IndiGo, India’s largest air carrier, said on Monday that it will commence daily, non-stop commercial flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou, becoming the first domestic carrier in India to resume operations between India and mainland China.

The flight will depart Kolkata at 10:00 PM IST and will arrive at Guangzhou at 4:05 AM local time the next day. The return flight departs Guangzhou at 5:35 AM local time and arrives in Kolkata at 5:35 AM IST.

The flights on the Kolkata-Guangzhou route will be operated on IndiGo’s Airbus A320 aircraft. “We are excited to be the first Indian carrier to resume our daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou, reinstating one of the most important air links between India and China,” said Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo, in a statement.

According to Elbers, operating flights on this strategic air route will enhance bilateral ties, support MSMEs, and boost tourism, education, and healthcare in both countries. “Strengthening such links is key to our purpose of giving wings to the nation, and increasingly to the world,” he added.

In a separate announcement, SpiceJet said it plans to operate 250 daily flights during the 2025 winter schedule, compared to 125 daily flights in the preceding summer schedule and 150 daily flights in the winter season last year, as it aims to more than double its operational fleet and triple its available seat kilometres (ASKM).

The airline expects to reach this peak of 250 daily flights once all 19 leased aircraft have been inducted into its fleet and joined operations in the coming weeks. The expanded schedule will be rolled out in a phased manner starting October 26, 2025.

The new schedule makes international leisure travel easier with the launch of nonstop daily flights to Phuket from Delhi and Mumbai, two of India’s busiest metros. Domestically, metro connectivity sees a major boost with Mumbai-Bengaluru going twice daily starting November 1 and November 15, and the launch of Chennai-Bengaluru flights beginning November 8.

SpiceJet is also strengthening connectivity to Rajasthan’s top winter destinations – Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jaisalmer. Kolkata gains new connections to Jaipur (from October 31) and Udaipur. Jaipur will also be connected to Guwahati and Mumbai from November 7, with Mumbai seeing twice-daily services. Udaipur will be connected to Mumbai and Delhi from November 7, and Jaisalmer will connect to Delhi starting November 15.

The airline continues to enhance access to key pilgrimage and regional centres. Connectivity to Ayodhya is being strengthened, with daily flights from Delhi and Ahmedabad continuing through winter. Mumbai-Ayodhya flights start October 26, followed by Hyderabad-Ayodhya services from November 6. These additions build on the successful Diwali special flights launched earlier this month, connecting Ayodhya to major cities. Furthermore, Varanasi will now be connected to Pune from October 26 and Hyderabad from November 6.

Patna gains new connections to Hyderabad and Ahmedabad from October 26, and to Chennai from November 8. Kolkata will be connected to Ahmedabad and Chennai from October 26, with a second daily Chennai service from November 6. A new daily Ahmedabad-Chennai flight will commence on November 27.