Mumbai: Air India has announced a major upgrade to its international operations under its 2026 Northern Summer Schedule, increasing flight frequencies on key global routes and deploying aircraft with newly upgraded or retrofitted cabin interiors.
The airline confirmed that from February 14, flights on the Delhi–Tokyo (Haneda) route are now being operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft featuring a three-class cabin configuration, including the introduction of Premium Economy. This move alone adds more than 2,400 seats per month on the route.
As part of its network expansion, Air India will increase the Delhi–Toronto service from seven to 10 flights per week starting March 1. From March 29, flights on the Delhi–Seoul (Incheon) route will rise from five to six per week, while the newly launched Delhi–Shanghai service will increase to five weekly flights from four. Together, these frequency enhancements will add over 2,000 seats per month on each route.
From July 1, Air India will deploy new and retrofitted Boeing 787 aircraft on the Mumbai–London (Heathrow) route, replacing the currently used Boeing 777-300ERs. These aircraft will feature all-new cabin interiors, aligning with the airline’s broader fleet modernization strategy.
On the same date, daily Delhi–Melbourne flights will begin operating with upgraded Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, introducing First Class on the route. The aircraft will feature eight First Class suites, 40 fully flat Business Class beds, and 280 Economy Class seats, adding nearly 4,000 seats per month between India and Australia.
Further enhancements include the introduction of Premium Economy on the Bengaluru–London (Heathrow) route from August 1, operated by retrofitted Boeing 787-8 aircraft. With this change, all Air India flights to and from London Heathrow Airport will be served by aircraft featuring upgraded cabin interiors.
Additionally, from August 1, seven of the 10 weekly flights on the Delhi–Toronto route will be operated with new Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring a three-class layout with Premium Economy. The remaining three weekly services will continue with upgraded Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. With these changes, more than 50 percent of Air India’s North America operations will use aircraft with new or refurbished cabins.
Air India also announced that flights to Birmingham from Amritsar and Delhi, and to London Gatwick from Ahmedabad and Amritsar, will be upgraded to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, introducing First Class on these routes.
The airline began retrofitting its legacy Boeing 787-8 fleet last year, with plans to upgrade 26 aircraft with brand-new, custom-designed interiors and the airline’s new livery. The first two retrofitted aircraft are expected to return to service in the coming weeks, with additional aircraft to follow throughout 2026.
Looking ahead, Air India expects delivery of three new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and two Airbus A350-1000 aircraft in 2026, reinforcing its long-term strategy to enhance passenger experience and strengthen its position in the global aviation market.