Delta Air Lines has announced it plans to operate a nonstop flight from Atlanta to Delhi as part of a new strategic partnership with IndiGo, India’s largest airline. As IndiGo cozies up to a trio of SkyTeam carriers and prepares to launch longhaul flights, this relationship has the power to disrupt the dominance of Gulf carriers in the Indian subcontinent.

Delta Plans Atlanta–Delhi Flight, Expands India Reach Through New IndiGo Partnership

Delta Air Lines is once again setting its sights on India. As part of a new strategic partnership with Indian low-cost giant IndiGo, Delta has revealed plans to launch nonstop service between Atlanta (ATL) and Delhi (DEL), a route that would mark its return to the Indian market after a multi-year hiatus. The flight would be 7,945 miles but might be one of the longest flights in the world in terms of duration.

But don’t expect this new route to launch overnight.

Delta Plans Atlanta–Delhi Route…Eventually

Last year, Delta expressed its desire to return to Air India in 2026, and now Delta has publicly stated its intention to inaugurate nonstop service from its Atlanta megahub to Delhi, which would mark a bold move if the Russian airspace closure continues. While no launch date has been announced and Delta’s current A350-900 jets could likely make the journey, it appears the timing is contingent on the delivery of new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, which Delta is not expected to receive until 2026 at the earliest. Travelers hoping for a 2025 launch will likely need to wait longer…

Delta previously operated a New York JFK–Mumbai route, which it axed during the pandemic. The proposed Atlanta–Delhi service represents a more ambitious and arguably better-aligned route for Delta’s current strategy. Atlanta offers broader domestic feed, and with a next-gen long-haul aircraft like the A350-1000, the economics of such a lengthy route are vastly improved.

When it does launch, the ATL–DEL route would place Delta in direct competition with United Airlines, which operates to Delhi nonstop from Newark (EWR), and American Airlines, which operates to Delhi nonstop from New York (JFK).

A Strategic Partnership With IndiGo

The Atlanta–Dehli plan comes amid a newly announced partnership between IndiGo and the transatlantic joint venture of Delta, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic. To be clear: this is not a joint venture with IndiGo, nor does it involve any equity stake…at least at this time. Rather, this is a strategic collaboration aimed at boosting connectivity between India, Europe, the UK, and North America.

Key elements of the partnership include:

• Expanded codesharing between IndiGo and Delta/Air France-KLM/Virgin Atlantic
  • The partnership between Air France-KLM and IndiGo already exists
• Seamless connections to more than 75 destinations across India via IndiGo
• Coordinated flight schedules in hubs like Paris (CDG), Amsterdam (AMS), and London Heathrow (LHR)
• Future plans for baggage interlining and loyalty program benefits

For Delta, this deal fills a critical gap in India connectivity. While United can rely on Star Alliance partner Air India (at least theoretically), Delta’s prior attempt to partner with Jet Airways collapsed when that carrier went under in 2019. Now, IndiGo provides a far more stable and far-reaching domestic India network.

This partnership also serves as a counterweight to the Gulf carriers, which have long dominated U.S.–India itineraries through Doha (DOH), Dubai (DXB), and Abu Dhabi (AUH). With this new arrangement, passengers flying Delta, Air France, KLM, or Virgin Atlantic will be able to book more seamless itineraries to smaller Indian cities like Jaipur, Kochi, Ahmedabad, or Pune without transiting through the Gulf. That said, many will continue to choose the Gulf carriers for one-stop service until IndiGo builds up its network to SkyTeam capitals in Europe.

CONCLUSION

Delta’s plan to return to India via a new Atlanta–Delhi route is ambitious, but realistic only once the airline takes delivery of the A350-1000. In the meantime, its new partnership with IndiGo provides much-needed connectivity and competitiveness in the growing Indian market.

While not a joint venture in this stage, the partnership offers meaningful benefits for travelers and gives Delta a fighting chance at reclaiming relevance in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.

Would you choose Delta/IndiGo to India over a Gulf carrier?