Indacaterol is a novel, inhaled, ultra-long-acting β(2)-agonist providing 24-h bronchodilation with once-daily (od) dosing for maintenance use in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This article reviews the bronchodilator properties of indacaterol compared with other treatments used in COPD. Data from five published placebo-controlled studies were reviewed. Two 14-day crossover studies, the first comparing indacaterol 300 µg od with salmeterol 50 µg twice daily (bid), the second comparing indacaterol 150 µg and 300 µg od with tiotropium 18 µg od, assessed forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) at 24 h postdose (trough). Third, a 14-day crossover study evaluated trough FEV(1) following indacaterol 300 µg dosed morning or evening compared with salmeterol 50 µg bid. Fourth, a single-dose study of indacaterol 150 and 300 µg measured FEV(1) at 5 min postdose compared with salmeterol/fluticasone 50/500 µg and salbutamol 200 µg. Finally, data from a 1-year study with indacaterol 300 µg and formoterol 12 µg bid were examined to determine whether bronchodilation was maintained long term. In the first two studies, indacaterol increased trough FEV(1) after 14 days by a statistically significant and clinically relevant margin over placebo; indacaterol had a greater effect than salmeterol and a similar effect to tiotropium. In the third study, indacaterol had the same effect on trough FEV(1) whether dosed in the morning or evening. In the fourth study, the onset of the bronchodilator effect of indacaterol was similar to that of salbutamol. In the fifth study, the bronchodilator effect of indacaterol on trough FEV(1) was maintained at a significant and clinically relevant level over 52 weeks, whereas the bronchodilator effect of formoterol diminished over time. To conclude, indacaterol is a highly effective bronchodilator that is superior to or at least as effective as other available long-acting bronchodilators for COPD.