Air India Express adds flights to Thailand

Air India Express has announced weekly flights between Varanasi and Bangkok starting 1 February 2026. The new service will offer travellers from Varanasi convenient non-stop connectivity to one of Asia’s most popular leisure destinations. Similarly, it will provide convenient options for tourists from Thailand to visit Varanasi, Sarnath, and other major attractions on the Buddhist circuit. Schedule effective from February 1st, 2026 (all timings local) Departure Airport Arrival Airport Departure Time Arrival Time Frequency Varanasi Bangkok 12:35 18:05 Sunday Bangkok Varanasi 19:05 21:35 Sunday Speaking on the announcement, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said, “The introduction of this non-stop service to Bangkok provides seamless access to one of India’s most sought-after international destinations. It aligns with our strategic focus on enhancing direct international connectivity from the nation’s rapidly growing non-metro and Tier-II cities.   For inbound travellers, the service strengthens access to Varanasi – one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities and widely regarded as India’s spiritual capital – while further developing the Buddhist travel circuit for visitors from Thailand. This new connection reflects our credo of expanding the network with meaningful connections, supporting our commitment to deliver greater convenience and value to our guests.” This launch will further build on Air India Express’ presence in Thailand. The airline currently connects Bangkok with Bengaluru, Lucknow, Pune, and Surat, and operates direct flights between Hyderabad and Phuket. This service also enhances the Air India Express operations from Varanasi, where the airline currently operates more than 70 weekly flights from the city to Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Air India Express was the first airline to launch international operations from Varanasi, directly connecting the city to Sharjah in August 2015, placing Varanasi on the international travel map. Within Uttar Pradesh, Air India Express also operates from Ayodhya, Hindon, and Lucknow. Etihad Airways expands service from Munich Etihad Airways is significantly strengthening its presence at Munich Airport: From September 1, 2026, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates will increase its service on the Munich–Abu Dhabi route from two to three daily nonstop flights. Etihad is thus further expanding its capacity at Bavaria’s international air traffic hub. The additional daily afternoon flight will be operated by the latest aircraft in the Etihad fleet, the Airbus A321LR. The aircraft complements the two existing daily connections, which will continue to be operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The new flight is scheduled between the existing connections and departs Munich at 4:10 p.m. Etihad is responding to growing demand for Munich flights by expanding its service offering. Since the airline’s maiden flight on June 5, 2004—at that time three times a week on the Abu Dhabi–Geneva–Munich–Abu Dhabi route—the Munich service has continued to develop. Etihad has now carried a total of around four million passengers to and from Munich. Via its hub in Abu Dhabi, Etihad offers a wide network of connecting flights, particularly to the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific region. This provides business and leisure travelers with additional flexibility when traveling onward to numerous international markets. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]