IndiGo just changed the game for Indian flyers. As of Thursday, January 8, 2026, the airline has officially taken delivery of India’s first Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) at Delhi airport.
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The thing is, this isn’t just another plane—it’s a narrow-body aircraft that can fly for 8,700 km. That’s enough to reach Southern Europe or deep into East Asia without a stop. Or nothing. Let’s be real, flying to Europe on a single-aisle plane sounds intense, but IndiGo is betting you’ll do it for the right price. Those too.
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The “Flight to Athens” Log: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where IndiGo is morphing from a “bus in the sky” to a serious international contender.
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The Launch: Non-stop flights to Athens kick off from Mumbai on January 23 and from Delhi on January 24. Both will run three times a week.
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IndiGo Stretch: This isn’t just “extra legroom.” The XLR features a proper business class called IndiGo Stretch. You get 12 RECARO R5 seats in a 2×2 layout with a 44-inch pitch and a 6-inch recline.
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The Perks: Business class gets unlimited alcohol (Sula canned wines are the staple), gourmet hot meals, and a massive 46kg baggage allowance.
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The “Kicker”: No seat-back screens. Instead, they’ve partnered with Bluebox for streaming IFE. You use your own phone/tablet to watch movies, but they’ve added universal power outlets and device holders to every seat to keep you charged.
Inside the A321XLR: Jan 2026 Specs
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[Table: IndiGo A321XLR Cabin Layout]
| Feature | IndiGo Stretch (Business) | Economy Class |
| Seats | 12 (2×2 Configuration) | 183 (3×3 Configuration) |
| Seat Pitch | 44 inches (Spacious!) | 31 inches |
| Food & Drink | Hot meals + Unlimited Alcohol | Complimentary veg meal box |
| Baggage | 46kg check-in / 12kg cabin | 30kg check-in / 7kg cabin |
| Connectivity | USB-C & Universal 3-pin Power | USB-C Power |
And Here’s the Kicker…
IndiGo has 40 of these on order, and they’re expecting 9 more this year. After Athens, they’re looking at deploying them to Istanbul and Bali (Denpasar).
The thing is, this is a massive test for passenger endurance. Sitting in a narrow-body plane for 7 to 8 hours is a different beast compared to a wide-body Dreamliner. But for budget-conscious travelers, a direct flight to Greece without a 4-hour layover in Dubai or Doha is going to be hard to pass up. It’s an ongoing situation as the “low-cost” label starts to blur into something much more premium.
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