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.

The post Lufthansa Group Expands Codeshare Agreement with Air India to Fly You to 15 Indian Cities Seamlessly appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

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.

The post To Travel or Not to Travel on Air India Flights in 2025: Top 10 Compelling Reasons appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The world’s first-ever inflight wedding was solemnized in Indian skies. Held on an Air India flight from Mumbai to Ahmadabad in 1994, it was the grand Indian wedding of the 20^th century before Asia’s richest business tycoon Mukesh Ambani stunned the entire world with sheer extravagance of band, baaja, baraat for his younger son’s Rs-5000cr wedding in June 2024.

Air India, the then national carrier, made it possible what was unimaginable in October 1994 before its fame and fortune turned for a descent. “The Sky is the limit” was Air India’s response to Laxman Popley, the owner of Popley & Sons (a high-end jewelry brand), who wished a most unconventional wedding for his son and heir, Dilip Popley. And, the first such historic event in the world of aviation was more than a destination wedding in those days.

It was out and out challenging for Air India, in terms of operations and logistics. With approval from the Director General of Civil Aviation and other regulatory bodies, an A310 from the airline’s fleet was chosen as the venue of not only India’s but also the world’s first wedding in the air. A two-hour round trip from Mumbai to Ahmedabad and then back to Mumbai was scheduled for the Popleys to solemnize the wedding on board.

The wedding on Air India went down in history as Hawai Bandhan. There was music and mirth, food and fun, rituals and revelry from ground to the air. Floral decorations, from check-in counters in the domestic terminal to the boarding area and the aircraft, set the ambience of a traditional Indian wedding at Mumbai Airport. A sculpture of Air India’s mascot, the Maharajah, and a huge banner featuring the would-be couple’s names were installed near the check-in counters.

A special boarding pass was designed for the guests to the Popley wedding in the sky, and it had the greeting, “Air India proudly welcomes you to a historic wedding in the air; a marriage that’s truly made in heaven. We hope you enjoy the world’s first airborne wedding.” D.S. Mathur, the Managing Director of Air India back then, was in attendance to greet the bride and the groom at the airport.

The cabin crew sprinkled rose water on the guests and greeted them with a rose bud while onboarding them. The melody of Shehnai transformed the inside of the aircraft into a setup of traditional Indian weddings. Eight rows of seats were removed to make space for the priest and the couple on the floor of the plane. The wedding ceremony started with the exchange of nuptial garlands between the groom and the bride after the plane took off.

PC: Airindiacollector.com

The priest went on to perform the rituals amidst a recitation of mantras and hymns, except the sacred fire for Saat Phere (seven vows). On the other hand, beverages and snacks were served to the guests aboard the flight. The Popley family and Air India left no stone unturned to make the first inflight wedding a lavish affair. None other than celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor curated the signature meal that was served on Royal Doulton crockery to the guests. Even the huge wedding cake was baked and designed by him.

“1994 saw the release of Hum Apke Hai Kaun, the rise of Madhuri Dixit, and the emergence of big fat Indian weddings. The Popley wedding in the sky followed the release of Hum Apke Hain Kaun in August 1994. The movie became the biggest blockbuster of the year and set a precedent for meticulous wedding planning for picture-perfect ceremonies and romanticized union of couples. If the movie had released later, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya might have shown inflight wedding in his magnum opus, Hum Apke Hain Kaun,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats.

Air India not only hosted Hawai Bandhan at 30,000 feet but also presented the newlywed couple with a honeymoon gift – air tickets to Switzerland. The guests in attendance also received a souvenir from the airline. Dilip Popley, who tied the knot above the clouds in 1994, made it a family tradition by marrying off his daughter in the same style in November 2023. The second Popley wedding in the sky was also held on a flight with 350 guests, from Dubai to Oman.

The post Hawai Bandhan: A Lesser-known Story of Air India Hosting the World’s First Big Fat Indian Wedding in the Sky appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

After a long wait, Air India is taking off for Dallas and Los Angeles, the new destinations in the US-India nonstop travel corridor. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved nonstop Air India flights to Los Angeles in California, and Dallas in Texas from New Delhi starting December 1, 2024. Air India is yet to release Dallas to Delhi fare deals and Los Angeles to Delhi flight tickets through one of its associates, IndianEagle.com, the most-trusted travel booking partner of Indians in America.

The announcement of the tentative date for Air India flights to the new destinations in the United States came after the past two years of intensive preparations, such as fleet expansion, pilot training, enhanced inflight dining, customer service overhaul, new brand identity, digital upgrades, and baggage tracking feature. As of now, only Dallas-Fort Worth and Los Angeles are central to Air India’s US network expansion plans, while Seattle and Boston have been shelved for the time being.

PC: Boeing

Texas, which is home to the second-largest Indian-origin community in the US, has been a strong contender for nonstop air connectivity to India from Dallas or Houston for years. Currently, San Francisco is the only city having direct connectivity to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru for a greater part of the Southwest US. Despite the best fare deals for San Francisco to India travel, catching Air India flights from SFO Airport is not viable for those residing in Texas. Undoubtedly, the highly anticipated Air India service to Dallas would fill the demand-supply gap.

Earlier, the petitions for direct flights between Texas and India had put Dallas and Houston at loggerheads. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex being the most populous metropolitan area in Texas and housing the Asian Indian community of nearly 2.5 lakh individuals seems to have better prospects than Greater Houston for the Tata airline. The upcoming direct Dallas to India flights would benefit South Asians, including Indians from Houston, Austin, Arlington, and the neighboring states, such as New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

The past few years have seen South Asians, including Indians, gravitating to South California and populating the Greater Los Angeles Area. That is why Southern California has been seeing the numbers of Asian Indians on a modest rise in Los Angeles, Irvine and their vicinity – which promises a high demand for direct flights to India from Los Angeles International Airport. Indians residing in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Arizona would drive the demand, as Air India’s interline partner, Alaska Airlines would connect them to LAX for direct flights to India.

Dallas and Los Angeles among Air India’s new US destinations, are most likely to get weekly seven nonstop services as per the winter 2024 schedule authorized by DGCA. Initially, Air India may induct B777-300ERs (leased from Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines) into service to these two new destinations in the US. These are well-equipped modern aircraft. We are yet to know whether B777-300ERs would be retrofitted with premium economy seats like Air India’s brand new A350s and ex-Delta B777-200LRs.

The post Air India’s Nonstop Flights to Take off for Los Angeles and Dallas This Year End appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Happiness is flying thousands of miles at the lowest fares! We are thrilled to announce that Air India, one of our airline partners, is offering heavily discounted tickets for USA to India nonstop flights, both one way and round trip. You can travel to India or USA on Air India flights for the cheapest fare starting as low as $399. This limited-time offer, available only through IndianEagle.com, is simply unbeatable and unmissable.

You can book Air India tickets for a round trip between USA and India at the best fare starting as low as $799. The offer guarantees the freedom of flying without worrying you about inflated travel costs in other times of the year. Air India’s check-in baggage allowance for economy travelers remains unchanged in this offer. As usual, you can check in two bags weighing up to 23kg each.

Air India’s US-India flights sale is available through August 12 only at IndianEagle.com, the most trusted air-ticketing partner for Indians in America. Book now and travel anytime within 30 September 2024. Though the booking window is open through August 12, travel confirmation is subject to seat availability. So, hurry up! The clock is ticking!

Air India fare deals starting as low as $399 for one-way travel may slightly vary depending on routes. You can book NYC to Delhi nonstop travel for $399, whereas NY JFK to Mumbai nonstop flights are currently priced at $440.20. The fare for D.C. IAD to DEL flights by Air India is $430.20 during the current sale period.

Click Grab My Best Deal before the sale is over and the fares shoot up for Christmas holiday travel booking.

What is the right time to travel to India from USA? When it comes to traveling back home, any time of the year is the best time. However, the right time is when you get to save BIG on airfares, skip long airport queues, avoid immigration clearance delay, and travel comfortably. The current Air India flight sale at IndianEagle.com makes it the ideal time for you to plan your trip to India from New Jersey EWR,  New York JFK, Washington DC, Chicago O’Hare, and San Francisco.

The post Air India Flights Sale: Book Your Travel from USA to India at Fares Starting as Low as $399 appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Checked baggage loss or delay is a gnawing concern for international travelers. It mounts to distress and frustration if you are traveling to India for a wedding or a family event. Among the passengers of the recent Air India flights from USA to India, an Indian scholar from the University of California complained that she arrived bagless at Bengaluru Airport because the airline forgot to load her checked bags at the departure airport in San Francisco.

In response to a spate of complaints about non-delivery, delay and loss of checked bags, Air India has added an end-to-end baggage tracking feature to its website and mobile app. The new feature provides real-time information on whereabouts of your checked-in bags from departure to arrival. On your next flights with Air India, you can track your bags after checking in them for a happy trip.

PC: IndianEagle.com

How to use Air India’s Checked Baggage Tracker tool?

The feature is available under the Book and Manage tab on the airline website. A click on ‘Track Your Bags’ opens the page wherein you need to enter your booking reference number and your last name, or the bag tag number and flight number. Click on the submit button to get real-time notifications on the statue of your checked baggage from drop-off to destination. The ‘My Trips’ section of Air India’s mobile app has the same tracking feature that works through the scanning of the barcode on your baggage receipt.

Air India’s Checked Baggage Tracking feature starts working as soon as you check in your bags within 3 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure. It works until 24 hours after your scheduled arrival at the destination. If the domestic to international leg and the international to domestic leg in your itinerary are ticketed together, Air India lets you track your bags throughout the journey, from the first leg to the last leg.

Seamlessly accessible to all travelers, from economy to business class flights, the tracking feature covers key touchpoints – check-in, security clearance, aircraft loading, transfer, and arrival – in the journey of your checked baggage. Using the tool, you can monitor whether your bags are loaded onto the flight following the check-in and whether the bags are offloaded and transferred to the baggage claim area.

Does Air India’s baggage tracking tool work across multiple flight segments?

With the new tool, Air India enables end-to-end tracking of your checked bags across multiple flight segments in your itinerary, even if some segments in the same reservation are operated by Air India’s interline or codeshare partner, Lufthansa, United Airlines, or British Airways.

Can you track multiple checked bags together with Air India’s Checked Baggage Tracker?

Air India’s Checked Baggage Tracker enables you to check the real-time status of multiple checked bags in the same reservation on a single user-friendly interface. You may check in more than two bags if you are traveling with your family. You can track all the bags together and get real-time notifications in one window.

The post Air India Rolls out Baggage Tracking: Learn How to Use the New Feature for Real-Time Status of Your Checked Bags 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 7 airlines offering the best premium economy class seats to India and USA.

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 2024? A Useful Guide appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Various international travel regulations gave a fillip to the demand for nonstop flights between USA and India during the pandemic. Starting 2023 onwards, the demand in this sector shot up as senior citizens and family travelers prefer convenience to costs these days. A one-way trip on most of the nonstop flights from USA to India takes 13 to 17 hours, which is 6 to 8 hours shorter than one-stop flights. Simple itineraries, thorough baggage check-in, and less jet lag are a few other advantages of booking nonstop flight itineraries without any international transit.

Usually, nonstop or direct flights cost a little more than two-stop or one-stop flights. However, you can save on USA to India direct flights tickets through IndianEagle.com, a trusted travel-booking partner of Indians in North America. Currently, nonstop Air India flights between USA and India make a larger pie of this segment. With its fleet being expanded and upgraded to international standards, Air India will be thriving as an unrivalled player in the nonstop/direct travel corridor.

Nonstop Flights between USA and India:

• Chicago ORD to Delhi by Air India
• New York JFK to Delhi by Air India
• New York JFK to Mumbai by Air India
• San Francisco to Delhi by Air India
• San Francisco to Mumbai by Air India
• Washington DC to Delhi by Air India
• Newark EWR to Mumbai by Air India
• SFO to Bengaluru BLR by Air India
• Newark (EWR) to Delhi (DEL) by United Airlines
• Newark EWR to Mumbai by United Airlines (to be resumed this winter 2023)
• San Francisco to Delhi by United Airlines (to be resumed this winter 2023)
• Chicago ORD to Delhi by United Airlines (to be resumed on 20 March 2024)
• New York JFK to Delhi by American Airlines
• Chicago ORD to Hyderabad by Air India (suspended)
• New York JFK to Mumbai by Delta Airlines (suspended)

2023 will see more nonstop flights from New York to Mumbai, as Air India is all set to serve this one of the busiest routes in the US-India travel corridor in February. Delta flights to India were discontinued during the pandemic, just after one year of the airline’s comeback to Mumbai in December 2019. In view of Delta Airlines’ continued suspension of nonstop flights to Mumbai from USA, Air India is the only carrier to provide JFK to Mumbai direct flights starting February 14, 2023.

Among the USA to India nonstop flights, American Airlines flights to Delhi from NYC JFK are extended to Mumbai by codeshare partners – Vistara and IndiGo. A one-way trip on nonstop Air India flights from JFK to Mumbai will take 14 hours 10 minutes, whereas the travel time on American Airlines-IndiGo codeshare flights via Delhi is 21 hours 45 minutes.

Air India and United Airlines are the only carriers operating nonstop flights from Chicago to New Delhi, India. Air India flights from Chicago ORD to Delhi IGI Airport take 14 hours 10 minutes for a one-way trip. Chicago to Delhi nonstop flights on United Airlines take 15 hours 45 minutes for one-way travel. Chicago to Hyderabad nonstop flights continue to be suspended. IndianEagle.com books cheap one-stop flights between Chicago to HYD Airport round the year. 

As of today, San Francisco to India is the busiest and most popular route served by several major airlines. SFO is the only US airport having direct connectivity to New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Cheap Air India tickets for SFO to Delhi nonstop flights and direct SFO to Mumbai flights are available on IndianEagle.com. The San Francisco to Delhi route continues to see United flights suspended in the event of the Russian airspace restrictions. Starting from March 2023, United Airlines will get into competition with Air India flights on the SFO and BLR Airport route.

New Delhi is the most connected destination for nonstop flights from the United States. Washington DC, Chicago, Newark EWR, New York, and San Francisco have direct connectivity to Delhi IGI Airport. American Airlines, United, and Air India nonstop flights to New Delhi are in a head-to-head competition with the Middle East carriers operating one-stop flights between USA and Delhi. Here is the travel time that the below airlines will take for a one-way JFK to DEL flight on 14 January 2023:

• Air India: 13 hrs 50 minutes (nonstop)
• American Airlines: 15 hrs 20 minutes (nonstop)
• Emirates: 17 hrs 10 minutes (layover 1 hr 35 minutes)
• Qatar Airways: 18 hrs 15 minutes (layover 2hrs 25 minutes)
• Etihad Airways: 18 hrs 50 minutes (layover 3 hrs)
• Turkish Airlines: 19 hours (layover 3 hrs 35 minutes)

Seattle to India direct flights have an uncertain future, as American Airlines’ plans for the Seattle to Bengaluru nonstop route have been shelved indefinitely. Since the route was announced, we had waited for the launch; but the pandemic pushed the launch from 2020 to 2022, and finally, American Airlines put this route on hold. However, you can grab the best low-fare deals for Seattle to India flights with short layovers from IndianEagle.com.

The post Which Airlines Operate Nonstop Flights between USA and India, and on What Routes in 2024? appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.