Air India is on a turnaround plan that’s been long-needed during its nearly century-long operation. Investment from Tata Sons, which recently acquired the company, is bringing reinvigoration to India’s airports and runways through its flag carrier. Not only has the airline unveiled a new livery, but it is also ordering new planes, refreshing its cabin product and upgrading all branding to make it a carrier that Indians (and the airline’s Star Alliance partners) will be proud of flying.
What makes Air India special?
Air India is investing to defend its home market with a quality product, competing against numerous carriers flying to India. I’ve travelled to all corners of India many times, and Indian hospitality is truly something special. Until now, it wasn’t always something you’d experience when flying the national carrier, though.
What I’ve found recently is a renewed pride among employees who are working hard to return the airline to its former glory. This will take some time for everyone to get on board with the new plan, and I can vouch for this first-hand. Executives say so many new employees have been hired that the average age of staff has dropped from the mid-50s to the mid-30s.
Another spoiler alert: it will take around three years for all long-haul aircraft interiors to be updated so be prepared for a mixed bag. Still, it’s great to see investment in the carrier after so much time, especially in a country with a fast-growing middle class eager to travel.
Air India route map
Air India succeeds when it comes to route network strength, especially for flights to North America. You can fly direct from Mumbai and Delhi to seven U.S. and Canadian cities. Air India currently operates nonstop service from Bengaluru to San Francisco to help expand the network even further, though the Hyderabad to Chicago O’Hare service is no longer operational.
Air India completed its merger with Vistara, another premium Indian airline, fully integrating operations into the larger company. This means domestic connectivity within India and regional flights to other parts of the Middle East and Asia are extensive. I enjoy ultra-long-haul flying when the cabin is modern and the service is pleasant. Air India is on its way to achieving both, but isn’t quite there yet. The good news: it’s coming, with new planes added to the fleet regularly.
Cabin classes on Air India
Air India used to have a lot of shortcomings, and it was an experience I didn’t look forward to when boarding a long-haul flight. These days, things have taken a full about face, and the employees are once again showing pride for the national airline. There are four cabin classes to choose from on international flights although not all aircraft have every cabin.
First Class
First Class is the airline’s premium product, only available on select long-haul flights using the Boeing 777 aircraft. I was disappointed to learn there will only be one row of first class when the planes are reconfigured with a 1-2-1 configuration using the same seat design as business class. What sets them apart is more space, larger entertainment screens and better service from a dedicated crew.
Business Class
Business Class configurations vary widely on Air India planes, and I highly recommend taking a look at the seat map online. Some older planes have angled flat-bed seats in a 2-2-2 or 2-3-2 layout (yes, that means a dreaded middle seat in business class). Others have far newer, fully flat seats with doors that close for privacy. A little homework can go a long way in assuring maximum comfort.
Even if you’ve flown a certain aircraft type before, be sure to check the seat map because the airline has ordered 470 new planes. I’m particularly excited about the new A350-900s, which will be a first for an Indian airline and come with extras like Bluetooth audio and wireless phone charging (a major perk for some of the 15+ hour flights the airline flies to North America).
On domestic flights, business class is more like domestic first, and I find the service and seats to be more than adequate for these shorter flights.
I got lucky on a recent flight, scoring the first A350-900 to join the fleet. It was originally destined for another airline that opted not to take delivery. Air India was able to get it right away, and this plane has some of the nicest flat-bed seats with fully closing doors. If you snag one of these flights, the aircraft are equipped with Wi-Fi and the best entertainment systems currently flying for Air India.
Premium Economy
Premium Economy is a new cabin available on both long-haul widebody aircraft and retrofitted A320neo narrowbodies. The seats will be wider, have more legroom and feature a 2-4-2 layout on the A350 or 3-3 on the A320neo, meaning no one is more than one seat from the aisle.
Economy Class
It’s exciting to see so much investment in the onboard product, but another letdown is that in its new economy class cabin, it is going from 3-3-3 to 3-4-3 on its newer planes. That 3-4-3 is a tight squeeze.
As a full-service airline, even in domestic economy class, you’ll be treated to complimentary meals and drinks. I love that, especially as a vegetarian, Air India always has a veg option you don’t need to pre-order.
On longer flights, new planes will have entertainment screens to keep you busy between dining.
If spending so many hours in economy on long flights isn’t your cup of masala tea, I’ve found the Upgrade+ system easy to use. Check if your itinerary is eligible and purchase an instant, confirmed upgrade at a fixed price between 72 hours and 12 hours before departure. Air India sets the fixed price for these upgrades, and in my experience, purchasing an upgrade through this system has often resulted in scoring better seats at a discount.
Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment
I find long flights are great for uninterrupted work, so Wi-Fi availability is important. Air India recently launched Wi-Fi on its A350, B787-9 and select A321neo aircraft with an introductory complimentary period. If you snag one of those, you’re in luck.
On long-haul planes, aircraft have entertainment screens at each seat, with the newer systems offering significantly more content. The latest IFE features over 3,000 hours of programming including around 1,400 hours of movies, 850 hours of TV shows and 1,000 hours of audio content. Of course, there are a lot of Bollywood favorites and Indian sitcoms, but the international choices are too narrow in number and range for my taste, though selection on newer aircraft is much broader than before. My advice? If you’re on an older plane, download some podcasts or your favorite shows before boarding to avoid disappointment.
Airport experience
Infrastructure at many Indian airports is sub-par, and in many cases, you’ll have to take a bus between the domestic and international terminals. I always allow plenty of time for connections. If you overshoot and find yourself with hours in the airport, there are many lounges for premium cabin passengers or those holding certain credit cards. Priority Pass also has a strong presence in hubs like Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The best part of these lounges? Their hot buffets with a range of Indian dishes for that last curry before you leave the country.
Air India Flying Returns loyalty program
This isn’t a strong loyalty program, but its Star Alliance partnership does provide 24-25 airlines on which you can earn and redeem miles. A recent overhaul, in line with the rest of the airline’s rebranding, gave the program some changes that I don’t love. Instead of earning points based on distance flown, it’s now based on how much you spend on Air India flights (similar to other programs). This brings rewards faster to big spenders but slows down the earnings for everyone else.
One positive change I like is that you can now redeem points for Value fares (with more restrictions) or Prime fares (with fewer restrictions). You can also use a combination of cash and points if you don’t have enough. The airline has eliminated blackout dates and advertises always available seats for award flights on Air India-operated flights, but the rates can be quite high. If you fly other Star Alliance carriers like United or Air Canada, their programs may make more sense for earning miles when flying Air India. It all comes down to the kind of fare you purchase and where you want to go.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
