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Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal is planning to expand into India next year with the flights slated for the first quarter of 2026. If all goes to plan, the airline could be serving up to six cities in India by the end of 2026, starting with Mumbai. It has been a period of intense growth for flyadeal, which is developing an expanding regional presence and several new fleet additions. flyadeal is also looking for an Indian airline to partner with to improve domestic Indian connectivity for its passengers. flyadeal Eyes Jeddah-Mumbai In Early 2026 The carrier plans to launch its first flights to India by connecting Jeddah Airport (JED) and Mumbai Airport (BOM), India's second-busiest airport, at some point in the first quarter of 2026. flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway told PTI that India's rapidly growing aviation market is a no-brainer for expansion, aided by Saudi Arabia's sizable population of three million expatriate Indians. While an extremely competitive business landscape, India's aviation sector is dominated by low-cost carriers, so flyadeal could prove an ideal fit. With Mumbai up first and Delhi expected to follow not long after, the airline is looking at connecting up to six Indian destinations with its three Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh hubs. In a nod to India's competitive market, Greenway said, "You have to be very well-run. You have to have an absolute, brutal focus on unit cost in terms of being a really efficient operator." A Market With Huge Potential India is projected to be the fastest-growing major aviation market over the next few decades, driven by a growing middle class and significant government investment. The country rose to become the world's fifth-largest aviation market in 2024, handling over 211 million passengers, and has since jumped to third place over the first half of 2025, but is still a long way behind China and the United States. According to an IATA report from June 2025, aviation contributed a total of $53.6 billion (1.5% of its GDP) to India's economy, supporting 7.7 million jobs. Tourism is also becoming a growing sector in India, with aviation supporting over $27 billion in tourist revenue and a further five million jobs. In the last decade, there has been a 77% rise in seat capacity provided by Indian airlines, with the country's largest airline — low-cost carrier IndiGo — operating over half of all flights in India. Gulf airlines have seen strong demand in the Indian market, with carriers like Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways consistently reporting high load factors on routes to Indian airports. Growth Continues Ahead Of 2026 Over the first half of 2025, the carrier oversaw a 25% rise in capacity year-on-year, serving over five million passengers from January through June. Even more impressive was the growth of its network over the same period, rising by 57% to a total of 127 routes. The carrier's fleet is also fast expanding with the addition of new narrowbody and widebody aircraft. Along with over 50 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, flyadeal will establish a sizable long-haul fleet with an order for 10 A330neos placed in April. With its extra A320neos due for delivery starting in 2026, while its A330neos are slated for delivery starting mid-2027. flyadeal's growth has not been without merit, with the carrier maintaining one of the best on-time performance (OTP) rates of any airline globally. The carrier is a key part of the Saudi government's Vision 2030 plan, which aims to connect the country to over 250 destinations by 2030, with annual domestic and international traffic to reach 330 million passengers. By this point, flyadeal will be flying to over 100 destinations and its total fleet will also exceed 100 aircraft.
