India’s IndiGo doubles widebody orders with 30 Airbus A350 conversions

India’s budget airline IndiGo said on Friday it has signed a contract with Airbus confirming the conversion of 30 of its 70 purchase rights for A350-900 jets into firm orders, doubling its widebody order book to 60 from 30.

The move accelerates efforts by India’s top airline by market share to capture more international traffic from Gulf carriers such as Emirates as it expands long-haul service.

International air travellers in India are expected to reach 160 million by 2030, up from 64 million in 2019, according to industry and government data, but most traffic still goes to foreign airlines.

IndiGo, which has a 60% share in India’s domestic aviation market, aims to double its total capacity by the end of the decade and expand its international network.

The Gurugram-based airline had placed an initial order for 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft in April 2024, marking its first widebody purchase.

The airline also retained purchase rights for an additional 70 Airbus A350 family aircraft for future needs. After the conversion, IndiGo will be left with purchase rights for 40 more wide-body aircraft.