NEW DELHI — Air India, the Tata Group’s flagship carrier, announced a strategic expansion of its international network on Thursday, March 5, 2026, with the launch of new non-stop services connecting Delhi to Hanoi and Mumbai to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. These routes, scheduled to commence in the upcoming June quarter, aim to tap into the burgeoning tourism and business ties between India and the Asia-Pacific region. The airline already maintains a presence in Vietnam and Japan through flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo from the national capital, but the new additions are designed to offer travellers enhanced flexibility and capacity.
Starting May 1, the carrier will begin five-time weekly services to Hanoi using its A320neo aircraft, configured with Business, Premium Economy, and Economy classes. This move is specifically designed to cater to the rising demand for “open jaw” itineraries, allowing tourists to enter Vietnam through Hanoi and exit via Ho Chi Minh City. With Vietnam recording over 20 million visitors in 2025, the addition of over 7,000 monthly seats is expected to significantly bolster India’s connectivity to Southeast Asia’s third most visited nation.
In June, the expansion continues eastward as Air India launches four-time weekly non-stop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo (Haneda) using the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This route complements the existing daily services from Delhi and addresses a 35 per cent surge in Indian travellers to Japan recorded over the past year. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India, emphasized that these routes support the deepening economic and commercial ties between India and both nations. The airline’s existing codeshare partnership with All Nippon Airways (ANA) will further allow passengers to connect seamlessly from Haneda to six other major Japanese cities, including Osaka and Nagoya.
