IndiGo overtakes Air India Group in international passenger traffic in July–September quarter

IndiGo emerged as India’s largest airline by international passenger traffic in the July–September 2025 quarter, carrying 41.3 lakh passengers, marginally ahead of the combined Air India and Air India Express network, which transported 41.1 lakh passengers, according to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), as reported by CNBC-TV18. The development marks the first time IndiGo has overtaken the Air India Group in international passenger traffic in a quarter, indicating a significant shift in India’s overseas aviation market.

Other domestic carriers trailed well behind during the period, with SpiceJet carrying 3.13 lakh international passengers and Akasa Air transporting 2.06 lakh passengers in total. Quarterly trends showed a reversal in leadership, as the Air India Group had topped international traffic in January–March 2025 with 45.5 lakh passengers compared with IndiGo’s 39.3 lakh, before the gap narrowed in April–June and turned in IndiGo’s favour in July–September.

The DGCA data also covered international freight movement, with Air India handling the highest cargo volumes, transporting 33,394.5 tonnes into India and 47,208.6 tonnes out of the country. Air India Express moved 4,367.3 tonnes to India and 13,030.5 tonnes from India, while IndiGo carried 3,605.6 tonnes inbound and 11,240.8 tonnes outbound. SpiceJet and Akasa Air reported comparatively smaller freight volumes. Despite ceding the passenger lead, the Air India Group continued to operate a broader international network, flying to 48 overseas destinations compared with IndiGo’s 44.

The quarter was marked by operational challenges for the Air India Group following the June 12 crash of AI 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which resulted in 260 fatalities and led to a temporary reduction of long-haul wide-body operations by around 15 per cent. Passenger traffic on certain routes was affected during this period, with industry executives attributing the shift in traffic largely to these capacity cuts and a brief dip in passenger confidence following the accident.

IndiGo, meanwhile, maintained regular operations through the July–September period, which supported growth in its international passenger numbers. By sustaining capacity and high-frequency services on dense short- and medium-haul international routes, the airline was able to capture incremental traffic during the peak summer and early festive travel season, even as Air India focused on safety reviews and schedule adjustments. However, IndiGo faced its own operational challenges later in the year, with more than 5,000 flight cancellations reported in the first 10 days of December 2025, leading to passenger inconvenience, crew issues, baggage delays and disruptions across airport operations.