Air India Express restarted direct flights between Indore and Abu Dhabi on July 15, 2026, giving central India a nonstop link to the Gulf and, via Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport, onward connections to more than 80 destinations worldwide.
What happened
The route runs four times a week — Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday — under flight numbers IX 0247 (outbound) and IX 0248 (return), per the Free Press Journal. Outbound flights depart Indore in the evening (7:50 pm on Mon/Wed/Fri, 8:50 pm on Sunday) and land in Abu Dhabi roughly 1 hour 45 minutes later; the return leaves Abu Dhabi late night and lands in Indore in the early hours the next day. The service restores international connectivity for Indore's airport, part of a broader push by Air India Express to expand its India-UAE network across multiple central Indian cities.
Why it matters
Direct international flights out of tier-2 Indian cities are still relatively rare, and when they lapse, travellers from those cities have to route through Delhi or Mumbai, adding time and cost. Restoring Indore-Abu Dhabi cuts that detour for business travellers, the Indian diaspora in the UAE, and tourists heading further afield via Abu Dhabi's growing route network.
What this means for your trip
- ›Flying from Madhya Pradesh to the Gulf or beyond? Check IX 0247/0248 timings against your connection at Abu Dhabi before booking a separate domestic-to-metro leg.
- ›Late-night departures both ways — outbound leaves Indore in the evening, the return lands in Indore in the very early morning, so plan onward local transport accordingly.
- ›Four-times-weekly means limited flexibility — if your dates don't line up with Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun, you may still need to route via Delhi or Mumbai for a same-day option.
The route "reconnects central India with the UAE while giving travellers seamless access to more than 80 global destinations through Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport," per Free Press Journal's reporting on the relaunch.
The bottom line
For Indore-area travellers, this closes a real gap — a direct Gulf link instead of a metro-city detour. If you're planning a UAE trip or a longer haul beyond it later this year, it's worth pricing this route against your usual Delhi or Mumbai connection.
