New strategy with large investment is made by AEGEAN Strengthening the international competitiveness of the company and the country as well as the presence of Greece on the map of direct more distances.
The new investment, adding two new Airbus A321neo XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft with even more range, up to 10.5 hours, announced last Wednesday (16.7.2025) by Eftichios Vassilakis, brings Aegean a step closer to the longest. Through them, it will reach the India market a year earlier than the planned, and it is not excluded that it will open its wings in other markets in the wider area.
With the addition of the two A321 Neo XLR aircraft, which are immediately received in December 2025 and January 2026 respectively, to existing order of 4 A 321 Neo LR announced in April 2024 and received in 2027 and 2028, the number and the number of April and Aegean. Upgraded comfort level and differentiated experience, created to serve out -of -EU destinations and more than 4 hours of flight.
With this addition, the size of the order in Airbus 320/321 Neo reaches 60 aircraft, of which to date have already been received at 36.
Great dynamics of India’s market
India is considered one of the rising forces on the world map of the trip and is therefore a high -strategy move for Aegean. It is the second most populous country in the world and a “virgin” market for direct connections from Greece.
With this move, Aegean is in a market that is currently served mainly by top airlines, aiming to directly connect Athens without intermediate stops, thus increasingly enhancing its goal of becoming a regional transport hub between Europe and Asia, utilizing Greece. “The next century is the century of Asia,” as the company’s president, Eftichios Vassilakis, typically said.
The India market has great prospects due to the ever -increasing travel public. Indeed, according to figures presented by the Aegean administration, a large number of Indians belong to high -end travelers, and only last year it is estimated that they have spent about $ 32 billion on travel abroad.
India’s population is estimated at about 1,464 billion, ranking India in the first place worldwide, marginally surpassing China and representing 17.8% of the world’s population.
“Based on tax returns, 0.5% of Indians have an income of over $ 53,000 that reaches around 2% in Greece. The difference is that we are 10 million, Indians are 1.5 billion. This means 40 times more potential trips. If Greeks make about 6 million trips, this number theoretically the Indians can make 240 million trips. Today they are making less than 30 million trips. There is a great deal of momentum in this market, “said Mr. Vassilakis.
It is worth noting that in terms of tourism in India, arrivals of 8.8 million in 2015 reached 10.93 in 2019 and 2024 are 9.8 million. In international departures, based on data, we have 20.4 million in 2015, 26.9 million in 2019 pre-Covid, and in 2024, nearly 30 million, while the prediction for 2030 is to reach 30 billion. As a result, travel expenses are estimated to increase to $ 410 billion in 2030 from $ 150 billion in 2019.
Specifically, Indian travelers are only estimated to spend about $ 32 billion on travel abroad last year. According to forecasts, it is expected in the coming years. The travel destinations followed by Indians in Europe are France and Italy, followed mainly by Germany while growing popularity are Spain (+4%), Austria (+10%), Greece (+19%).
As far as Europeans’ tendency to India are concerned, as they seek more cultural experiences. The main markets of origin are Germany, France, Italy and then Spain (with the top of the United Kingdom of course). Emerging countries are Greece, Austria and Poland.
March 2026 flies for India
Flights to India will begin in March 2026. Aegean is aiming for 5 weekly flights to New Delhi and to enrich its volatile program with 3 weekly flights to Mubai. The exact days and hours of flight will, of course, be determined and announced in late September, when ticket sales to the passenger public will begin. With the gradual addition to the A321neo LR aircraft from 2027 and 2028, the possibility of more, new, distant routes to destinations, such as Bangalore in India, Seychelles, Maldives, Nairobi, Almati and Lagos, will be considered.
However, any decisions will be made, having first “built” the experience of the longest distance, which is the big bet of this new strategic movement.
“We will see the new destinations from 2027-2028, already having the experience of India, as we have not worked for more than 5 hours so far,” Mr Vassilakis commented, adding that “in addition to our efforts our help from the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.