Air India expands Asia footprint with new routes to Vietnam and Japan

• Delhi-Hanoi services starting 01 May; Hanoi becomes second destination in Vietnam
• Mumbai-Tokyo (Haneda) services to begin 15 June, complementing daily flights to Tokyo from Delhi

Bangalore, 06 March 2026: Air India announced the launch of two new international routes as part of it continued expansion across Asia.

Beginning 01 May 2026, Air India will operate non-stop flights between Delhi and Hanoi, thus making Hanoi the airline’s second gateway in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh City.

Air India will also operate non-stop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda) from 15 June 2026, in addition to its Delhi-Tokyo (Haneda) services.

Enabling flexible Open Jaw itineraries to and from Vietnam

The new services to Hanoi will operate five times a week, complementing daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City. This provides greater flexibility to travellers who intend to visit Vietnam with open jaw itineraries, i.e. entering from Hanoi and exiting Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa.

Air India will deploy its A320neo aircraft on the Delhi-Hanoi route, featuring world-class cabin interiors across Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class. The opening of this new route adds 6,560 seats to and from Vietnam each month.

Air India flights to and from Vietnam enable convenient connections to several destinations across the airline’s domestic and international route networks, including the United Kingdom and rest of Europe.

Boosting connectivity to Japan

The new services between Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda) will operate four times a week with Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

Recently, Air India increased frequency between Delhi and Tokyo (Haneda), going from 4x weekly to 7x weekly. The airline has also upgraded its product offering on the route, effective 14 February 2026, deploying its B787-9 aircraft, featuring world-class cabin interiors and introducing Premium Economy on the route for the first time.

With this, Air India guests flying to Japan now experience a transformed onboard flying experience with new cabin interiors, modern inflight entertainment systems, WiFi internet connectivity, and refreshed inflight meal menus and beverage collection

Air India has an active codeshare agreement with fellow Star Alliance member airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA), to provide its guests convenient onward connections from Tokyo Haneda to 6 other major cities in Japan, namely Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Okinawa, Osaka, and Sapporo. 

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said: “Since Air India’s privatisation, we have significantly grown our network across Southeast Asia and the Far East, having added several new routes, optimised flight schedules to enable convenient cross-continent connections, forged new partnerships with other carriers, and deploying upgraded cabin products progressively.”

He added: “Japan and Vietnam have both emerged as fast-growing destinations for Indian travellers, while India’s economic and commercial ties with both nations continue to deepen and present more opportunities for business and trade on both sides. The launch of these new routes supports this growth and strengthens our presence in the region.”

Japan has rapidly emerged as one of the fastest-growing outbound destinations for Indian travellers. According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, over 3,15,000 Indians visited Japan in 2025, representing a 35% increase over 2024 and nearly 80% growth compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Vietnam continues to gain popularity among leisure travellers and corporate groups alike for its soaring tourism and MICE movements. The country now ranks as the third-most-visited country in Southeast Asia, having recorded over 20 million visitors in 2025.

Flights will progressively be available for booking through all channels, including Air India's official website (www.airindia.com), mobile app and through travel agents.

About Air India group

The Air India group – comprising of full-service global airline, Air India, and value carrier, Air India Express – is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline’s inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 58 domestic and 51 international destinations across five continents.

Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 600 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia’s largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2026, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit.

With transformation underway across all facets of the business and India’s rich legacy of hospitality, Air India is committed to being a world class global airline with an Indian heart.

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