Air India Express adds 40+ winter routes

Air India Express has announced its Winter Schedule 2026, with more than 40 new domestic and international routes set to be introduced in phases from October 25.The airline's operations will increase to around 585 daily flights, comprising approximately 435 domestic and up to 150 international departures. Its weekly flights will rise from about 3,150 in the Summer 2026 schedule to nearly 4,100 during winter.Also read: Tewolde Gebremariam assumes charge as Air India CEOFor Indian travellers, the expansion includes new connections between Indian cities as well as additional links to destinations in the Gulf, Southeast Asia and South Asia.Commenting on the Winter schedule 2026, Nipun Aggarwal, Chairman, Air India Express said “The scale of our Winter Schedule 2026 reflects both our confidence in India’s growth story and the increasing importance of air connectivity in supporting trade, tourism, and economic development. As a leading value carrier, Air India Express is focussed on making travel more accessible, convenient, and comfortable by strengthening connectivity across metros, emerging cities, and underserved markets. Even as the industry navigates elevated fuel costs and broader operating challenges, we remain committed to disciplined, sustainable growth and delivering meaningful value to our guests through a relevant network and the warmth of Indian hospitality.”The new international services include Abu Dhabi-Goa (Mopa), Amritsar-Abu Dhabi, Bahrain-Thiruvananthapuram, Bangkok-Indore, Bangkok-Kochi and Bangkok-Visakhapatnam.Air India Express will also introduce Bengaluru-Kathmandu, Chennai-Singapore, Delhi-Riyadh, Dubai-Goa (Dabolim), Kochi-Kuwait, Lucknow-Riyadh, Mangaluru-Kuwait, Mumbai-Kuwait and Riyadh-Thiruvananthapuram services.The schedule also adds connections from Indian cities including Bhopal, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Mangaluru and Surat to destinations in the Gulf.More domestic connectivityThe airline is also adding several domestic routes, including Ahmedabad-Delhi, Bengaluru-Coimbatore, Bengaluru-Goa (Mopa), Bengaluru-Jodhpur, Bengaluru-Madurai and Delhi-Jaipur.Also read: Air India's ₹10,000 crore fundraise plan draws cashflow concernsOther new services include Delhi-Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), Delhi-Udaipur, Hyderabad-Mangaluru, Hyderabad-Pune, Indore-Navi Mumbai, Kolkata-Pune and Mumbai-Nagpur.One-stop connectivity will increase from about 1,330 weekly connections to nearly 1,600, according to the airline. The airline said its expanded winter schedule will be supported by a fleet of more than 105 aircraft.