Direct air connectivity between India and mainland China is set to resume after a hiatus of over five years. IndiGo Airlines, India’s largest carrier, will launch a daily non-stop flight connecting Kolkata (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport) to Guangzhou, China (Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport) starting October 26.

“In yet another milestone for the nation’s growing aviation network, @IndiGo6E Airlines is all set to re-establish direct air connectivity between #KolkataAirport @aaikolairport and Guangzhou, China. This revived route marks a renewed chapter in international air travel, while opening fresh horizons for growth,” the Airports Authority of India (AAI) posted on its X handle.

The AAI described the route’s revival as a “milestone” for the nation’s aviation sector. Air travel between India and mainland China was suspended in early 2020 due to the pandemic and subsequent border tensions.

The daily service is anticipated to provide a major boost to business travellers, tourists, and the cargo sector, strengthening trade and cultural ties between Eastern India and Southern China.

Meanwhile, IndiGo Airlines has also announced plans to launch a daily direct flight between Delhi and Guangzhou starting November 10.

Other major carriers are also preparing to resume services. China Eastern Airlines is set to restart its Shanghai-Delhi route on November 9, and Air India is expected to follow suit with its own China flights before the end of the year.

As of now, the cheapest one-way fare available for a Kolkata to Guangzhou flight is approximately Rs 11,003, with a round-trip fare currently priced around Rs 24,397. Historically, the month of April has offered the most economical fares on this route.

Welcoming the resumption of flights, Xu Feihong, Chinese Ambassador to India, wrote on X, “The resumption of direct flights between China and India will speed up business, people-to-people exchanges.”