As India reaffirms its position as a global aviation powerhouse in 2025, its major airports hum with overseas activity in the skies. India’s busiest international routes weave a complex narrative of tourism, labor migration, business ties, and strong diaspora demand.
Using May 2025 data, this article examines the most busiest international routes by flights and seats, the cities, airlines, and economic ties driving each connection.
The dominance of Gulf routes, steady traffic to Southeast Asia, and strong transcontinental flows to Europe all speak to India’s position in global air travel.
Photo: Kaan Can OzdemirBusiest International Flight Routes
The following are the ten busiest international routes from India in 2025.
1. Mumbai – Dubai (BOM–DXB)
- 477 Flights | 119,220 Seats
It is no surprise that the Mumbai–Dubai corridor is India’s most active international route by flights and seats. Mumbai is India’s financial capital, and Dubai is a global business, tourism, and transit hub. The route has good demand in business, leisure, and labor segments.
Carriers that operate on this high-capacity route include:
Emirates
Air India
IndiGo
Vistara
SpiceJet
flydubai
The complement of full-service and low-cost carriers reflects the combination of passengers, from high-yielding business travelers to budget-conscious tourists and laborers. The route is also a gateway to further travel to Europe, the Americas, and Africa via Emirates’ vast Dubai hub.
2. Delhi – Dubai (DEL–DXB)
- 394 Flights | 102,362 Seats
Second only to Mumbai, the Delhi–Dubai sector still maintains its evergreen status. Dubai is not only a key point for North Indian laborers but also a recreational paradise for upscale Indian tourists. Increasing frequency on the route also reflects the UAE’s efforts to promote tourism ties with India through the introduction of e-visas and regular events.
Key airlines on the route:
Emirates
Air India
IndiGo
SpiceJet
flydubai
The vast Indian expat population in the UAE ensures consistent demand all year round, with festivals and holidays bringing additional spikes.
3. Delhi – Kathmandu (DEL–KTM)
- 314 Flights | 55,645 Seats
This Indo-Nepal connection remains one of the busiest regional routes. It is driven by a unique mix of tourism, religious tourism, student migration, and robust bilateral relations. Indians travel to Nepal for pilgrimage (particularly Pashupatinath) in great numbers, whereas Nepalese citizens use this route for work and study in India and further to the Gulf or Malaysia.
Airlines operating this route include:
IndiGo
Air India
Nepal Airlines
Low fares and short flight duration (under two hours) ensure high frequency. Despite limited seat counts compared to Gulf routes, the flight volume here is notable.
4. Mumbai – Abu Dhabi (BOM–AUH)
- 306 Flights | 64,976 Seats
Abu Dhabi is another Gulf powerhouse serving India’s labor and business flows. With Mumbai’s large working-class population and expanding ties between Indian conglomerates and UAE investors, traffic has remained consistently high.
This route also feeds into the growing Etihad–Air India and Etihad–Vistara interline partnerships. Operating carriers are:
Etihad Airways
IndiGo
Vistara
Air India
The route supports both point-to-point traffic and long-haul connectivity to North America and Europe.
5. Delhi – Bangkok (DEL–BKK)
- 275 Flights | 62,393 Seats
Bangkok has regained its status as one of India’s most popular short-haul tourist destinations. With visa waivers and aggressive tourism promotion by Thailand, Indian tourists are flocking back in large numbers.
This route is operated comprehensively by:
Thai Airways
Air India
IndiGo
Vistara
Thai AirAsia
The route’s growth also reflects a trend of medical tourism, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) travel, and students going to universities in Southeast Asia.
Photo: Clément Alloing6. Kochi – Abu Dhabi (COK–AUH)
- 248 Flights | 45,183 Seats
Kochi’s strong placement in the top 10 reflects the immense Gulf worker diaspora from Kerala. Abu Dhabi is a lifeline for families and workers making regular trips home. Though Kochi isn’t a metro city, it punches far above its weight in international aviation.
Airlines flying this route include:
Etihad Airways
Air India Express
IndiGo
The majority of the passengers are working-class individuals traveling on work visas. The Indian government’s bilateral air service agreements have ensured an adequate seat supply, and low-cost carriers have kept fares low.
7. Chennai – Singapore (MAA–SIN)
- 235 Flights | 52,789 Seats
The Chennai–Singapore corridor is a business and diaspora-rich route. Singapore has a large Tamil-speaking community and is also a gateway to the rest of Southeast Asia and Australia.
Frequent flyers on this route include:
Singapore Airlines
Scoot
IndiGo
Air India
Vistara
Singapore’s popularity with Indian business travelers, students, and medical tourists continues to drive strong two-way demand. Travel demand is also supported by effortless connectivity through Changi Airport.
8. Delhi – London Heathrow (DEL–LHR)
- 231 Flights | 70,185 Seats
Among long-haul destinations, Delhi–London is India’s most trafficked in seats, even more than Mumbai–London. Historic ties, a large Indian diaspora in the UK, and strong business travel links maintain high frequency on this significant intercontinental route.
The main airlines that fly this route are:
British Airways
Air India
Vistara
Virgin Atlantic
Operating with daytime and nighttime departures, this route serves a mix of travelers—students, tourists, working professionals, and visiting families. Vistara’s recent addition of widebody flights and BA’s consistent double-daily flights have kept capacity high.
9. Chennai – Colombo (MAA–CMB)
- 217 Flights | 45,458 Seats
Geographic closeness and ethnic connections make Chennai–Colombo a consistently full short-haul international sector. With a considerable Tamil populace in Sri Lanka and religious pilgrimages in both directions, there is an economic and cultural foundation for traffic on this route all year round.
Airlines that service this route:
SriLankan Airlines
IndiGo
Air India
FitsAir
One of the India–Sri Lanka routes that has remained strong relative to others in the post-COVID environment, underpinned by regional trade and low-cost leisure travel.
10. Mumbai – London Heathrow (BOM–LHR)
- 216 Flights | 59,558 Seats
Completing the list is the iconic Mumbai–London route. It is a key connection between India’s financial hub and the UK’s busiest airport. Business travelers, wealthy Indian tourists, and students comprise most of the traffic.
Key airlines flying this route:
British Airways
Air India
Virgin Atlantic
With strong premium-class demand, the route can support multiple widebody departures daily. The seat count is slightly lower than the Delhi–London route, but both are vital connections in the India–UK air corridor.
Photo: Siddh Dhuri | MumbaiPlanesKey Trends: Why Are These Routes So Busy?
Some important trends are apparent on India’s busiest international routes in 2025:
- Gulf Dominance: Four of five top routes connect to Abu Dhabi or Dubai, echoing India’s dependence on Gulf labor migration and tourist traffic.
- Diaspora-Driven Demand: Routes to London, Singapore, and Colombo are underpinned by family ties and student travel.
- Tourism and Business: Bangkok, Singapore, and London feature prominently among the top destinations for Indians visiting abroad for tourism, shopping, or business.
- Role of Low-Cost Carriers: IndiGo, Air India Express, Scoot, and flydubai are crucial in providing affordability and frequency, especially on short-haul routes.
Looking to the Future: Resilience and Growth
India’s international air transport recovery has outpaced most of the world, thanks to robust bilateral agreements, increasing outbound travel, and rising disposable incomes. Airlines are more aggressively deploying widebody aircraft, and low-cost players are ramping up their international operations.
As India’s middle class travels more, and government initiatives such as UDAN 2.0 and airport privatization enhance infrastructure, the busiest international routes are only going to get busier—and perhaps even more competitive.
Expect these corridors to get even more dynamic as India signs more air service agreements, pushes for visa-free travel in key destinations, and modernizes its international terminals.
Bottom Line
India’s busiest international air routes in 2025 are a story of a country on the move—whether it is for work, love, god, or vacations. From the Gulf to Europe, Southeast Asia to Sri Lanka, Indian travelers are filling up flights at a rate that highlights the country’s position as a hub of global aviation.
With demand showing no signs of slowing and airlines increasing capacity, these corridors will remain vital lifelines connecting India to the world.
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