Penang is planning to introduce direct flights from another Indian city following the strong performance of its Chennai route, as Indian tourist arrivals to the state surged more than 2.3 times in 2025.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said discussions are underway with IndiGo Airlines. “Following Chennai, there is strong potential for another Indian city to be directly connected to Penang,” he said, adding that an official announcement will be made once arrangements are finalised. Wong recently led a delegation to Chennai for the Simply Penang tourism roadshow.
The Chennai-Penang direct service, launched by IndiGo on December 21, 2024, is currently the only direct air link between India and Penang. The route has operated more than 770 flights, carrying over 100,000 passengers with an average load factor of around 70%. This success has helped India enter Penang’s top 10 tourist source markets, ranking sixth.
In 2025, 25,772 Indian tourists arrived via international flights at Penang International Airport, more than 2.3 times the 2024 figure and around 3.5 times higher than 2023. Cruise tourism from India has also seen strong growth, with 18,688 Indian cruise passengers arriving at Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal from January to November 2025, making India the second-largest source market. Overall, total Indian visitor arrivals to Penang in 2025 exceeded 44,000.
Wong said the state will continue targeted promotions, including Simply Penang roadshows in major Indian cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Kochi, and Chennai. The delegation also engaged with industry associations and local media to position Penang as a preferred destination for leisure, business, and MICE tourism.
