” Elbers affirmed.
Serving Communities Beyond the Skies
IndiGo’s CSR wing, IndiGoReach, continues to focus on skill development, heritage conservation, and environmental initiatives. Over 100,000 individuals, including 1,000 transgender people, have benefitted from its skill programs. The airline planted 180,000 new saplings last year and leads a zero-waste airport initiative in Indore.
Looking to the Future
With IndiGo hosting the 81st IATA AGM in New Delhi — the first in India in over four decades — Elbers called it a moment of national pride. “A moment of great pride for a young airline, just 18 years young, to welcome, host and lead all routes to India,” he wrote.
By FY30, IndiGo plans to become a global aviation giant, reaching 40% international capacity and serving 1 billion cumulative customers since its founding in 2006.
“When I joined three years ago, we put a point on the horizon and communicated our Strategy. Today, one can see the dots connecting,” Elbers concluded. “India by IndiGo.”
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