IndiGo has unveiled a new narrow-body plane capable of covering distances exceeding 8,000 kilometres in a single flight, offering direct services to Athens from Mumbai and Delhi.

Calcutta is not yet on the route map, but many Calcuttans have already booked Athens-bound flights, sources said.

IndiGo recently inducted an Airbus A321XLR into its fleet, a long-range variant of the Airbus A321neo. Officials announced that it will operate non-stop services from Mumbai to Athens starting January 23, and Delhi to Athens from January 24, with three weekly flights on both routes.

The Airbus A321XLR, a next-generation narrow-body aircraft with a range of up to 8,700 kilometres and enhanced fuel efficiency, allows IndiGo to serve longer international routes while maintaining high cost-efficiency.

“There are several bookings on the flight from Calcutta,” said a travel industry source.

According to sources, a return trip from Calcutta to Athens via Delhi or Mumbai on this aircraft costs around ₹35,000 in economy class, compared with the usual average of ₹60,000.

“Greece is one of the top tourist destinations from Calcutta among Schengen countries. Every year, between 30,000 and 45,000 people from the eastern region visit Greece,” said Anil Punjabi, chairman of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), eastern region.

“Most passengers currently travel via Gulf countries. With IndiGo’s new aircraft and competitive fares, interest in Greece is expected to rise,” he added.

The Airbus A321XLR features a dual-class configuration with 12 IndiGoStretch and 183 economy class seats, an airline official said.

“Airbus A321neo used on international sectors has 232 economy seats. Another domestic configuration has 12 IndiGoStretch and 208 economy seats. So the A321XLR provides more leg space for passengers,” a source said.

Of a total firm order for 40 A321XLR aircraft, nine are expected to be delivered in 2026. After the first international induction to Athens, subsequent aircraft will serve existing routes such as Istanbul, Turkey, and Denpasar, Bali.

Incoming deliveries will then enable IndiGo to expand to new long-haul routes in Europe and East Asia.

Pieter Elbers, IndiGo’s CEO, said: “The advanced capabilities of this aircraft enable us to reach new regions across the globe.”

Jürgen Westermeier, president and managing director of Airbus India and South Asia, said: “By opening mid-to-long-haul routes previously unreachable by single-aisle aircraft, this delivery catalyses IndiGo’s international growth and significantly enhances India’s global connectivity.”