The adjustments have been made in response to a combination of factors, including continued airspace restrictions over certain regions and record-high jet fuel prices for international operations, which significantly impact the commercial viability of certain planned services.

In a press statement, the airline said: “These changes are aimed at improving network stability and reducing last-minute inconvenience to passengers.”

Despite these adjustments, Air India will continue to operate more than 1200 international flights monthly, retaining a robust international network that spans five continents, including 33 flights per week to North America, 47 flights per week to Europe, 57 flights per week to the UK, 08 flights per week to Australia, 158 flights per week to the Far East, Southeast Asia and SAARC regions, and seven flights per week to Mauritius (Africa).

The temporary network adjustments are summarised below by region:

North America

Delhi-Chicago: temporarily suspended

Delhi-San Francisco: reduced from 10x weekly to 7x weekly through August

Delhi-Toronto: reduced from 10x weekly to 5x weekly through July, increasing to daily operation from August

Delhi-Vancouver: reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly

Mumbai-Newark service increases from 3x weekly to 7x weekly, and Delhi-New York (JFK) remains a 7x weekly service, while Delhi-Newark and Mumbai-New York (JFK) services will be temporarily suspended.

Europe

Delhi-Paris: reduced from 14x weekly to 7x weekly

Delhi-Copenhagen: reduced from 4x weekly to 3x weekly

Delhi-Milan: reduced from 5x weekly to 4x weekly

Delhi-Vienna: reduced from 4x weekly to 3x weekly

Delhi-Zurich: reduced from 4x weekly to 3x weekly

Delhi-Rome: reduced from 4x weekly to 3x weekly

Australia

Delhi-Melbourne: reduced from 7x weekly to 4x weekly

Delhi-Sydney: reduced from 7x weekly to 4x weekly

Asia

Delhi-Shanghai: temporarily suspended through August

Delhi-Singapore: reduced from 24x weekly to 14x weekly

Mumbai-Singapore: reduced from 14x weekly to 7x weekly

Chennai-Singapore: temporarily suspended through August

Delhi-Bangkok: reduced from 28x weekly to 21x weekly from July

Mumbai-Bangkok: reduced from 13x weekly to 7x weekly from July

Delhi-Kuala Lumpur: reduced from 10x weekly to 5x weekly

Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City: reduced from 7x weekly to 4x weekly in July and August

Delhi-Hanoi: reduced from 5x weekly to 4x weekly in July and August

Delhi-Kathmandu: reduced from 42x weekly to 28x weekly in June, and further to 21x weekly in July and August

Delhi-Dhaka: reduced from 7x weekly to 4x weekly

Mumbai-Dhaka: temporarily suspended through August

Mumbai-Colombo: reduced from 7x weekly to 4x weekly

Delhi-Colombo: reduced from 14x weekly to 12x weekly

Delhi-Malé: temporarily suspended through August

(Source: Air India)

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Ho Chi Minh City – Colombo route

The new Ho Chi Minh City–Colombo service marks Vietjet’s entry into the Sri Lankan market and represents a further step to growing its South Asia network. 

Scheduled to commence in August 2026, the route will operate four return flights per week, creating a new air bridge between Vietnam and Sri Lanka while supporting greater tourism, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchange.

Vietjet, First Vice Chairman Dinh Viet Phuong said: “The Ho Chi Minh City–Colombo route opens a new air connection between Vietnam and Sri Lanka, creating new opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, and cultural exchange across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the broader Asia-Pacific region.”

Colombo, a key economic and trading hub in the Indian Ocean, and Ho Chi Minh City, one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic metropolitan centres, are expected to form a new bridge for regional growth and cooperation.

Expanding partnerships in India

In India, Vietjet has also signed strategic cooperation agreements with GMR Airports Limited and Bird Group, two of the country’s leading enterprises.

The agreements pave the way for broader collaboration between Vietnam and India across aviation infrastructure, logistics, airport services, technology, tourism, and hospitality. 

Over the years, Vietjet has been a pioneer in connecting Vietnam with India, developing an extensive flight network to India’s major economic, cultural, and tourism hubs, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. 

(Source: Vietjet)

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According to Agoda’s 2026 Travel Outlook Report, while one in three (33%) state they already use AI for travel planning, almost twice as many (68%) say they are likely to use it for their next trip.

For a market that has always been quick to embrace technology, this indicates a growing appetite for AI across all stages of travel planning.

Data from the report suggests that what Indian travellers want from AI goes beyond a simple search. When asked how they would use it, respondents pointed to recommendations for local attractions and activities (38%), personalised itinerary creation (37%), and destination suggestions (29%). Interest also extends to dining recommendations (23%) and budget management (22%). These findings point to a traveller who expects AI to be present in every stage of the trip-planning process, not as a shortcut but as a smarter way to plan.

Sentiment towards AI-generated recommendations is broadly receptive, with nearly nine in 10 respondents (88%) saying they either trust or feel neutral about such recommendations, including over half (53%) who express clear trust. This aligns with findings from Agoda’s 2025 Travel Trends survey, in which nine in 10 Indian travellers reported using travel apps when booking trips, pointing to an established comfort with technology in travel planning. For Indian travellers, embracing AI in travel planning is less a behavioural shift and more a natural progression, especially for a generation that has been planning and booking travel on screens for over a decade.

Agoda has previously explored this through its 2025 AI-powered Vacation Planner campaign, which invited Indian travellers to answer a set of questions about their preferences, generating customised itineraries and destination visuals, and delivering personalised recommendations from Bollywood celebrity Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign was a real-world expression of the tailored, intuitive planning experience that travellers increasingly seek, and one that the 2026 survey findings reflect.

Agoda Country Director Indian Subcontinent & Indian Ocean Islands, Gaurav Malik, said: “Indian travellers are showing a clear appetite for AI across every stage of trip planning, from discovering destinations to deciding what to eat and even budgeting. This is no longer an emerging trend but is fast becoming the baseline for how a well-planned trip comes together. At Agoda, we continue to offer a range of technology and innovations that make the entire trip planning experience more accessible, convenient, and personalised for every traveller.”

As AI becomes a more natural part of how people research and plan their travel, India stands out as a market where AI adoption in travel is not just growing but gaining clear intent and direction.

Through its platform, Agoda offers access to more than 6 million holiday properties worldwide, over 130,000 flight routes, and more than 300,000 travel activities, all bookable through a single platform. Running until 21 May, Agoda’s 21^st Birthday Sale will offer up to 60% off on hotel bookings, with a special flash sale of up to 70% on 19 May and exclusive deals on flights and activities. Agoda VIP members will receive early access to deals from 3 May to 6 May. Travellers can explore options and make bookings through www.agoda.com and the Agoda mobile app.

(Source: Agoda)

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The collaboration brings together Thomas Cook India and SOTC’s market leadership and travel expertise with Vinpearl’s expansive destination portfolio, further strengthening Vietnam’s appeal among Indian travellers. 

The MoU was signed by Thomas Cook (India) Limited and SOTC Travel President & Group Head – Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services & Innovation, Abraham Alapatt and Vinpearl CEO Ngo Thi Huong.

As part of the agreement, the companies will position Vinpearl as a preferred Vietnam partner, backed by exclusive inventory and priority availability. Beyond enhancing travel experiences, the collaboration marks Vinpearl’s first investment initiative in India’s travel and tourism sector and lays the foundation for a comprehensive tourism ecosystem for the Indian market. 

Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel will drive market development, customer access and curated travel experiences for Indian travellers. 

Vinpearl’s portfolio spans resorts, entertainment, golf and large-scale event infrastructure across destinations such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang and Hoi An, catering to both leisure and MICE segments.

Thomas Cook (India) Limited and SOTC Travel President & Group Head – Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services & Innovation Abraham Alapatt said: “Vietnam has emerged as one of the most exciting growth markets for Indian travellers, and our partnership with Vinpearl reflects our strategic intent to strengthen our leadership in the destination. As leaders in India’s travel and tourism sector, we see a significant opportunity to combine our omnichannel reach, strong consumer base, and market expertise with Vinpearl’s world-class hospitality and entertainment ecosystem. Together, we look forward to creating unique and seamless experiences for Indian leisure and MICE travellers, while building a long-term collaboration focused on unlocking the immense potential of the Indian market for Vietnam.”

Vinpearl CEO Ngo Thi Huong said: “India is a key market in Vinpearl’s international expansion strategy. Through partnerships with leading players – Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel, we are not only expanding market access but also proactively developing tailored offerings for different customer segments. Vinpearl aims to strengthen its presence in the Indian market while contributing to positioning Vietnam as a compelling and differentiated destination on the global tourism map.”

(Source: Thomas Cook India)

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The milestone marks a significant step forward in the programme’s transformation into a modern, globally relevant lifestyle-led loyalty platform.

Expansion of partnership network

The Maharaja Club programme has focused on expanding its partner ecosystem, driving over 4.2 million member transactions across 100+ partners in FY26, including international lifestyle and everyday-use brands. These partnerships maximise avenues for Air India’s frequent flyers or Maharaja Club members to earn Maharaja Points beyond their spending with the airline, thus accelerating their path to award flights and upgrades.

Over the past three years, Air India has recorded a two-fold increase in member engagement and its partner activity rate, reflecting higher transaction volumes and deeper customer participation across the network. This expanded network has strengthened the programme’s scale, engagement, and utility across a broader set of member interactions.

Celebrating with Maharaja Club members

To celebrate the milestone, Air India announced a limited-time promotion — Points Fest, designed to reward loyal members with opportunities to earn up to 50% bonus Maharaja Points. Until 31 May 2026, the campaign offers members two exciting ways to earn up to 200,000 bonus Maharaja Points per eligible partner. To participate, members need to register for the offer using their Maharaja Club ID and complete transactions or conversions via the designated partner pages.

Shop and Earn

Members can enjoy a flat 50% bonus Maharaja Points on every transaction made with brands across categories such as lifestyle, stays, experiences, travel services category, including brands like Adidas, Ajio, Apple, Atlys, FirstCry, Forest Essentials, H&M, Healthians, Levi’s, Myntra, Nike, Puma, The Bicester Collection, UNIQLO, and many more.

Convert and Earn

For those with accumulated reward points across other programmes, members can earn up to 50% bonus Maharaja Points when they convert reward points to Maharaja Points via eligible Points Conversion Partners, including Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, HSBC Global, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, Flipkart SuperCoins, Audi India and many other points conversion partners. The bonus structure is tiered as follows:

The bonus points earned during the Points Fest can significantly enhance members’ ability to redeem rewards across Air India’s expanding domestic and international network. With 2,00,000 Maharaja Points, members can, for example, redeem up to 5 one-way Economy Class tickets between Mumbai and London Heathrow or up to 20 round-trips on prime domestic routes such as Delhi-Mumbai.

Other recent enhancements

On 1 April 2026, Air India reduced the Maharaja Points requirement for award flights and cabin upgrades across at least 90% of its routes, introduced a new, simplified tier-based structure for rescheduling and cancellation of Award Flights, and reduced the flight-count thresholds to accelerate tier progression for members.

(Source: Air India)

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Flights to the Middle East were temporarily suspended in March due to airspace closures resulting from geopolitical developments in the region.

In line with prevailing airspace conditions and guidance from relevant authorities, IndiGo reinstated its schedule of over 60 weekly flights to Doha from seven Indian cities — Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kannur, Kochi, and Mumbai.

The resumption of services reinforces IndiGo’s commitment to offering reliable and seamless connectivity to key destinations, while prioritising the safety and security of its customers, crew, and aircraft. 

As a key transit point, Doha plays a vital role in connecting India to important international markets, and IndiGo’s restored operations will offer affordable, convenient travel options for customers flying to the city. On the other hand, customers travelling from Qatar will also be able to connect to multiple cities in India and beyond, on the airline’s extensive network.

Schedule of Flights to and from Doha, effective 1 May 2026

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The partnership enables single-ticket itineraries combining Air India and WestJet flights, offering smoother journeys, coordinated baggage handling, and simplified journeys for travellers.

Through this partnership, Air India guests travelling to Toronto or Vancouver can take onward connections on WestJet to 17 Canadian cities and 14 U.S. cities, namely:

Canadian cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Winnipeg, Halifax, Ottawa, Regina, Saskatoon, Kelowna, St. John’s, Prince George, Victoria, Fort St. John, Terrace, Cranbrook, Comox, Nanaimo

US cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Detroit, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa, Nashville, Las Vegas, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Springs, Santa Ana, Fort Myers.

Halifax, Calgary and St John’s are also accessible via Air India’s 

European gateways at Amsterdam (Schiphol), Paris (Charles de Gaulle), London (Heathrow), and London (Gatwick).

Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal commented: “Canada continues to be a key market for Air India, driven by strong people‑to‑people ties and increasing trade between our nations. By partnering with WestJet, we are making travel across North America more accessible and effortless for our guests, with coordinated baggage handling, single‑ticket convenience, and a far wider choice of destinations.”

Air India currently operates 17 weekly direct flights to Canada, including 10 weekly services to Toronto and daily services to Vancouver.

Through its European gateways, which provide connections on WestJet flights to Canada, Air India operates 75 weekly services, including 49 to London (Heathrow), five to London (Gatwick), 14 to Paris (Charles de Gaulle), and daily to Amsterdam (Schiphol).

Interline itineraries are available for booking on Air India’s website, mobile app and through travel agents worldwide.

(Source: Air India)

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This strategic expansion underscores the company’s focus on deepening its regional footprint across high-potential Tier 1 and  2 markets.

Bareilly, an emerging market with rising disposable incomes and evolving travel aspirations, presents a compelling opportunity for SOTC to engage new and first-time holiday consumers. In contrast, Noida, a key hub in the NCR region, has a large base of affluent professionals, a strong corporate presence, and high outbound travel demand. Together, these locations highlight a strategic expansion, enabling the company to effectively cater to diverse, high-potential consumer segments across North India.

Both stores will offer a comprehensive portfolio of domestic and international holidays, group tours, personalised holidays and cruises, along with value-added services, including travel insurance.

Uttar Pradesh travel trends

Top domestic destinations: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Andaman & Sri Lanka.

International: Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Morocco, Europe.

Spiritual/Darshan portfolio: Strong interest in pilgrimage experiences, including the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Do Dham/Char Dham Yatra and Vaishnodevi Yatra, reflecting the region’s continued affinity for spiritual travel.

Regional product portfolio: Exclusive special tours designed specifically for our customers. These itineraries include local Indian language–speaking tour managers, Indian cuisine options, and culturally aligned experiences, ensuring greater comfort and familiarity for travellers.

Emerging Travel Preferences: Travellers from the state are increasingly seeking experiential and bucket-list holidays such as luxury multi-destination cruises, polar expeditions to Antarctica, Northern Lights experiences across Finland, Norway and Iceland, self-drive holidays and adventure-led itineraries.

Top customer segments: Multi-generational families, honeymooners and couples, working professionals, millennials and Gen Z. Average holiday duration: four to six days for domestic/short haul; 10 to 15 days for long haul.

SOTC Travel Limited Senior Vice President & Head – Holidays, Rakesh Bawa said: “North India continues to be a key growth engine for SOTC, with strong demand emerging from both metro and tier 2 markets. While Bareilly represents a fast-growing market with increasing travel aspirations, Noida offers access to a mature and well-travelled customer base within the National Capital Region (NCR).” 

(Source: SOTC)

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Fuel surcharge on domestic India routes

Following the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas’ and Ministry of Civil Aviation’s decision to cap domestic Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) price hike at 25%, Air India group is reflecting this calibrated approach, transitioning from a flat domestic surcharge to a distance‑based grid as follows on Air India and Air India Express. 

FUEL SURCHARGE PER PASSENGER, PER SECTOR

Fuel Surcharge on International Routes

At the same time, in the absence of any such mitigations on international ATF prices, the Air India group will be implementing more significant changes to fuel surcharges as follows.

According to the latest data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global average jet fuel price rose to USD 195.19 per barrel for the week ending 27 March 2026, up from USD 99.40 at the end of February, representing a nearly 100% increase. ATF, produced by refining crude oil, has seen simultaneous increases in both its crude oil component as well as the refinery margin, known as ‘crack spread’, with the latter having nearly tripled within three weeks. It increased from USD 27.83 per barrel for the week ending 27 February to USD 81.44 for the week ending 27 March. This steep rise compounds the impact of rising crude oil prices, creating one of the most challenging fuel cost environments that airlines globally have faced in recent years.

The fuel surcharges on international routes do not compensate for the exponential increase in jet fuel prices. Air India continues to absorb a significant portion of this increased cost.

FUEL SURCHARGE PER PASSENGER, PER SECTOR – BY REGION

Revisions to fuel surcharge on flights to and from Bangladesh and Far East destinations, namely Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, will be advised in due course, subject to the requisite regulatory approvals. 

Tickets issued before the above times will not incur the new surcharge unless customers request date or itinerary changes that require a fare recalculation.

The airline says it will review its surcharges periodically and make any necessary adjustments.

(Source: Air India)

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Beginning 15 May 2026, Air India will operate two daily flights between Delhi and Halwara using its A320 Family aircraft.

The flight schedule has been designed to offer same-day connectivity via Delhi to destinations across the UK and the rest of Europe. Passengers from Halwara/Ludhiana and surrounding areas can travel with Air India to Delhi and join onward flights from the same terminal, direct to London, Birmingham, Rome, Milan, and Paris – on a single ticket with baggage checked through to their final destinations.

Air India Chief Commercial Officer, Nipun Aggarwal, said: “We are pleased to serve the people and communities in Ludhiana and neighbouring towns and cities with the convenience of travelling across continents via Delhi. With this addition to our network, we are making international travel simpler and more seamless for more customers across Punjab.”

Air India flights to Halwara are available for booking across all channels, including Air India’s official website, mobile app and through travel agents worldwide.

(Source: Air India)

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