Star Air plans 50-aircraft scale up in next 5 years; aims to become the largest regional player

Backed by a 32-destination network, recent new weekly flights, 55% revenue growth and plans to induct six aircraft this year, Star Air is accelerating expansion in unserved markets while evaluating larger 100+ seater jets in longer term to up the regional game.

India’s aviation growth has historically been concentrated on trunk routes, but these markets somehow are now nearing saturation, with intense competition and pricing pressure. In contrast, many of the tier II and III cities, home to a large share of India’s population, remain under-served. It is here where the regional airline like Star Air is carving a niche: deepening connectivity in these underserved and unserved markets. 

With a reported 55% jump in revenue in 2025 and plans to expand its fleet manifolds over the next five years, the airline is positioning regional aviation as a serious growth engine, not a peripheral play, says Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, Star Air, in her conversation with T3. 

“We wanted to grow in segments where others have not ventured… our focus is to connect the real India,” Bhatia said. 

Since its inception in 2019, Star Air, an aviation arm of Sanjay Ghodawat Group, has deliberately avoided the overcrowded metro routes, instead focusing on building connectivity across tier II and III cities. At a time when India’s aviation landscape is dominated by narrow-body expansion and international ambitions, this regional-first approach stands out, as per Bhatia. 

27/04/2026 TravelTrendsToday