Air India is India's full-service flag carrier, part of the Tata Group and a Star Alliance member. Air India Express is its low-cost sister airline, which absorbed AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) in 2024. They share an owner and hubs in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, so travellers often compare them on the same sector.
Quick verdict
Air India suits travellers who want a full-service product: long-haul flying, a choice of cabins including premium economy, seatback entertainment on widebodies and Star Alliance connections. Air India Express suits short domestic, Middle East and Southeast Asia trips where price matters and you can do without frills. Fares on both vary, so compare what each includes, such as bags and meals, before booking.
Choose Air India if…
- You are flying long-haul or want first, business or premium economy cabins.
- You want seatback entertainment on widebody aircraft, or free Wi-Fi on the A350, 787-9 and selected A321neo.
- You want Star Alliance connections and the Maharaja Club loyalty programme.
Choose Air India Express if…
- You are flying a short or medium route within India, to the Middle East or to Southeast Asia and want the lowest fare.
- You travel with only a 7 kg cabin bag and can use the Xpress Lite fare.
- You want to choose a fare level (Lite, Value, Flex or Biz) and pay only for the extras you need.
At a glance
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Key differences
Airline type and network
Air India is a full-service carrier with its main hub at Delhi, secondary hubs at Bengaluru and Mumbai, and 87 destinations as of November 2025. It flies long-haul and has codeshares with partners such as Virgin Australia and Alaska Airlines. Air India Express is a low-cost carrier with hubs at Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. As of January 2026 it served 45 domestic and 17 international destinations, mainly in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. It does not fly long-haul.
Cabins and seats
Air India's cabins depend on the aircraft. Some 777-300ERs have first class. The A350-900 and 787-9 have business, premium economy and economy. Older 787-8s are two-class but are being retrofitted with premium economy. Air India Express flies mostly single-class economy. It sells business class (Xpress Biz) only on routes that carry it. A cabin retrofit across its 737 MAX 8 and A320-family aircraft was expected to finish by mid-2026.
Baggage and fares
Air India's baggage allowances, change fees and lounge access vary by fare and route, so check its website for your ticket. Air India Express sells Xpress Lite, Value, Flex and Biz fares. Xpress Lite is a cabin-bag-only fare with 7 kg of cabin baggage, and you can pre-book checked bags. Other domestic fares include checked baggage. Change and cancellation fees depend on the fare.
Food and entertainment
Air India widebodies have seatback on-demand screens. Most narrowbodies have none, except the A321LR. Free Wi-Fi is available on the A350, 787-9 and selected A321neo aircraft. In April 2026 the airline selected Hughes Network Systems for in-flight connectivity. Air India Express does not include a meal as standard, but it offers heated meals on request for purchase. Allow for this on a longer sector.
Loyalty, alliances and fleet
Air India belongs to Star Alliance, and its Maharaja Club programme combines Flying Returns and Club Vistara. Air India Express is in no alliance. It uses Tata NeuPass and has codeshares with Air India, Scoot and Singapore Airlines. Air India Express had 106 aircraft in June 2026, mostly 737 MAX 8s, with older 737-800s and A320-200s due to be phased out. Air India had 189 aircraft as of November 2025.
Safety record
Air India's most recent fatal crash was Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8, at Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025. Air India Express's most serious accident was Flight 812, a Boeing 737-800, at Mangalore on 22 May 2010. Both are part of each airline's history. Check the latest investigation updates if this matters to your decision.
Frequently asked questions
Is Air India better than Air India Express?
For comfort, cabin choice and long-haul flying, yes: Air India is the full-service airline. For short routes at a lower fare, Air India Express can be better value, provided you don't need included meals or entertainment.
Does Air India Express include checked baggage?
It depends on the fare. Xpress Lite has no checked bag, only a 7 kg cabin bag. Other domestic fares include checked baggage, and bags can be pre-booked on Lite.
Are Air India and Air India Express the same airline?
No. Air India Express is a separate low-cost subsidiary of Air India Limited. It has its own IX code, fares and loyalty programme (Tata NeuPass), though it codeshares with Air India.
About Air India Read more
Overview
Air India is the flag carrier of India. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 1932 as Tata Airlines by J. R. D. Tata, nationalised in 1953 and returned to the Tata Group in 2022. It is headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana. Air India Limited is owned by the Tata Group (74.9%) and Singapore Airlines (25.1%). The airline joined Star Alliance in 2014 and is the second-largest Indian airline by passenger volume, after IndiGo. Vistara merged into Air India in November 2024. Air India Express is a separate subsidiary.
Network and hubs
The main hub is Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, with secondary hubs at Bengaluru and Mumbai. Focus cities include Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram. As of November 2025 the airline served 87 domestic and international destinations. Codeshare and interline partnerships extend the network, for example with Virgin Australia and Alaska Airlines.
Fleet
As of November 2025, Air India operated 189 aircraft: Airbus A319, A320, A320neo, A321, A321neo and A350, plus Boeing 777 and 787. The first factory-fit 787-9 was delivered in January 2026. Further orders were placed for Air India Express in January 2026.
On board
- Cabins: Legacy 777-300ERs have first, business and economy. 787-8s are two-class but are being retrofitted with premium economy. The A350-900 and 787-9 have business, premium economy and economy. A320/321ceo aircraft have business and economy; A320/321neo aircraft have three classes or all economy.
- Entertainment: Widebodies have seatback on-demand screens. Most narrowbodies have none, apart from the A321LR.
- Wi-Fi: Free on the A350, 787-9 and selected A321neo aircraft. In April 2026 the airline selected Hughes Network Systems for in-flight connectivity.
Good to know
- The loyalty programme is Maharaja Club, which combined Flying Returns and Club Vistara.
- Baggage allowances, change fees and lounge access vary by fare and route. Check the Air India website before travelling.
- Safety: Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on 12 June 2025. All but one of the 242 people on board were killed, along with 19 people on the ground. Investigation findings should be checked for updates.
About Air India Express Read more
Overview
Air India Express is an Indian low-cost airline. It began operating on 29 April 2005 as a subsidiary of Air India. Tata Sons completed its acquisition of Air India and Air India Express on 27 January 2022, and the airline is now owned by Air India Limited. It was rebranded in October 2023 and moved its headquarters to Gurugram, Haryana. The merger with AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, was declared complete on 1 October 2024. It is not a member of an airline alliance.
Network and hubs
As of January 2026, the airline served 45 domestic and 17 international destinations, with hubs at Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. International routes are mainly to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. It has codeshare and interline agreements with Air India, Scoot and Singapore Airlines (Wikipedia).
Fleet
As of June 2026, Wikipedia lists 106 aircraft in service:
- Boeing 737 MAX 8: 53
- Boeing 737-800: 26, older aircraft due to be phased out
- Airbus A320neo: 12
- Airbus A320-200: 11, older aircraft due to be phased out
- Airbus A321neo: 4
167 further 737 MAX aircraft are on order. A cabin retrofit across the MAX 8 and A320-family aircraft was expected to finish by mid-2026. Fleet numbers change often, so treat them as a snapshot.
On board
Most flights are single-class economy. Business class (Xpress Biz) is sold on routes that carry it. The airline does not provide meals as standard, but it offers heated meals on demand. We could not confirm seat pitch, entertainment or Wi-Fi details from the sources reviewed.
Good to know
- Fares: the airline sells Xpress Lite, Value, Flex and Biz fares. Xpress Lite is a cabin-bag-only fare with 7 kg of cabin baggage, and checked bags can be pre-booked. See the official Xpress Lite page.
- Baggage: third-party summaries (WNTR) put the cabin limit at one 7 kg bag plus a personal item under 3 kg. Check the airline's baggage page before travelling, as allowances vary by route and fare.
- Loyalty: the frequent-flyer programme is Tata NeuPass.
- Fees: change and cancellation fees depend on the fare. Check them at booking.
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