The Gaya-Bangkok flight, IndiGo’s first non-stop international service on the route, was flagged off by Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Monday as the state expands air connectivity ahead of the pilgrim season. The service will operate twice a week and is expected to make travel easier for visitors heading to Bodh Gaya and other destinations in the Magadh region.
Choudhary flagged off the flight through videoconferencing at a ceremony in Patna and greeted passengers on the inaugural service. He said the direct connection would strengthen religious, cultural and tourism ties between Bihar and Thailand, while widening international access to the state’s Buddhist heritage and historical sites.
Bodh Gaya is a major destination for Buddhist devotees and international tourists because of its association with the Buddha’s attainment of knowledge. The chief minister said the new route would improve access for foreign visitors and expand tourism prospects across the wider Magadh region. The service is also expected to support hotels, transport operators, handicraft makers and other businesses dependent on visitor spending.
The launch comes as Gaya Airport increases operations under its winter schedule to handle the expected arrival of domestic and foreign tourists during the upcoming pilgrim season. Thailand-based carriers Thai Airways and Thai Air Asia also began services from Gaya over the weekend. Thai Airways started direct flights to Bangkok, while Thai Air Asia launched a direct service to Don Mueang.
Thai Air Asia’s Gaya-D หาก? service will operate three days a week — Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays — until March 26, 2027, according to the report. The airport’s international connections are therefore expanding through multiple carriers and destinations as the seasonal visitor flow increases.
Domestic connectivity has also received a boost. Air India began two services on the Delhi-Gaya-Delhi route from Sunday, with the airline’s winter schedule scheduled to remain in operation until March 27, 2027. The additional domestic services are expected to provide another connection for travellers reaching Bodh Gaya and nearby parts of Bihar.
Choudhary said the state was promoting air connectivity through airports at Patna, Darbhanga, Gaya and Purnia. He also said Bihar was working on a policy to increase connectivity on new international routes, with support from IndiGo expected as part of the effort.
The chief minister said stronger air links were important for giving Bihar’s culture, heritage and local products wider international recognition. At the ceremony, IndiGo special director R K Singh welcomed Choudhary by presenting him with a green plant and symbolically handed over a boarding pass for the first non-stop Gaya-Bangkok flight.
The newly launched IndiGo service will operate twice a week, while the other international and domestic services will follow their announced schedules through the winter operating period.
