Greece flight on IndiGo marks a big step for the airline as it moves deeper into long-haul travel using narrowbody aircraft. Over the last few years, IndiGo has evolved from a simple low-cost domestic airline into a hybrid carrier offering premium services on international routes. With the launch of its new A321XLR aircraft, the airline is now connecting India to Europe in a more comfortable yet practical way.
Domestic to International: The IndiGo saga
Once known primarily for quick hops on domestic routes and short flights to regional cities, IndiGo is now aiming farther afield. That image has slowly changed. The airline launched its own business class product, called Stretch, on domestic routes in November 2024, as well as on short-haul international routes to Singapore and Dubai.
IndiGo then made an even larger commitment to the widebody when it leased Boeing 787-9s from Norse Atlantic Airways. These planes currently fly from Mumbai and Delhi to London Heathrow, as well as on some flights from Mumbai to destinations including Manchester, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. These long-haul flights include hot meals, a full bar, space in lounges and entertainment on-board. Ultimately, these routes will transition to IndiGo’s own Airbus A350 aircraft beginning in 2027; the airline already has 60 of the planes on order.
Why the A321XLR is important
The actual flight game-changer is the Airbus A321XLR. This is a narrowbody plane for long-distance routes. It can fly up to 4,700 nautical miles, and therefore is perfect for routes from India as far west as Western Europe, large parts of Africa, East Asia, and even Northern Australia.
IndiGo has 40 A321XLR planes on order. The first of these came in January 2026, with eight more to be delivered within a year. The aircraft enables IndiGo to add new international routes at a lower cost per seat than widebody jets.
1. Greece Flight launch details
IndiGo will commence three weekly Greece services from Mumbai and Delhi to Athens from 23/24 January, 2026. This will place IndiGo as the first airline to provide a direct service between India and Greece on modern, fuel efficient A320neo.
A cabin mock-up of the IndiGo A321XLR
The A321XLR used for Greece has 195 seats in all. This includes:
- 12 (business class) seats in Stretch
- 183 seats in Economy
Though not rearranging the cabin completely, compared with IndiGo’s regular A321neo planes, it’ll offer a bit more legroom and fewer seats in total – the latter’s important when you’re stuck in a plane for eight hours flying across international borders.
1.IndiGo Stretch – business class treatment
Stretch is IndiGo’s business class. Though it doesn’t offer an opportunity to sleep on a fully flat bed, it includes a reclining seat now enhanced for long-haul comfort. On top of that, passengers get an extra recline, a calf rest and footrest.
2.Comfort and space
The seat pitch is 44 inches, six more than the domestic Stretch version. This will enable you to sleep peacefully in a comfortable reclined position at 30 degrees for economy class on your flight to Greece. Stretch is protected from the economy by a divider, which has the impact of making it feel more private.
3.Food, drinks, and extras
For the first time, its planes have ovens. This means that Stretch passengers will receive hot, gourmet meals along with a full bar and airport lounge access. The carrier has also teamed up with Sula Wines to offer canned wines in flight. You’ve got 2 x 23 kg of checked baggage, and the seats have power and USB.
Return flight in economy class
Economy class flight is comparable to IndiGo’s domestic offering, albeit with distinct upgrades. Seats are cushioned, have adjustable headrests, and a 31-inch seat pitch, which is an improvement over the airline’s.
1.Meals and charges
Hot meals are served in the cattle class too, and you will get a vegetarian meal unless you specify something else. Non-vegetarian meals are to be booked 24 hours in advance. Drinks, blankets and amenity kits are an additional fee, so passengers might bring their own comfort items.
In-flight entertainment and connectivity
IndiGo provides streaming entertainment on its Hello6E system. Passengers can enjoy movies, TV, and other content on their devices. But entertainment is available only via app, so it’s necessary to download it beforehand.
Final thoughts
On the whole, flying on A321XLR is a calculated and daring move. It marries long-haul range, enhanced comfort, and competitive pricing — if not the full luxury of widebody jets. For travelers not needing or desiring as much space in exchange for better Wi-Fi and more modern amenities, this new route is an efficient and fairly comfortable way to fly .