Prime Highlights:
- IndiGo briefly became the world’s most valuable airline by market capitalization, ahead of Delta Air Lines.
- Indian low-cost carrier reached a market capitalization of $23.24 billion in intraday trade on April 9, 2025.
Key Facts:
- IndiGo flies 15,768 weekly flights, 12.7% more than in April 2024.
- It has placed an order for 925 new Airbus jets, including its first wide-body aircraft order.
Key Background:
India’s largest carrier IndiGo hit an all-time high on April 9, 2025, when for a brief time it edged out the U.S.-based airline Delta Air Lines to become the world’s most valuable carrier by market capitalization. In intraday trading, IndiGo shares reached ₹5,265, pushing its market value to $23.24 billion. Although by the end of the session it fell to $23.16 billion—a little short of Delta’s $23.18 billion—still, the record remains an Indian air first.
Instituted in 2006, IndiGo has increased multifold in the past six years. Its market capitalization increased from $7.72 billion in 2019 to over $23 billion in 2025. This is indicated in the magnitude of the airline operations. In April 2025, it has 15,768 weekly flights, a 12.7% year-on-year increase, while Delta, founded in 1929, has 35,144 weekly flights with a 6.6% increase.
IndiGo’s fleet was at 437 aircraft in December 2024. The carrier has expansion plans in an aggressive manner, with its largest ever order for planes in June 2023 when it placed its order for 500 A320neo family planes—the largest ever single plane order in aviation history. Also, in April 2025, it put in its first wide-body plane order by ordering 30 Airbus A350s, reflecting plans to accelerate long-haul international operations.
India’s aviation transport sector is proving to be one of the globe’s fastest-growing markets. With about 800 commercial aircraft operational, mostly Airbus models, industry experts project that India can become a major aviation hub within 15 years. Trends such as growing domestic demand, growing middle class, higher GDP, and strategic moves to expand globally are falling into place to put the country’s airline sector on the world map.
IndiGo’s dominance is more than corporate victory—it’s the ability of India’s airline sector to be a champion on the global stage.
