Indian airline IndiGo will launch daily, non-stop flights between Kolkata and Shanghai Pudong on March 29, 2026, utilizing its Airbus A320 aircraft, the company announced Tuesday.
The recent route marks IndiGo’s second direct connection to mainland China, following the resumption of services to Guangzhou in October 2025. The airline was the first Indian carrier to restart direct flights to the Chinese mainland after a five-year hiatus, initiating the Kolkata-Guangzhou route on October 26, 2025.
The Kolkata-Shanghai service is expected to significantly improve connectivity for exporters in eastern India, particularly those dealing in marine products, leather goods, and specialized textiles. Currently, these goods are often transported via Delhi or Singapore, adding approximately one day to transit times. Freight forwarders in Kolkata anticipate strong demand for the roughly 2.5 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity available on each A320 flight.
“We are pleased to announce the launch of our new daily, direct connectivity between Kolkata and Shanghai, China, in addition to our flights to Guangzhou,” said Vinay Malhotra, Global Head of Sales at IndiGo, in a statement. “This development underscores our commitment to connecting India to key global destinations. Shanghai is the country’s biggest city, a global financial hub, and famous for its dazzling futuristic skyline complemented with historic architecture. This addition to our network will play an important role in facilitating bilateral trade and is expected to boost tourism and promote greater cultural exchange between the two nations.”
As of February 5, 2026, IndiGo had completed 102 round-trip flights on the Kolkata-Guangzhou route and 87 on the Delhi-Guangzhou route, transporting approximately 54,000 passengers. The launch of the Kolkata-Shanghai route comes as trade between India and China reached a record $155.6 billion in 2025, a 12 percent year-on-year increase, according to Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong.
Passengers intending to travel on the new route will necessitate to secure the necessary Chinese travel documents.
The addition of the daily flight provides redundancy alongside existing services from Air India, which is resuming four-weekly Delhi–Shanghai rotations, and China Eastern, which operates flights from Kunming and Guangzhou. IndiGo’s aggressive pricing on its domestic network is also expected to lower overall ticket costs for regional travelers.
Though, IndiGo operates as a no-frills carrier, meaning that amenities such as meals, seat selection, and checked baggage must be purchased separately, a factor corporate travel managers will need to consider when updating booking policies.
