- Bodh Gaya is likely to be a key beneficiary of the new connectivity.
- The city is home to the Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Buddhism’s most revered pilgrimage centres.
- The service is also expected to cater to tourists and leisure travellers
Bihar's Gaya is set to get a new international air connection. IndiGo has announced direct flights between the holy city and Bangkok starting October 26. The airline will operate the service twice a week, eliminating the need for a connecting flight and making travel between the two destinations more accessible.
The flights will run twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. IndiGo expects the route to strengthen religious tourism and cultural ties between the two cities while also contributing to economic activity in the state.
Bodh Gaya is likely to be a key beneficiary of the new connectivity. The city is home to the Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Buddhism's most revered pilgrimage centres. With thousands of Thai and international visitors travelling to Bodh Gaya every year, the direct route could make the journey considerably easier for pilgrims.
Beyond religious travel, the service is also expected to cater to tourists and leisure travellers. Increased visitor movement could provide a boost to local hotels, transport services and other businesses that depend on tourism.
The new route adds to IndiGo's growing network between India and Thailand. The airline currently operates more than 140 flights a week between the two countries. Bangkok is connected to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar. IndiGo also flies directly to Phuket from Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata, while Delhi has a direct connection to Krabi.
The new route development decision was made at a time when there is consistent passenger flow within India's aviation industry. The scheduled domestic carriers transported 729.40 lakh passengers between January and May 2026, as reported by ANI. In May, the airlines transported 153.90 lakh passengers, registering a 9.49% growth from April.
The IndiGo airline was dominant in the domestic aviation industry in May with a market share of 64.9%. The Air India Group was second on the list with a 25.6% market share, while Akasa Air had a market share of 5.8%. SpiceJet, Star Air, Fly91, Alliance Air and IndiaOne Air made up the remaining market share.
