IndiGo begins daily, direct flight operations between Kolkata and Shanghai

The flight from Kolkata to Shanghai will depart daily at 9:45pm and arrive at 4:40am the next day, while return flights will leave Shanghai at 5:40am.

Updated on: Mar 30, 2026, 12:15:27 IST

Edited by Akansha Purohit

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IndiGo on Sunday commenced its inaugural daily, nonstop service between Kolkata and Shanghai, marking a major step towards strengthening connectivity between India and China.

The service will be provided using Airbus A320neo aircraft, offering improved fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, the release said. (@IndiaInShanghai/X)

In a press release, the airline said that the new route builds on its recent expansion in China, including the reinstatement of Kolkata–Guangzhou flights earlier.

The flight from Kolkata to Shanghai will depart daily at 9:45pm and arrive at 4:40am the next day, while the return flight will leave Shanghai at 5:40am and reach Kolkata at 9:05am.

The service will be provided using Airbus A320neo aircraft, offering improved fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, the release said.

With the beginning of this service, several cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune and others will be able to connect to Shanghai via Kolkata.

Talking about the services, Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said that the new route will “facilitate increased business as well as leisure travel opportunities.”

Also read: Man ‘influenced by ghost’ tries to open emergency door on Varanasi-bound IndiGo flight

"Along with our existing daily connectivity from Delhi and Kolkata to Guangzhou, we now operate 21 weekly flights to mainland China," he said.

To book the travel, customers can reach the official website, the app of IndiGo or contact authorised travel partners. The airline also informed that passengers can pre-book their meals, including beverages.

The Consulate General of India in Shanghai also posted on X, informing of the commencement of services. The post said that, “underlining the positive momentum,” Consulate General Pratik Mathur appreciated the “growing confidence” being expressed through the booming air connectivity between India and China.

Also read: Fewer summer flights as DGCA links nod to current ground capacity of airlines

Earlier, IndiGo resumed the Kolkata-Guangzhou service on October 26, 2025, becoming the first Indian airline to restart direct flights to China after a five-year hiatus.

The first flight took off from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 10pm. The A320neo aircraft of private carrier IndiGo flew off from the airport with 176 passengers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Akansha Purohit
Akansha Purohit is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she is part of the online news desk. She began her journey with the organisation as an intern and later joined the newsroom in a full-time editorial role. With close to a year of experience at Hindustan Times, she contributes to the daily news cycle by writing, curating, and editing digital content. Her work primarily focuses on national and international news, along with explainers that simplify complex developments and ongoing issues. She also writes on matters of public interest, and handles blogs with live updates. Akansha holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi, and completed her postgraduate studies in Digital Media from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. During her postgraduate programme, she worked on several research and journalism projects that strengthened her reporting, editing, and digital storytelling skills.Read More

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