While nothing has been officially announced, and while this has been rumored for some time, it appears that Air India is moving closer to launching service to at least two new destinations in the United States.
In this post:
Air India plans United States expansion
As reported by @IshrionA, Air India’s approved winter schedule with India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shows the airline flying to both Dallas (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX) using Boeing 777s. These would be ultra long haul services — Dallas would clock in at 8,186 miles, while Los Angeles would cover a distance of 8,013 miles.
The service could launch as soon as December 1, 2024, though odds are that it won’t start so soon.
It’s worth emphasizing that flights aren’t yet on sale, and it’s possible the airline doesn’t follow through on this. However, these are clearly the next destinations in the United States that Air India intends to add service to.
Earlier this year, @IshrionA flagged how Air India updated its route map, to add three new destinations in the United States, including the above two, plus Seattle (SEA), which is the other destination in the United States that Air India is targeting.
Exact details remain to be seen, including when the service will launch, and how frequently the flights will operate. However, between Air India adding these destinations to its official route map earlier this year (which only shows destinations served directly by the airline), and the airline now filing these services in its latest winter schedule, it seems like these routes are imminent.
We don’t yet know what kind of 777s Air India would use for this service. Air India has its own “traditional” 777s, which aren’t particularly well regarded. Then the airline also has some leased 777s, which are comprised of former Delta 777-200LRs, former Etihad 777-300ERs, and former Singapore Airlines 777-300ERs.
These new routes would complement Air India’s existing service to the United States, including to Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington (IAD). Air India also flies to Canada, with flights to Toronto (YYZ) and Vancouver (YVR).
This Air India expansion makes a lot of sense
Air India has been privatized, and is in the process of reinventing itself. The airline is investing hugely in modernizing its fleet and improving the passenger experience. This includes ordering hundreds of new aircraft, introducing new cabins, retrofitting existing aircraft, and completely rebranding.
India is a huge aviation market, and for so long, Air India has essentially handed the market to the Gulf carriers when it comes to offering quality long haul service. That’s finally starting to change.
It’s not surprising to see Air India now looking to greatly expand service to the United States, given that it has a huge competitive advantage. Air India can use Russian airspace on flights to the United States, while US carriers can’t. Not only does this significantly reduce travel time, but it makes routes possible that US airlines simply can’t serve due to range limitations of existing aircraft.
Clearly these markets are about serving the large demand for travel to and from India from the local community, since Air India has fairly limited partner connectivity there, especially in Dallas. The airline should have no trouble filling those planes, given the volume of travelers.
Interestingly this isn’t the first time that Air India has planned such service. In 2017, Air India’s CEO at the time announced plans to launch Dallas and Los Angeles flights. However, that never came to fruition. Suffice it to say that the airline is now better positioned to operate this service, both in terms of its new strategy, plus its competitive advantage.
Bottom line
While it hasn’t been officially announced yet by Air India, everything is pointing toward the airline launching flights from Delhi to Dallas and Los Angeles in the near future, with Seattle being the next US destination that Air India is targeting after that. Most recently, the airline has filed its official winter schedule to include the routes to Dallas and Los Angeles, so I imagine they’re imminent.
Air India has been wanting to launch these routes for the better part of a decade, but the airline is finally in the best position to actually do that. Now if only more Air India aircraft actually had new interiors…
What do you make of Air India’s planned expansion to the United States?
Great! Dallas and LA residents can look forward to flying dirty filthy planes and being stranded somewhere the US doesn't even have diplomatic relations with for days!
Oh man DEL to DFW feels like printing money to me. Hope this works out for Air India
I would love to see more flights to Bombay or Madras. But nice to see AI expanding, nevertheless. Still, I think it will still take time for them to be a truly world class airline. Their hit and miss product, combined with their spotty reliability, means that change won't be imminent for some time.
You may need a time machine for flights to Bombay or Madras, but Mumbai will definitely see service increases once NMIA opens up next year. The airport is at maximum capacity (indeed, its operating above capacity at many times of day) so the reliever airport will be much appreciated. Chennai on the other hand will continue to be a miserable experience as long as it is operated by sarkari AAI rather than one of the...
You may need a time machine for flights to Bombay or Madras, but Mumbai will definitely see service increases once NMIA opens up next year. The airport is at maximum capacity (indeed, its operating above capacity at many times of day) so the reliever airport will be much appreciated. Chennai on the other hand will continue to be a miserable experience as long as it is operated by sarkari AAI rather than one of the private consortia who have transformed the airport infrastructure elsewhere.
No need to make a big deal about the names. To many of us, names like Bombay (or Bambai, as many call it), Madras, Calcutta, Bangalore, etc. always remain close
Lol@time machine. Good one.
Old is gold. Nothing beats the elegance and nostalgia of the British names.
And I'm of Indian descent, so don't accuse me of being colonialist
Why doesn't the CEO of the airline consider Atlanta. Atlanta would be a great destination for Air India as there is a significant huge population of that particular group of people in and around the metro area.
Delta flew Atlanta to Mumbai, and wasn't able to make it work. What would Air India do differently, other than trying Delhi?
Wait, DL tried and failed at something?
Air India & media have been teasing these routes for well over a year now (over 7 if you count their initial wave of expansions in 2017). Just start the damn flights already.
Your overreaction gave me a nice laugh today. Thanks!
Correction: AI does NOT have any 777 from Singapore Airlines, and likely never will. The original plan to lease three SQ 777s to AI (presumably 9V-SWD/SWE/SWF) has failed, and indeed 9V-SWE has now been scrapped, with 9V-SWD/SWF as well as SWN removed from the roster as well. As such, AI’s leased 777s are either -200LRs from Delta (VT-AEE–AEI) or -300ERs from Etihad (VT-AEM–AER).
Then again, with SQ investing prominently in AI, you never know what...
Correction: AI does NOT have any 777 from Singapore Airlines, and likely never will. The original plan to lease three SQ 777s to AI (presumably 9V-SWD/SWE/SWF) has failed, and indeed 9V-SWE has now been scrapped, with 9V-SWD/SWF as well as SWN removed from the roster as well. As such, AI’s leased 777s are either -200LRs from Delta (VT-AEE–AEI) or -300ERs from Etihad (VT-AEM–AER).
Then again, with SQ investing prominently in AI, you never know what else it might do with its fleet — not unlike Qatar and Oman Air or the erstwhile Air Italy!
Chennai is one of the largest sources of international traffic even beating out BLR. It's limited only by its poor infrastructure and management otherwise they would be a lot more foreign Airlines willing to fly into Chennai. Many of The travelers to and from Chennai will still be using the Middle Eastern Airlines since there are no direct flights from Chennai to the US on Air India. Darrinder has effectively neglected Chennai as a non...
Chennai is one of the largest sources of international traffic even beating out BLR. It's limited only by its poor infrastructure and management otherwise they would be a lot more foreign Airlines willing to fly into Chennai. Many of The travelers to and from Chennai will still be using the Middle Eastern Airlines since there are no direct flights from Chennai to the US on Air India. Darrinder has effectively neglected Chennai as a non stop destination. Very few people want to change Planes in Delhi. I personally would rather change in DXB or DOH or HKG.
Air France also suspended flights to Chennai
International travel doesn't only mean South Asia and Middle East. Why do you think Air France, KLM, Lufthansa have direct flights to BLR rather MAA ? Business Class travel is important for Airlines to sustain and hence MAA is neglected often. DFW is already 15 hrs from DEL. It will take 2 more hrs for MAA which is not feasible with current aircrafts unless they are premium heavy.
If I actually lived in Chennai, I'd go out of my way to avoid flying international from there simply because of the horrendous experience. I have an international flight out from there later this year and I'm already dreading it.
I know so many people who fly ME airlines to India just to avoid DEL..they say QR, EK, etc. can get them to MAD, BOM, etc. without the hassle of having to retrieve their baggage in DEL, etc. Besides DEL, BOM and the SFO-BLR flight, not sure if the market can support Indian cities to USofA.
What's gonna happen first on those new flights, diverting to Russia or a scorpion coming out of nowhere?
I just flew DEL-LHR this morning with the new A350 hard and soft product. Incredible. Air India is honestly on a par with the gulf carriers now, and the bedding is exceptionally comfortable (mattress cover in particular). I woke up after 8 hours with 35 mins to landing, and they still offered full breakfast service if I wanted it.
If Air India offered that on all flights, I would fly them by preference. I...
I just flew DEL-LHR this morning with the new A350 hard and soft product. Incredible. Air India is honestly on a par with the gulf carriers now, and the bedding is exceptionally comfortable (mattress cover in particular). I woke up after 8 hours with 35 mins to landing, and they still offered full breakfast service if I wanted it.
If Air India offered that on all flights, I would fly them by preference. I would definitely choose them over BA and Virgin for Delhi flights. In don't know if they've introduced the same soft product on their 777s. Definitely if they had the old Etihad seat, with that soft product, it would be very acceptable.
Worth a review Ben.
For that route on that day, sure; but the entire airline quickly falls back to the same operation it was before under any complexity: maintenance is still subpar, the DEL connection experience is underwhelming compared to the ME3 hubs, lounges remain subpar, and IRROPS is still just as common.
True - I only flex A350, both BLR-DEL and DEL-LHR. The Air India lounge in BLR is spectacular (as is the whole terminal at BLR). Table service, gorgeous decor. As good as the Qatar lounge at LHR for example. Air India have no lounge right now in DEL and the Prive shared lounge is v crowded at 1am (but a good lounge). I can't comment on IRROPS. Both my flights were on time.
Maybe you're...
True - I only flex A350, both BLR-DEL and DEL-LHR. The Air India lounge in BLR is spectacular (as is the whole terminal at BLR). Table service, gorgeous decor. As good as the Qatar lounge at LHR for example. Air India have no lounge right now in DEL and the Prive shared lounge is v crowded at 1am (but a good lounge). I can't comment on IRROPS. Both my flights were on time.
Maybe you're right that underneath it they can't sustain this level of service. But v impressive to see them trying (and succeeding) based on my experience this week.
I have tended to avoid Air India based on last flying them 4 years ago (it wasn't bad, but not good either). This time, I was v impressed and their fares tend to be good.
Agree with what you have to say about the BLR experience & AI’s work there… the new terminal and new lounge are impressive. Wish they’d put a bit more of what they have in BLR to DEL though given it’s their hub
Air India used to fly to LAX via Frankfurt. LA has a diaspora of around 231,000 Indian Americans.