Ananya had dreamed of this moment for years – her parents’ first visit to her in the US. She moved to Boston in 2019 for an MS degree. She is now working as a senior Data Analyst in New York. It took her years to plan their first trip to America, as she wanted them to travel in comfort on the flight where they won’t have to squeeze into tight seats. Recently, her parents traveled in Air India’s brand new Premium Economy from Kolkata to New York.

Flying in Premium Economy is no luxury. Rather, it is a matter of comfort for those who always made compromises and endured discomforts to save for their daughter’s education. Like most middle-class parents, they always preferred buses and auto-rickshaws over cabs while putting Ananya’s needs ahead of their own. Their day-to-day struggle did not go unnoticed by her. Hence, she had eagerly been waiting for the day she would be able to book premium economy flight tickets.

Ananya’s dream came true at Indian Eagle

With Indian Eagle deals for Air India flights to USA, her dream came true. Premium Economy offers a greater deal of comfort than Economy but costs lesser than Business Class. This significant upgrade comes with cozy seating, extra legroom, priority boarding, and personal attention to travelers’ inflight needs. For her parents, it was more than a travel experience, it was a matter of pride for them.

When Ananya called Indian Eagle customer support helpline, she was very clear about what she was looking for – the best flight deal. I recall her words, “I just don’t want my parents to arrive exhausted or stressed. I wish their first international flight to be full of joy, not fatigue,” said the chief ticketing officer of Indian Eagle Travel. We offered her the most unbeatable fare deal from Air India, one of our airline partners, for a nonstop flight from New Delhi to New York including a domestic connection from Kolkata.

Why Air India for Premium Economy Travel

One of her colleagues in the US referred Indian Eagle to her as a reliable travel partner for parents’ solo international travel. Our ticketing team goes the extra mile when it comes to booking international flight tickets for parents and family travelers. For Ananya’s parents, we recommended Air India not only for unmatched fares, but also nonstop travel, short flying time, brand-new A350 aircraft, premium economy comfort, etc.

Flying in the Premium Economy was their first such premium travel experience, from priority check-in at Delhi International Airport to smooth onboarding to the A350-900 plane, cushioned seating with extra legroom, business-class-like inflight dining, personalized service to their individual needs – all these made their first international trip nothing short of a dream as Ananya shared with us later.

Air India’s A350-900s, one of the most advanced widebody Airbus planes in the fleet of major airlines, have earned rave reviews for elevating passenger experience in terms of comfort, luxury, and inflight service. Indian Eagle best deals for Air India flights in all travel classes on A350s between New York to Delhi, and Newark to Delhi are available both on the website and on calls to +1800-615-3969.

Ananya further shared with us that her father, a retired schoolteacher, has kept the boarding passes safe as a cherished memento of her love for them. When they landed at JFK Airport in New York, she welcomed them with tears in her eyes. Precisely, this was the moment that she waited for long because, sometimes, a flight is not just a flight – it’s a way to say “Thank You”.

The post Indian Eagle Fulfilled a Daughter’s Dream with Best Deals for Her Parents’ First Flight to USA appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Many Air India flights between North America and India are no longer nonstop due to route adjustments with refueling stops in view of the continued closure of Pakistan airspace. The rerouting of US-India flights in order to bypass the restricted airspace has increased not only total travel hours but also fuel consumption each trip. Initially, Air India’s operating costs soared due to refueling stops, additional ground time, and extra landing fees in Vienna, Austria. If it were to continue, it would have strained the airline’s revenue by incurring losses in millions of dollars.

PC: Travel Beats

As cost-effective alternatives to Vienna, Air India has started using Mongolian airspace and taking fueling stops within India for some of its 71 weekly North America flights to and from India. This strategic shift is aimed at reducing the soaring operational overheads and cutting down on excess travel time without compromising passenger safety and regulatory compliance. Mostly, Air India flights from San Francisco to Delhi and Vancouver to Delhi are being rerouted through the Mongolian airspace.

Those who have Air India flights from SFO to Bengaluru in June or July 2025 should brace themselves for longer flying times, 23-28 hours. Some flights (180|2845/2603) from San Francisco have two pitstops – Kolkata (CCU) and Mumbai (BOM) – en route to Bengaluru, each pitstop scheduled for 1 hr 15 min. Currently, some other SFO-BLR flights by Air India include a DEL Airport layover stretching 1 hour 35 minutes. But Bengaluru to San Francisco itineraries have some relief for Air India passengers. Some flights (AI 175) are nonstop while some (AI 2661|173) have one stop (Delhi).

Among Air India’s US to India flights, SFO to Mumbai itineraries do currently have one pitstop – Kolkata or New Delhi – increasing the total travel time to 20-22 hours, as seen on IndianEagle.com. On the other hand, flights from Mumbai to San Francisco are being rerouted via Bengaluru Airport or Delhi IGI Airport. Some SFO to Delhi flights operated by Air India are two-stop itineraries with Kolkata and Bengaluru as domestic pitstops in India.

Air India’s Chicago to Delhi flights and JFK to Delhi flights are back to nonstop operations, as refueling stops have been removed from the itineraries scheduled in June and July 2025, according to IndianEagle.com, the most trusted travel-booking partner of Indians and Americans for over 15 years. But DEL to ORD itineraries (Air India 127) continue to have a refueling stop in Vienna for 1 hr 10 min, which makes the journey as long as 19 hours 45 minutes.

You can check out Indian Eagle last-minute deals for alternative flights from San Francisco to Mumbai and Bengaluru for summer travel. Our exclusive phone-only fare deals from Air India and other airlines are also available at +1800-615-3969 round the clock. Subscribe to our newsletter for significant updates on USA-India airlines that could impact your travel plans.

The post Air India Flights from SFO to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru may have Two Pitstops; Brace for Longer Travel Time appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

All these years, Air India has been a preferred airline for family travel to India for its generous checked baggage allowance in Economy Class, irrespective of fare types. A once-in-a-year trip to home (generally) means heavy luggage, especially gifts for parents, close relatives, and friends. Even many parents visiting the US prefer Air India not just for nonstop flights but also its two free checked bag policy, as they pack in various homemade savories and other Indian essentials for their children settled there.

Not anymore! Air India’s free check-in baggage allowance on economy flights is now varying with fare types – VALUE and CLASSIC, effective for bookings made on or after 5 June 2025. The lowest economy fare with two pieces of free checked baggage (each up to 23kg) will be all history for new reservations starting June 5. Precisely, you can check in only one bag (max 23kg) for free with Air India flight tickets in the VALUE segment (lowest economy fare). Checking in a second bag for the VALUE economy fare would cost you USD 240 per one-way trip.

However, the CLASSIC fare type will let you check in two bags for free on Air India’s economy flights between USA and India, irrespective of routes, aircraft, and travel dates.

Air India: Fare Difference between Value and Classic in Economy 

The difference between Air India’s VALUE and CLASSIC fares is only $60, which is just one-fourth of USD 240 for checking in a second bag with the VALUE economy tickets. If you have two bags (each 23kg) to check in, it is wise to choose the CLASSIC fare type over the VALUE fare type for Economy Class travel on Air India. The CLASSIC fare (though $60 more than the one-way VALUE fare) is worth not only for a free second checked bag but also lesser fees for rescheduling and cancellation.

“By choosing the lowest economy fare (VALUE) to save only $60 one way, you may end up incurring additional costs. If you need to pack more stuff into the free checked bag rather than checking in a second bag, Air India will charge you USD 130 for the free checked bag’s excess weight up to 32kg. Given all scenarios, we recommend CLASSIC fares to our customers for economy travel on Air India,” said the chief travel economist of Indian Eagle, the trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians and Americans.

I booked my flight tickets to Mumbai in April but I will travel in early July. I got the lowest Air India deal from Indian Eagle. Can I check in more than one bag for free?      

Yes, you can. Since your booking was done in April, Air India’s revised checked baggage policy for the VALUE fare tickets does not apply to you. The changes to the check-in baggage allowance for the cheapest economy fares of Air India is effective for new bookings made on or after 5 June 2025.

The post Air India Revises Free Checked Baggage Allowance for US to India Economy Flights, Effective from June 5 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Premium Economy offers a better experience than economy travel and costs lesser than business class flight tickets. Precisely, this travel class that gained a larger market share during the pandemic offers an ideal blend of both, comfort and affordability. Elevated comfort, wider seats, greater recline, ample legroom, adjustable seating position, generous baggage allowance, better inflight dining, and of course, priority service are the perks of flying premium economy airlines to India and back to USA.

With Air India and Emirates having entered this segment and heightening the competition, Premium Economy is the future of travel between USA and India. Indian Eagle, the most trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians in America, is here to guide you through top airlines offering the best premium economy class seats between USA and India.

PC: IndianEagle.com

Emirates’ Premium Economy Class 

Emirates, one of the best airlines for USA to India travel, is the only Middle East carrier with premium economy offering. Emirates Airlines’ Premium Economy on double-decker A380 flights to Mumbai, Bengaluru, New York, San Francisco, Houston, and Los Angeles has won Skytrax World Airline Awards for the best-in-class seats, amenities and services. Our comparative guide on Premium Economy: Emirates vs Air India will enlighten you more.

Emirates’ Premium Economy cabins have 19.5-inch wide seats with 40 inches of legroom and 8 inches of recline – which is the best in this category. The golden beige hued interior oozes sophistication. You can rest your back against a fluffy pillow and adjust the headrest in six different ways to elevate your comfort level for some good sleep during a long-haul flight.

Premium Economy travel with Emirates flight tickets is worth an upgrade from standard economy also for superior inflight entertainment on 13.5-inch HD screens, and certain privileges like priority check-in and expedited boarding.

Japan Airlines Premium Economy

“JAL SKY Premium Economy seats are second to none in functionality and privacy. Among the airlines with best premium economy travel cabins, Japan Airlines takes the lead by offering 42-inch legroom and 16-inch personal screens – the best in class. The best of JAL SKY Premium is available on the airline’s brand-new A350-1000 that is deployed for flights to Dallas and New York,” said the chief ticketing officer of Indian Eagle Travel.

Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 aircraft has Premium Economy seats with significant upgrades from that on other aircraft in the fleet. You get to relax on electric seats with effortless recline and motorized leg rests that rise up to 90 degrees. Your privacy is taken better care of with larger dividers between seats as in the business class. The same fold-out divider between seats is available in the JAL Premium Economy cabin on B787-9 that the airline uses to operate flights to New Delhi.

The perks of booking Japan Airlines Premium Economy tickets to India or USA include access to JAL lounges at Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, and Osaka Kansai airports in Japan. ENCALM Prive Lounge at Indira Gandhi Airport, and 080 Lounge at Kempegowda BLR Airport are also accessible to premium economy passengers of JAL flights to/from Bengaluru and New Delhi. Special check-in counter access and priority baggage service are cherries on the cake for those flying premium economy with JAL.

Singapore Airlines’ Premium Economy Class

Singapore Airlines is the one that can compete with Emirates Premium Economy on long-haul routes. It has all the makings of best premium economy class seats to India and USA, such as ample room to stretch out, adjustable personal reading light, in-seat USB ports, noise-cancelling headphones, etc. The seats with soft leather upholstery are cozy enough to make you feel at home in the sky. Singapore Airlines’ premium economy seats come with a dedicated stowage area where you can store your laptop, headphones, water bottle and other personal items.

The USP of Singapore Airlines Premium Economy cabins is restaurant-like inflight dining service at the cruising altitude. Starting from April 2024, the airline has been serving meals from its enhanced menu designed by award-winning chefs from different countries, including India. You can pre-order a main course of your choice from Singapore Airlines’ Book the Cook menu, at least 24 hours prior to your flight (with minimum 15 hours of travel time). The airlines pampers the tastebuds of premium economy travelers to/from India with chicken biryani, garlic roasted prawns, apple crumble cheesecake and likes from its new menu of over 200 dishes.

Hours of absolute entertainment over a vast content library consisting of 1800 movies, TV programs, music, and games on 13.3-inch HD touchscreen monitors complement the experience of flying Premium Economy on Singapore Airlines flights to India and USA.

Lufthansa’s Premium Economy Class 

More room, more comfort, more attention, and more free baggage define Lufthansa Airlines’ Premium Economy cabins. Each seat has a cocktail table at the armrest, adjustable footrest, and 11-12 inch inflight entertainment screen. In Lufthansa Premium Economy, the seats offer 8 inches of recline, 38 inches of pitch, and width of 18-19 inches for optimum comfort. The seat lets you recline without encroaching the space of the passenger behind you. The headrest, leg rest and armrest can be adjusted as per your convenience.

Lufthansa’s new Allegris travel cabins with pod-like Premium Economy seats have set a benchmark for other premium economy airlines. The Allegris Premium Economy cabins being rolled out on Airbus A350s and B787 Dreamliners have 15.6-in 4K entertainment monitors with discreet screen. You can relax in a comfy position and tune in to nonstop streaming of content or read/work under a personal reading light during long-haul travel on Lufthansa flights.

“Bengaluru and San Francisco are the first to see the brand-new Allegris cabins with premium economy seats, among the destinations of Lufthansa flights to India and USA this year. You can check-in two bags for free when traveling Lufthansa Premium Economy; a great advantage over Lufthansa’s economy flights with one piece of checked baggage,” said the chief customer experience officer of IndianEagle.com.

Air India’s Premium Economy on Nonstop Flights 

In a very short time following its launch in June 2023 for nonstop US-India flights, Air India’s Premium Economy has earned rave reviews. All thanks to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson’s vision and Tata Group’s takeover of the airline! Everyone from regular travelers to celebs like Chef Vikas Khanna praised Air India’s service on Boeing 777-200LRs (leased from Delta Airlines) which have 48 leather-upholstered Premium Economy seats with big IFE screens, better seat pitch and greater seat recline.

The blue-hued premium economy cabins are available on Air India flights from New York to Mumbai, and San Francisco to Bengaluru, as well as Mumbai.

With its brand new A350-900s taking to the skies, Air India is all set to up its Premium Economy game by late 2024. This long-range, widebody aircraft has 24 Premium Economy seats other than 28 full-flat luxury beds in Business Class. Read our in-depth coverage for more details of Air India’s A350s and take a walk through the aircraft in our short video. Once it hits long-haul international routes, it will be among the best premium economy airline cabins for travel between USA and India.

Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy 

Of the best premium economy airlines, Cathay Pacific stands out for offering such perks as dedicated check-in lines and priority boarding, other than super comfy seats with 40 inches of legroom on board. The airline has started rolling out newly designed premium economy seats with 20 inches of width – the best in the industry – on its fleet of B777-300ERs. The leather-padded seats come with full-length leg rests, USB ports, spacious tray tables, and 15-inch wide monitor screens with Bluetooth audio pairing.

The larger tray table makes dining and working a lot more comfortable in Premium Economy on Cathay Pacific flights to India, USA and other destinations. In 2023, Skytrax Awards (the Oscars in aviation) ranked Cathay Pacific as one of the top 10 airlines with best premium economy class seats.

The post Which Airlines have Best Premium Economy Cabins for Travel from USA to India in 2025? A Useful Guide appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

With the summer travel season nearing, Indian families abroad are gearing up for trips to India and looking to spend quality time with loved ones back home. To make their arrival and departure easier and much convenient during this busy season, Air India has launched dedicated ‘Family Assistance’ counters. These special counters are designed to offer on-ground support to families in real time, especially those traveling with children and/or elderly parents needing a little extra help or special assistance.

Currently available at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Air India’s ‘Family Assistance’ counters aim to make your airport experience smoother and far less stressful by providing personalized support and guidance, from check-in to baggage handling, customs queries, and immigration formalities. Air India is not only transforming into a more family-friendly carrier but also joining the ranks of best international airlines to fly between USA and India.

PC: Air India

Integral to the Tata Group’s transformation plan – Vihaan.AI – for Air India, the Family Assistance counters extend support to passengers with special requirements, such as wheelchair assistance. This initiative comes in handy if you forget to request wheelchair assistance for yourself or your elderly parent at the time of booking Air India flight tickets. You can ask for wheelchair support at the Family Assistance counter.

Elevating your experience also in the sky, Air India’s new ‘Family Assistance’ service may get you seated with your family on flights from New Delhi to USA, London, Singapore, and other destinations. It depends on seat availability during your airport check-in. This one-stop initiative is very useful for senior citizens’ unaccompanied travel. The airline staff at the Family Assistance counter will offer service to “help them navigate from the check-in counter to the designated boarding gate of their flight while completing all the airport formalities”, and thereby ensuring peace of mind for their families.

Part of Air India’s meet and greet service, the dedicated Family Assistance check-in counters are similar to British Airways’ in-person airport assistance at five Indian airports. British Airways’ ‘Meet and Assist’ team offers assistance in five Indian languages: Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Punjabi, from check-in to boarding at Indian airports to transit at London Heathrow. It seems that this kind of thoughtful passenger-friendly service has become a bandwagon that airlines are jumping on.

Prior to setting up Family Assistance counters at New Delhi Airport, Air India brought screen-free entertainment for children on long-haul flights that Indian Eagle Travel books at the most unbeatable fares. Air India’s collaboration with Vobble, an audio content platform, is a deliberate move to reduce inflight screen time for kids, who otherwise indulge in visual content for hours. During its ongoing transformation journey, Air India has made several key improvements and achieved some milestones – which make Air India worth flying with for trips to and from India.

The post Air India Launches ‘Family Assistance’ Counters to Help You with Check-in, Baggage, Wheelchair, Immigration appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Inflight entertainment is the only pastime during a long-haul flight. While it helps adult travelers beat boredom at 35,000 feet in the air, it is a concern for parents traveling with kids. Children end up glued to the inflight screen for hours, watching comics and playing games within limited space aboard a flight. Being a parent, you probably don’t like it, but what other choice do you have when you are in the air for over 15 hours?

Air India partners with Vobble to keep kids engaged on board      

This AI-generated image is for illustration purpose only

However, it is no longer a concern for those taking air India flights from USA to India, or from India to USA and other countries. Air India has become a family-friendly airline in a bid to reduce inflight screen time for children. Most recently, the airline introduced screen-free entertainment for children aged 4 to 12 by partnering with Vobble, a dedicated audio OTT platform for kids.

Air India’s partnership with Vobble to reduce inflight screen time for children is a relief for many parents choosing nonstop flights to/from India. Accessible on Vista Stream, Air India’s wireless inflight entertainment service across the fleet, Vobble offers more than 20 hours of kids-friendly audio content in various genres, including stories, music, podcasts, and shows. Vobble is an audio library of educational content and world knowledge trivia too for kids to fly engaged with minimal screen time.

“This development came at a juncture when rerouting of Air India flights to New Delhi from Chicago, New York, Newark, Washington DC, and SFO has extended trips by 2-3 hours. The longer flying hours, the more screen time for kids on board. With Vobble audio content for kids, the Tata Airline mitigates your worries about how to keep your child entertained for long hours. Interestingly, this makes Air India as kids-friendly as its rivals – Emirates and Etihad,” said Sourav Agarwal, Senior Editor of Travel Beats.

Air India vs Emirates and Etihad

Air India’s partnership with Vobble for kids to fly engaged with audio content is just one of the offerings that Emirates and Etihad make for family-friendly air travel. Emirates and Etihad flights to/from India offer a range of thoughtful services and activities as part of onboard entertainment tailed for young passengers. Emirates ensures children have a delightful flying experience engaging with age-appropriate activity packs. Etihad is also second to none when it comes to family-friendly inflight offerings, such as Flying Nanny service to keep kids engaged with cartoon games, coloring kits, and storybooks, so parents can relax during a long-haul journey.

Check out the rerouting of Air India flights from East Coast USA to New Delhi on our Instagram page.

The post Air India Partners with Vobble to Become a Family-friendly Airline with Minimal Screen Time for Kids appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Since the closure of Pakistan airspace to Indian airlines with effect from April 24, Air India has been rerouting its nonstop flights to and from the US, Canada, and the UK. The forced bypassing of Pakistan airspace has added fuel stops to Air India routes between India and North America, thereby increasing the total travel time for passengers. Most of Air India flights, US-India, are being detoured to Vienna or Copenhagen in Europe for refueling – which is causing departure and arrival delays by 4 to 6 hours.

Though Air India has streamlined its long-haul operations through rerouting, additional fuel stops are mostly impacting passengers with connecting domestic flights in India and/or the US. Chicago to Delhi flights, which are usually operated nonstop under 15 hours, are taking 18 to 19 hours, including stoppage in Vienna. Flights to Delhi from Newark and New York JFK, and flights to Mumbai from New York and Newark EWR, and flights between DC IAD and Delhi are having schedule changes, which Air India is communicating to customers.

“In the event of extended flight duration and significant delays, you need to plan your upcoming travel with Air India and have certain post-arrival preparedness if your itinerary includes a connecting flight from Delhi, Mumbai, or Bengaluru. You may have to wait overnight at the arrival airport for the connecting domestic flight. Knowing accommodation options and other facilities available at Delhi and Mumbai airports would ease the stress of wait times post arrival,” said the chief customer relations officer of IndianEagle.com.

 Accommodation options at New Delhi and Mumbai Airports

There are sleeping pods and transit hotels at New Delhi and Mumbai airports. You can rent out a sleeping pod or stay at a transit hotel by paying hourly charges. You may have access to airport lounges in the international arrival area through your ‘frequent flyer’ status with the airline, travel class (mostly business and premium economy), premium credit cards, or programs like Priority Pass (a membership program for airport lounges).

New Delhi IGI Airport:

New Delhi Airport’s international arrival area has several accommodation options, including the Holiday Inn Express at T3. This is the only transit hotel for international arrivals in Terminal 3. The best thing is that you can book hourly rooms at Delhi Airport’s Holiday Inn Express hotel to spend the overnight layover comfortably. The transit hotel accommodation comes with dining facility, medical help, and Wi-Fi.

Snooze at My Space offers convenient sleeping pods within the international wing of Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3. Equipped with mobile device charging ports, Wi-Fi, and secure storage, the sleeping pods provide cozy space for rejuvenation and rest. It is a cost-effective accommodation option at Indira Gandhi Airport.

Mumbai International Airport

Niranta Transit Hotel & Lounge within Terminal 2 of Mumbai CSMI Airport provides comfortable accommodation at hourly rates. It has a restaurant with good dining space and offers free Wi-Fi. 24-hour check-in and check-out are available. You can access the transit hotel at Mumbai Airport after post-arrival customs and immigration clearance.

Are there sleeping pods inside Mumbai Airport T2? Yes, Aviserv Lounge sleeping pods are located in the arrivals area (landside). You can book a sleeping pod for yourself or your parents having a long wait time for the connecting flight at Mumbai Airport, wit/without lounge and shower service.

Is Air India changing aircraft requiring passengers to deplane and board again during a fuel stop in Vienna or Copenhagen?    

There is no change of aircraft during Air India’s technical stops in Europe on the way to USA or back to India. Obviously, passengers remain seated on board during refuelling of the aircraft – which takes as long as 90 to 120 minutes. The latest report is that Air India is actively exploring various alternatives, like having a technical stop in Mumbai or Ahmedabad for flights from New Delhi, to reduce the extended flying hours and operational costs.

My connecting domestic flight is rescheduled the next morning due to international arrival delay. Will Air India provide free accommodation? 

The airline is not bound to provide free accommodation and meals to international passengers on arrival if the international to domestic connection is extended at Delhi or Mumbai Airport, because travel duration extended by unforeseen events like airspace closure of a third country amid geopolitical tensions is beyond the airline’s control.

Can I recheck-in my bags for domestic travel after customs clearance even though the connecting flight is next day?

Generally, you cannot check in bags hours before a domestic flight. It is because domestic check-in is allowed only 3 to 4 hours prior to your scheduled departure for onward travel. You may need to wait in the transit area until the domestic flight check-in window opens.

What if I choose to cancel my Air India booking for longer flying hours in Economy Class?

You can choose to upgrade your Air India tickets from Economy to a premium segment for elevated comfort by paying an additional amount; however, it is subject to seat availability, aircraft types, and routes. You can call your travel-booking partner, Indian Eagle, to explore options for an upgrade with Air India. Or, you may go for cancellation.

Is Air India offering alternative options to passengers with confirmed flights?

The airline is offering to reschedule your flight given the current circumstances impacting the operating schedules, travel duration, domestic connections, etc. You can choose an alternative flight for the same route and with the same travel class within 3 days before or after your original travel date. It may incur the airline’s change of date fee and a fare difference (if there is any at the time of rescheduling).

The post Pak Airspace Closure Extends Air India Flights to and from USA by 4 Hours: Know How to Plan Your Travel appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

If you prefer to book Air India flights, among the top 10 airlines for US-India travel, there’s some good news worth your attention. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, CEO Campbell Wilson dropped hints at adjusting international airfares to fleet upgrade delays and older aircraft in operations. While flight tickets to India are touching new highs on the fare scale with the summer holiday season nearing for Indians in North America, Air India’s fare deals may go downwards for Indian Diaspora. It seems like a strategic move to compensate overseas Indians for not-so-pleasant flying experience and retain them, at the same time.

In the interview with Bloomberg, Air India’s CEO offered an insight into the airline’s strategy. Speaking openly about the current state of the fleet and the fierce competition in international markets, he said, “People choose an airline for many things- price, travel duration, affinity with the culture or the food or just the perception of quality. Because we know that our fleet is not consistent, we may price accordingly.”

This statement is indicative of an impending drop in Air India fares to USA and other destinations. Air India operates in a highly competitive international space, where carriers like Emirates, Etihad, and Singapore Airlines offer comfort, luxury, seamless connectivity, and pleasant flying experience – all in one package. While Air India has the monopoly of operating nonstop flights, its wide-body aircraft fleet – especially Boeing 777s used for long-haul international service – is still awaiting much-needed modernization.

Both delivery of brand new aircraft as part of the multibillion dollar deal with Boeing and Airbus, and the retrofit of widebody B777s have been hit by global supply chain issues affecting aircraft manufacturers. This situation continues to keep Air India’s network expansion plans in a limbo and force older aircraft into operations with increased maintenance overheads, according to CEO Campbell Wilson.

With no confirmed timeline in place for the widebody retrofit project, Air India has taken a short-term approach to cabin overhauls on the existing B777-300ERs. Undeniably, something is better than nothing. This interim refurbishment being carried out by a subsidiary of the Singapore Airlines Group, will remain in progress through 2025.

B777s’ temporary cabin overhauls on flights from India to Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco, include new seat covers, cushions, curtains, and carpets reflecting Air India’s new brand identity. Additionally, you may see improved lavatories, meal tables, armrests, galleys, and cabin walls in the coming days. However, the legacy aircraft will see major upgrades to seating, inflight entertainment systems, and other amenities in the retrofit project that is yet to see the daylight.

“A majority of Air India’s intercontinental passengers are yet to experience the world-class service and hospitality available on the brand new A350-900s operating to New York JFK, Newark EWR, and London Heathrow from New Delhi. Among our customers, those who booked Air India tickets to New Delhi from New York/Newark in the past few months traveled on A350-900s and experienced what the airline is aiming for,” said CEO of IndianEagle.com, the most trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians in the US.

The post Air India to Reduce Flight Ticket Prices for Indian Diaspora amid Fleet Upgrade Delays, as CEO Says appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Air India is a rising star with promises for never-before-like flying experience for Indians abroad. Among the major international airlines looking to partner with Air India, Lufthansa won the toss for expansive code-sharing. The codeshare partnership with Air India gives Lufthansa access to 12 Indian cities from its gateway destinations – New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Precisely, passengers of Lufthansa’s USA-India flights can experience seamless connectivity to 12 more Indian destinations, on a single ticket (same booking reference number).

This AI-generated image is for illustration purpose only

Previously, Lufthansa’s India network was limited to Delhi IGI Airport, Mumbai CSMI Airport, Hyderabad RIG Airport, and BLR Kempegowda Airport. It required some passengers to make additional arrangements to travel to their final destinations from those gateway airports. Thanks to the expanded codeshare agreement, Air India now flies Lufthansa passengers to Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Kolkata, Pune, Goa, Indore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, and Bhubaneswar.

With single US to India flight tickets of Lufthansa Airlines, you can effortlessly travel to any of the above destinations in India. In return, Air India gains access to Lufthansa Group airlines’ vast European network. Wondering why Lufthansa expanded its codeshare partnership with Air India?

Though IndiGo has the largest share of the domestic travel market, the Lufthansa Group airlines chose Air India to expand their reach within India. Several considerations, including Air India’s growing domestic network, revamped lounging facilities, and A320neo aircraft fleet with modern upgrades, seem to have influenced Lufthansa’s decision to expand its longstanding partnership with the Tata airline. The A320neo family fleet that Air India describes as “a backbone of its domestic flight operations” is being upgraded with cushy seats and modern amenities, such as USB chargers and electronic device holders.

Nipun Aggarwal, Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer, shared his excitement, saying, “Our goal is to help customers travel from anywhere in the world to anywhere in India with ease. The expanded Air India-Lufthansa codeshare partnership is a big step in that direction.” “We’re excited to offer our customers better connectivity through Air India while they fly between Europe, USA, and India,” said the CCO of Lufthansa Group.

The perks of flying with Lufthansa exclude generous free check-in baggage allowance, 2 bags of up to 23kg each, which Air India, Singapore Airlines, and the Middle East carriers allow on economy flights to/from India. Most itineraries of Lufthansa flights between USA and India incur additional fees for economy travelers to check in a second bag. Lufthansa Group’s expanded codeshare agreement with Air India for seamless operations to more Indian cities does not make a difference in terms of economy class baggage allowance.

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Air India, which played a knight in shining armor several times for the countrymen stranded abroad during geopolitical conflicts and COVID-19, was struggling with an albatross (debts, losses, and threats of a shutdown) around its neck before the Tata Group welcomed the airline back home as the best-ever tribute to JRD Tata. Since its takeover by Ratan Tata, Air India has resurrected from its decades-long state of inertia, inefficiency, incompetence…to become “a world-class airline with an Indian heart” through its 5-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI.

Air India Lounges

Being a Tata brand, Air India is betting on hospitality to elevate passenger experience from the height of 40,000 feet to ground. The flagship Air India Maharaja lounges at New York JFK Airport and New Delhi IGI Airport are currently undergoing a large-scale renovation. Currently, Air India’s domestic lounge network covers 26 airports, including tier-II Lucknow, Madurai, Vadodara, Indore, Nagpur, Mangalore, Patna, and Srinagar airports.

Opened in early 2024, the Air India lounge at Bengaluru International Airport is wooing premium travelers with its regal décor, modern amenities, swanky furniture, and best-in class hospitality. The convenience of flying in premium travel classes with premium economy or business flight tickets to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai doubles over Air India’s lounging hospitality at those airports. Plush couches, cozy sofas, complimentary Wi-Fi, dedicated nap rooms with recliners, showers, fully-stocked mini bars…are some of the benefits at third-party airport lounges in Air India’s global network.

Air India’s Fleet Upgrade and Modernization

Fleet upgrade and modernization is at the center of Vihaan.AI – Air India’s 5-year transformation plan, which is halfway to repositioning the airline as a world-class carrier. Air India has inducted brand new A350-900 planes into international service as part of its multibillion-dollar fleet expansion project, alongside absorbing Vistara aircraft into its fleet after the merger. A350-900 planes with Premium Economy seats and luxurious business class suites tick all the boxes, from elevated inflight dining to redefined inflight entertainment – for premium travel experience that Indian Diaspora had been waiting for.

Air India’s game changer – A350-900s are operating nonstop flights to India from New York JFK, Newark EWR, and London Heathrow. The Tata airline is looking to roll out top-notch First Class suites on yet-to-be-delivered A350-1000s for select intercontinental routes with demand shooting up for premium travel.

Among Air India’s goals in 2025 is improving travel experience on domestic routes for domestic passengers and international passengers having domestic connections to/from the gateway airports – Mumbai and Delhi.’ Air India has retained the erstwhile Vistara A321neo aircraft with Premium Economy for flights to Singapore from Delhi and Mumbai.

Air India’s Fleet Retrofit Program

Vihaan.AI – Air India’s ongoing transformation from a laggard to a TATA brand, will see completion of the US$ 400-million retrofit project by mid-2025. As many as 27 A320neo planes in the A320 fleet family of narrowbody aircraft that Air India describes as ‘a backbone of its domestic and short-haul international operations’ are upgraded with new cushy seats, carpets, upholstery, and amenities to turn around the airline for 80 to 85% of its total passengers on metro to metro and non-metro routes.

The retrofitted aircraft in Air India’s fleet will up the game with contemporary interiors and passenger-friendly upgrades such as USB chargers, portable electronic device holders, and Wi-Fi. The single-aisle fleet will progressively feature a three-class configuration: economy, premium economy, and business. Also, 40 Boeing 787 aircraft in Air India’s widebody fleet will be refurbished and retrofitted starting this year, under the same modernization program, to deliver a whole new flying experience, according to Nipun Aggarwal, Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer.

Maharaja Club: Air India’s Frequent Flyer Loyalty Program

One of the advantages of flying with Air India in 2025 is the opportunity to earn award flights, extra check-in baggage allowance, complimentary cabin upgrades and lounge access. After two years of its takeover by Ratan Tata, Air India launched the Maharaja Club, a unique frequent flyer loyalty program with a myriad of benefits and privileges. You can earn Maharaja points not only for booking Air India flight tickets but also for traveling with its Star Alliance partners, including Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air Canada, SWISS Air, Turkish Airlines, and Singapore Airlines.

Interestingly, Air India’s Maharaja Club lets you create a family pool of loyalty rewards earned by your family members by linking their Maharaja Club accounts. Whenever the family members fly with Air India or any of the Star Alliance partners and spend with Air India’s non-airline partners (hotels, restaurants, brand stores, etc.), their Maharaja points get accumulated in the family pool. As the family head, you can specify what percentage of their reward points would be added to the family pool. Your spouse, children, parents, siblings, and in-laws can join the family pool, but the strength should not exceed nine members including you.

You can redeem your own Maharaja points or the points collected in the family pool to book award flights to Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, London, Singapore, or Dubai in either of the two categories: Value Fare and Prime Fare. With Prime Fare, you can redeem points to book your travel during peak seasons or flight deals for last-minute travel. If reward points in your Maharaja Club account with Air India fall short of an award flight or a cabin upgrade, you can top up the account balance by buying points.

New Air India Hub in South India 

Taking the cue from the success of its nonstop flights to Bengaluru from USA and London, Air India is setting up a hub at Kempegowda BLR Airport for the vast South Indian Diaspora in the West. Central to Air India’s long-haul network expansion plans, the new Bangalore hub will streamline international departures and arrivals through Kempegowda Airport for any part of South India. Additionally, the upcoming Air India hub at BLR Airport would help open more international routes from south Indian cities.

Air India’s primary hub, New Delhi Airport, for most nonstop flights to India from USA and other countries has overgrown its capacity. The South Indian Diaspora connecting to their destinations via New Delhi has been vocal about inconvenient transit at Indira Gandhi Airport, especially during winters when dense fog causes flight delays and cancellations. Undoubtedly, setting up its second hub away from north India marks a watershed moment in Air India’s transformation as a most passenger-friendly airline.

Upgrade Plus: Air India’s Cabin Upgrade System for Economy Flyers

In the first year of its transformation journey, Air India introduced Upgrade +, an easy-to-use cabin upgrade system for economy travelers to fly in a premium class. Those, who are not Air India’s Maharaja Club members, can make the most of this program to upgrade their travel from economy to premium economy or business class for a little extra fare. Unlike the Maharaja Club, Air India’s Upgrade Plus facility is exclusive to flying with Air India, not any Star Alliance member airline. Check out Indian Eagle Travel’s guide on how to use Upgrade + for premium class travel on Air India.

Check-in Baggage Tracking on Air India Flights

Among the perks of flying with Air India in 2025 is end-to-end tracking of your checked bags in real time. Integrated to Air India’s website and mobile app, the luggage tracking feature provides real-time updates on your checked baggage from departure to arrival. It cover key touchpoints – check-in, security clearance, aircraft loading, transfer, and arrival – through your international journey with Air India. Read on to know how to use Air India’s checked baggage tracker for your peace of mind.

Air India’s Vision 2025 and Service Standards

Driven by CEO Campbell Wilson’s Vision 2025, Air India is committed to and focused on elevating its service standards, alongside the fleet upgrade and aircraft retrofit project in progress. There are some reports of travelers unhappy with the airline’s inflight service etiquette despite tangible improvements in onboard dining, seating, and inflight entertainment content on certain routes.

“2025 will see progress on many key initiatives, such as…elevating Air India’s service standards, raising the bar on what we consider ‘good’, and more consistently delivering to those new expectations. We will also strengthen and tighten our practices and processes so that we are not just consistent, we are also efficient and, ultimately, profitable,” said CEO Campbell Wilson in a company newsletter to the employees and stakeholders.

Wi-Fi on Air India Flights

Wi-Fi on select Air India flights operated by A350-900s and Boeing 787-9s lets you fly connected even above the clouds. Air India became the first Indian airline to introduce inflight Wi-Fi on domestic and short-haul international flights operated by A321neo planes. Air India’s Vision 2025 of customer service standards encompasses plans to roll out Wi-Fi across its network from America to Australia progressively. Inflight Wi-Fi is also part of the Tata airline’s $400-million aircraft refurbishment project (elaborated above). The travelers who got the best fare deals from IndianEagle.com, a leading air-ticketing partner of Air India, for their winter holiday trips to India from New York and Newark are all praise of seamless Wi-Fi service on board.

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