Akasa Air expands network capacity

Akasa Air announced an expansion of its network and capacity as part of its summer 2026 schedule. Compared to summer 2025, the airline will record a 22% year-on-year increase in departures and a 37% year-on-year rise in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs). This network expansion represents a 6% increase in departures and a 9% rise in ASKs  compared to the winter schedule. Commenting on the expansion, Anand Srinivasan, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, said, “India’s aviation sector is witnessing sustained structural growth.  Demand is no longer limited to traditional metro corridors but increasingly being driven by emerging and regional markets. Our summer 2026 schedule reflects a thoughtfully calibrated approach to network development, aligning capacity with evolving demand patterns. As we introduce new routes and augment frequencies across key sectors, our endeavour is to create a network that is both coherent and scalable, linking major population centres while progressively expanding access to emerging markets. This disciplined expansion allows us to grow sustainably while upholding the reliability, operational integrity, and service excellence that define the Akasa experience.” The new capacity includes: West India: Akasa Air commenced operations from Navi Mumbai International Airport in December 2025 and continues to strengthen its presence, with the airport emerging as an integral node in the airline’s growth journey. In the summer schedule, Akasa Air will introduce new routes connecting Navi Mumbai with Lucknow 2X daily and will ramp up frequency to Varanasi to 2X daily, strengthening connectivity between western India and key economic and cultural centres across the country. North India: Akasa Air continues to deepen its presence in Delhi, with a 50% year-on-year increase in departure, reflecting robust demand from the national capital. The airline will further enhance connectivity on the high-demand Delhi–Mumbai corridor, ramping up frequencies to 5x daily. The schedules have been designed to offer greater flexibility and convenience for both business and leisure travellers. East India: Akasa Air will introduce new routes connecting Navi Mumbai with Kolkata 1X daily. With this addition, Akasa Air is expanding its footprint in Eastern India, where Kolkata is fast emerging as a key gateway. Departures from Kolkata will increase by 22% year-on-year and 6% compared to the winter schedule, further enhancing connectivity across the east. South India: In southern India, Bengaluru continues to play a pivotal role in Akasa Air’s network growth, with new connectivity to Darbhanga 1X daily and additional daily frequency to Bhubaneswar, further strengthening links between southern and eastern India. International connectivity: Akasa Air currently operates to six international destinations and will expand its global connectivity during the year. In the Summer Schedule 2026, the airline will increase departures across the Middle East, including Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, supporting strong travel demand between India and the Gulf region. Air India tweaks loyalty programme (PHOTO: Airbus) Air India announced significant enhancements to its Maharaja Club loyalty programme that will be rolled out progressively from 1 April 2026. Key changes at a glance: Reduced Maharaja Points requirement for Award Flights and Cabin Upgrades across at least 90% of routes served by Air India. A new simplified, tier-based structure for rescheduling and cancellation of Award Flights to provide greater booking flexibility to members. Reductions to the flight count thresholds to accelerate tier progression for members. Extension of travel privileges to companions travelling along with members. Maharaja Club members will now enjoy lower redemption levels across domestic and international routes, making both quick getaways and long-haul travels more rewarding. Award Flights on domestic routes now start from 1,500 Maharaja Points, while Cabin Upgrades begin at 4,000 Maharaja Points. Redemption levels for international travel have been standardised across regions, making Award Flights more accessible. For example, one-way Award Flights to anywhere in Europe (including the UK) start from 35,000 Maharaja Points, U.S. and Australia from 40,000 Maharaja Points, and Canada from 50,000 Maharaja Points. Economy Class redemption fares have reduced by ~30% on average across 80% of domestic routes and 75% of international routes. Business Class redemption fares have reduced by ~15% on average across 70% of domestic routes and by ~25% on average across 35% of international routes. Premium Economy redemption fares have reduced by ~13% on average across 30% of domestic routes and by ~12% on average across 17% of international routes. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said: “Our Maharaja Club members are at the heart of Air India’s ongoing transformation. These enhancements are designed to ensure that every Maharaja Point they earn carries more meaning, more flexibility, and more possibility. They reflect months of listening to our most frequent flyers, who were candid about what worked well and where the programme needed to evolve. We’ve taken that feedback seriously and made changes that matter most to them, ensuring that Maharaja Club remains relevant, rewarding, and future-ready. By lowering and standardising redemption levels across the network, we’re ensuring that Maharaja Points deliver far greater value than before”, said Aggarwal. While most routes see meaningful reductions in points required, a small number of routes see no change or a marginal increase. Overall, more than 90% of the network now offers better value than before. These reductions mean members can access Award Flights more often, redeem points more confidently, and enjoy greater value from every trip. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]