Air India Express Continues Rapid Expansion: Introduces Phuket and Dibrugarh to Its Network

Air India Express Continues Rapid Expansion: Introduces Phuket and Dibrugarh to Its Network

By Author

Published on January 2, 2025

Air India Express, continuing its ambitious expansion strategy, has announced the addition of two new destinations to its growing network: Phuket in Thailand and Dibrugarh in Assam. These launches underline the airline’s commitment to enhancing connectivity across international and domestic routes, offering travelers more choices and convenience.

Following its recent launch of direct flights to Bangkok, Air India Express will now connect Hyderabad and Phuket with direct flights starting January 31, 2025. Initially operating three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, the frequency will increase to six times a week from February 15, with daily flights except Tuesdays. To mark this milestone, the airline has introduced special inaugural fares, starting at ₹11,000 for Xpress Value fares and ₹10,500 for Xpress Lite fares. Additional discounts are available for loyalty members via the airline’s website and mobile apps.

Domestically, Air India Express has added Dibrugarh to its network, following the inclusion of Dimapur in November 2024. The new route will connect Dibrugarh to Guwahati, with onward connectivity to Delhi. This provides travelers from Assam with seamless access to the national capital and other destinations. Bookings for these routes are now open on the airline’s website and other major platforms.

Hyderabad-Phuket Schedule (Effective January 31, 2025)

  • Departure from Hyderabad: 06:40 AM | Arrival in Phuket: 11:55 AM (Monday*)

  • Departure from Phuket: 13:50 PM | Arrival in Hyderabad: 15:55 PM

  • Departure from Hyderabad: 12:20 PM | Arrival in Phuket: 17:35 PM (Wednesday & Friday)

  • Departure from Phuket: 18:20 PM | Arrival in Hyderabad: 20:25 PM

  • Departure from Hyderabad: 16:15 PM | Arrival in Phuket: 21:30 PM (Thursday*)

  • Departure from Phuket: 22:30 PM | Arrival in Hyderabad: 00:35 AM

  • Departure from Hyderabad: 11:50 AM | Arrival in Phuket: 17:05 PM (Saturday* & Sunday)

  • Departure from Phuket: 18:05 PM | Arrival in Hyderabad: 20:10 PM (*Starting February 15)

Delhi-Guwahati-Dibrugarh Schedule (Effective February 1, 2025)

  • Departure from Delhi: 09:10 AM | Arrival in Guwahati: 11:40 AM (Daily)

  • Departure from Guwahati: 12:15 PM | Arrival in Dibrugarh: 13:05 PM (Daily)

  • Departure from Dibrugarh: 13:45 PM | Arrival in Guwahati: 15:15 PM (Daily)

  • Departure from Guwahati: 15:50 PM | Arrival in Delhi: 19:00 PM (Daily)

Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, remarked, “We are delighted to announce Phuket and Dibrugarh as the newest additions to our growing network. Phuket’s dynamic appeal enhances our Southeast Asia presence, while Dibrugarh, our fifth destination in Northeast India, reinforces our commitment to fostering regional growth. This winter is a landmark for Air India Express, as we expand our network to over 50 destinations with a rapidly growing fleet exceeding 90 aircraft, poised to cross 100 in early 2025.”

Air India Express will offer convenient one-stop flights to Phuket from 16 cities, including Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Goa, Guwahati, Jaipur, Jeddah, Kolkata, Lucknow, Patna, Pune, Riyadh, Varanasi, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam via Hyderabad. From Dibrugarh, travelers can connect to five major cities—Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, and Kolkata—with seamless onward travel options.

Renowned as the 'Tea City of India,' Dibrugarh is a key industrial and cultural hub in Upper Assam, thriving on tea, oil, and tourism. This addition highlights Air India Express’s mission to create meaningful connections and foster opportunities for trade, tourism, and exploration.

From Delhi, Air India Express connects 17 domestic and 4 international destinations with direct flights, and an additional 14 domestic and 7 international destinations with one-stop flights. From Guwahati, the airline operates 140 weekly flights, directly connecting 10 domestic destinations and providing one-stop connectivity to 20 domestic and 7 international destinations. Hyderabad serves as a significant hub, with 215 weekly flights connecting 20 domestic and 4 international destinations directly, and additional one-stop connections to 12 domestic and 10 international destinations.

With its expanding network, Air India Express continues to redefine travel, bridging distances and bringing people closer with its hallmark Indian warmth and personalized service.


IndiGo Focuses on Operational Stability, Plans Select Route Expansion

IndiGo Focuses on Operational Stability, Plans Select Route Expansion

By Hariharan U

Published on January 3, 2026

IndiGo has outlined a cautious yet forward-looking approach as it prepares for the next phase of growth, placing strong emphasis on “operational reliability” while planning a limited set of international route additions. The airline said its immediate focus is to “stabilise operations” as it continues to strengthen capacity and network resilience.

As part of its international plans, IndiGo has announced the launch of non-stop services to Athens. This route will also mark the international debut of India’s first Airbus A321XLR, a new aircraft type expected to support the airline’s entry into fresh overseas markets as it gradually expands beyond short-haul operations.

Beyond Athens, the airline has not shared details of additional international destinations or capacity increases. IndiGo stated that it will continue to grow its international footprint while further densifying its domestic network, without outlining the pace or scale of expansion.

On the domestic front, the airline is also preparing to begin operations from Noida International Airport at Jewar, strengthening its presence in the National Capital Region once services commence.

Addressing recent operational challenges, IndiGo said it had swiftly restored normal operations following a temporary network disruption. The airline also confirmed that it is “fully collaborating and providing requested information to the regulator's committee” as part of an ongoing review by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

While IndiGo reiterated its long-term ambitions, including plans related to widebody aircraft and sustained growth, its near-term outlook remains measured. The airline said its renewed focus on stability will help drive future scale, innovation, and impact as it carefully explores new frontiers.


Navi Mumbai Airport Sees 26,000+ Passengers in First Five Days

Navi Mumbai Airport Sees 26,000+ Passengers in First Five Days

By Hariharan U

Published on January 1, 2026

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has made an impressive start, handling a total of 26,021 passengers in its first five days of operations. This includes 12,431 arrivals and 13,590 departures, showing strong demand right from day one.

Weekend traffic was particularly high, with 5,548 travellers on Saturday and 5,614 on Sunday, reflecting growing confidence among passengers. During this initial period, the airport managed 162 flight movements, 81 arrivals and 81 departures, while keeping on-time performance smooth for both airlines and ground services.

Currently, NMIA connects 13 major domestic destinations, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa (MOPA), Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mangalore, Nagpur, Vadodara. These connections cover key business and leisure hubs, giving travellers more options and conveand nience in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Looking ahead, the airport plans to expand its network with additional destinations and increased flight frequencies in coordination with partner airlines. With strong early passenger response and ready infrastructure, NMIA is set to become a modern, seamless travel hub in Western India


Air India Expands Partnership with airBaltic to Offer Seamless Connectivity to Latvia

Air India Expands Partnership with airBaltic to Offer Seamless Connectivity to Latvia

By Hariharan U

Published on January 1, 2026

Air India has strengthened its partnership with airBaltic, the flag carrier of Latvia, by entering into a new codeshare agreement, making travel between India and the Baltic region easier and more seamless for its customers. This move builds on the interline partnership established between the two carriers in June 2025.

Under the codeshare, Air India has begun adding its ‘AI’ designator code on airBaltic-operated flights between Riga and Air India’s European gateways including Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Milan Malpensa, Vienna, Zurich, and London Gatwick. This allows passengers to travel between India and Riga with a single Air India ticket, covering connecting flights under the same booking.

Additionally, Air India’s interline agreement with airBaltic allows travellers to reach Tallinn, Estonia, and Vilnius, Lithuania via select European gateways, further expanding access to the Baltic region.

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said, "This expanded partnership with airBaltic reflects Air India’s commitment to providing seamless global connectivity to our customers. Latvia and the wider Baltic region are growing travel markets, and this codeshare makes the journey more convenient than ever."

Air India currently operates multiple non-stop flights connecting India with Europe:

  • Delhi: Amsterdam (7x weekly), Paris (14x weekly), Frankfurt (12x weekly), Copenhagen (4x weekly), Milan (6x weekly), Vienna (4x weekly), Zurich (4x weekly)

  • Mumbai: Frankfurt (5x weekly)

  • Amritsar & Ahmedabad: London Gatwick (3x weekly each)

Since its privatization in 2022, Air India has expanded its global alliance network to include 24 codeshare partnerships and nearly 100 interline agreements, offering passengers access to over 800 destinations worldwide.

The new codeshare flights are now available for booking through both airlines’ official channels and travel partners.

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