British Airways Plans More Flights to India as Trade & Tourism Rise

British Airways has announced it is considering to grow its operations between London and India, a market the airline sees as one of its most important long-term opportunities.

The airline views India as its second-largest international market after the US. Meanwhile, demand for direct flights continues to rise as business and leisure travel between both countries expands.

The carrier currently runs 56 weekly flights from London to five major Indian cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, and Hyderabad. This includes three daily services to Mumbai, two daily to Delhi, and daily flights to each of the other cities.

To keep up with increasing passenger demand, British Airways intends to launch a third daily London-Delhi flight in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

This move comes after broader economic developments, including the UK-India Free Trade Agreement that took effect in July 2025. The agreement is expected to stimulate business travel, tourism, and trade between the two nations.

Additionally, British Airways maintains partnerships with Indian carriers like IndiGo that enable single-ticket connections to dozens of destinations.

The announcement coincides with a time when India’s travel industry is gaining momentum.

The Ministry of Tourism and Culture recently revealed that it may begin categorizing hotels as infrastructure projects to make it easier for developers to secure financing and expand capacity across the country. Investor interest in the sector is already rising, driven by growing domestic and international travel demand.

Photo by Miguel Ángel Sanz on Unsplash