Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) has announced major upgrades to its Maharaja Club loyalty programme, effective progressively from 1 April 2026. The updates deliver lower Maharaja Points for award flights and cabin upgrades, faster tier progression, greater booking flexibility, and extended privileges to companions.
The initiative reflects Air India’s broader transformation strategy under the Tata Group, aiming to align its loyalty ecosystem with global standards. The changes significantly enhance value for passengers across key hubs including:
- Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), Delhi
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM), Mumbai
- Kempegowda International Airport (BLR), Bengaluru
- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD), Hyderabad
….making both domestic and long-haul travel more rewarding.
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Air India (AI) is Offereng “More value than ever on Award Flights”
| Travel Type | Redemption Details | Points / Fare Reduction | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Award Flights (Canada) | Award Flights | From 50,000 Maharaja Points | Canada |
| Premium Economy Domestic | Redemption Fares | ~13% average reduction | 30% of domestic routes |
| Domestic Award Flights | Award Flights | From 1,500 Maharaja Points | All domestic routes |
| Business Class International | Redemption Fares | ~25% average reduction | 35% of international routes |
| Economy Class Domestic | Redemption Fares | ~30% average reduction | 80% of domestic routes |
| International Award Flights (U.S. & Australia) | Award Flights | From 40,000 Maharaja Points | U.S. & Australia |
| Domestic Cabin Upgrades | Cabin Upgrades | From 4,000 Maharaja Points | All domestic routes |
| Economy Class International | Redemption Fares | ~30% average reduction | 75% of international routes |
| Premium Economy International | Redemption Fares | ~12% average reduction | 17% of international routes |
| Business Class Domestic | Redemption Fares | ~15% average reduction | 70% of domestic routes |
| International Award Flights (Europe including UK) | Award Flights | From 35,000 Maharaja Points | Europe region |
These changes, based on extensive member feedback, significantly increase value for Air India passengers flying from major hubs we noted above. The revised program makes both domestic short trips and long-haul international journeys more rewarding.
Economy Class redemptions dropped by around 30% on 80% of domestic routes and 75% of international routes. Business Class saw reductions of about 15% on 70% of domestic routes and 25% on 35% of international routes. Premium Economy recorded cuts of around 13% on 30% of domestic routes and 12% on 17% of international routes.
Domestic award flights now start from 1,500 Maharaja Points, while cabin upgrades begin at 4,000 points. International one-way award flights are standardised with Europe (including the UK) from 35,000 points, the US and Australia from 40,000 points, and Canada from 50,000 points.
These changes bring better value on more than 90% of routes, though a small number of sectors see no change or marginal increases. Air India Slashes Reward Points by Up to 64% in Major Maharaja Club Overhaul
Economy class redemption changes (partial listing)
Domestic routes
| Sector | Existing Points | Revised Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goa (Mopa) – Hyderabad | 7,000 | 2,500 | 64% ↓ |
| Delhi – Chandigarh | 5,000 | 3,000 | 40% ↓ |
| Delhi – Chennai | 7,500 | 6,000 | 20% ↓ |
| Delhi – Ahmedabad | 4,000 | 3,500 | 13% ↓ |
| Bengaluru – Chennai | 2,000 | 1,500 | 25% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Amritsar | 9,500 | 5,500 | 42% ↓ |
| Delhi – Goa (Dabolim) | 9,000 | 5,000 | 44% ↓ |
| Delhi – Guwahati | 8,500 | 6,000 | 29% ↓ |
International routes
| Sector | Existing Points | Revised Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi – San Francisco | 77,000 | 40,000 | 48% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Newark | 67,000 | 40,000 | 40% ↓ |
| Delhi – Vancouver | 87,000 | 50,000 | 43% ↓ |
| Delhi – Melbourne | 61,000 | 40,000 | 34% ↓ |
| Delhi – New York (JFK) | 62,000 | 40,000 | 36% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Mauritius | 25,000 | 12,000 | 52% ↓ |
| Delhi – Jeddah | 26,000 | 12,000 | 54% ↓ |
| Delhi – London | 30,000 | 35,000 | 17% ↑ |
Key examples include Delhi (DEL) to San Francisco (SFO) dropping from 77,000 to 40,000 points and Mumbai (BOM) to Mauritius from 25,000 to 12,000 points in Economy. Similar meaningful reductions appear across Business and Premium Economy classes on most sectors.
Air India, whose leadership has been touted to change, has recalibrated Premium Economy redemption thresholds across both domestic and international sectors, reflecting a hybrid pricing strategy that balances demand stimulation with yield protection. While most routes witness reductions, select high-demand international corridors have experienced upward revisions
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Domestic routes
| Sector | Existing Points | Revised Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyderabad – Goa (Mopa) | 12,000 | 9,000 | 25% ↓ |
| Delhi – Guwahati | 16,500 | 13,000 | 21% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Varanasi | 15,000 | 12,000 | 20% ↓ |
| Bengaluru – Delhi | 17,000 | 14,000 | 18% ↓ |
| Delhi – Mumbai | 13,000 | 15,000 | 15% ↑ |
| Delhi – Bengaluru | 17,000 | 14,000 | 18% ↓ |
International Routes
| Sector | Existing Points | Revised Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi – San Francisco | 1,24,000 | 1,00,000 | 19% ↓ |
| Delhi – Vancouver | 1,29,000 | 1,10,000 | 15% ↓ |
| Delhi – Newark | 1,08,000 | 1,00,000 | 7% ↓ |
| Delhi – Dubai | 29,000 | 40,000 | 38% ↑ |
| Delhi – London (Heathrow) | 66,000 | 85,000 | 29% ↑ |
| Delhi – Bali (Denpasar) | 40,000 | 45,000 | 13% ↑ |
Business class redemption changes (partial listing)
Business Class redemption rates have undergone substantial rationalization, with significant reductions across long-haul routes—particularly to North America and Europe—while select short-haul international routes have seen moderate increases.
Changes on AI’s Domestic routes
| Sector | Existing Points | Revised Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi – Chennai | 30,000 | 24,000 | 20% ↓ |
| Delhi – Goa (Dabolim) | 29,000 | 25,000 | 14% ↓ |
| Delhi – Patna | 20,000 | 17,000 | 15% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Amritsar | 19,000 | 17,000 | 11% ↓ |
| Delhi – Udaipur | 21,000 | 15,000 | 29% ↓ |
| Delhi – Coimbatore | 39,000 | 32,000 | 18% ↓ |
| Delhi – Kolkata | 33,000 | 28,000 | 15% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Hyderabad | 21,000 | 16,000 | 24% ↓ |
| Bengaluru – Hyderabad | 20,000 | 16,000 | 20% ↓ |
| Delhi – Mumbai | 23,000 | 20,000 | 13% ↓ |
| Bengaluru – Mumbai | 21,000 | 19,000 | 10% ↓ |
| Delhi – Bengaluru | 31,000 | 25,000 | 19% ↓ |
Changes on Air India’s International routes
| Sector | Existing Points | Revised Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi – Chicago | 1,75,000 | 1,30,000 | 26% ↓ |
| Delhi – New York (JFK) | 1,80,000 | 1,30,000 | 28% ↓ |
| Delhi – Vancouver | 1,80,000 | 1,30,000 | 28% ↓ |
| Delhi – San Francisco | 1,85,000 | 1,30,000 | 30% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Newark | 2,00,000 | 1,30,000 | 35% ↓ |
| Mumbai – London (Heathrow) | 1,25,000 | 1,00,000 | 20% ↓ |
| Delhi – London (Heathrow) | 1,25,000 | 1,00,000 | 20% ↓ |
| Mumbai – Mauritius | 70,000 | 50,000 | 29% ↓ |
| Delhi – Dubai | 46,000 | 50,000 | 9% ↑ |
| Mumbai – Dubai | 43,000 | 50,000 | 16% ↑ |
The enhancements make quick getaways and long-haul travel far more accessible. Redemption levels are now lower and standardised across regions.
Enhanced Flexibility in Air India’s Bookings and Cancellations
Air India (AI) has introduced a tier-based structure for managing award ticket cancellations and rescheduling, significantly improving usability for frequent flyers. Under the revised framework, Platinum members can make changes free of charge up to 2 hours before departure, while Gold members are allowed similar flexibility up to 7 days prior, and Silver members up to 30 days in advance.
Beyond these windows, a flat 25% deduction on points applies, and no-show bookings remain non-refundable. In addition, points used for cabin upgrades will now be automatically redeposited upon cancellation, removing procedural friction and encouraging more confident booking behavior.
This policy aligns with global best practices, offering greater flexibility and reassurance to members managing dynamic or uncertain travel plans.
Elite tier restructuring and companion benefits
The airline has reduced flight thresholds required to achieve elite status, making tier progression more attainable.
| Tier | Previous Flights | Revised Flights | Minimum AI Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platinum | 90 | 60 | 12 |
| Gold | 60 | 45 | 8 |
| Silver | 30 | 20 | 4 |
Tier Points requirements remain unchanged, ensuring balance between frequency and spend with some additional benefits to enhance the overall value proposition of its Maharaja Club programme. Eligible elite members can now confer their privileges to a companion travelling on the same PNR.
These companion benefits include priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling, along with access to airport lounges where applicable, thereby ensuring consistency in service standards for both the member and their accompanying passenger.
All in All
Air India has simplified elite tier qualification by lowering flight-count thresholds while maintaining existing spend requirements, making status progression more accessible.
Platinum status now requires 60 flights (down from 90), Gold 45 (from 60), and Silver 20 (from 30), with minimum Air India-operated flight criteria retained; eligible members will also benefit from retrospective upgrades based on travel over the past 365 days.
The airline has further strengthened its value proposition by extending key elite privileges to one companion travelling on the same PNR, including priority check-in, boarding, baggage handling, and lounge access. Additionally, Maharaja Points earned on Air India and Star Alliance partner flights will now be credited within two hours of journey completion. which now exceeds 10 million members across multiple lifestyle and travel partnerships.