Air India’s flagship Maharaja Lounge at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, has won the Gold award for “Airport Lounge Opening of the Year” at the FAB 2026 Awards held recently in Bengaluru.
Organised annually by The Moodie Davitt Report, the FAB Awards are among the leading global recognitions for excellence in airport food, beverage, lounge and hospitality.
The award places Air India’s new Maharaja Lounge among the world’s most acclaimed airport hospitality spaces, recognising its design, dining and service proposition.
Global recognition for Indian hospitality
The “Airport Lounge Opening of the Year” category featured innovative and premium airport lounges launched at major aviation hubs worldwide. Air India’s Maharaja Lounge emerged as the Gold winner from a strong international field of nominees.
The recognition comes as Air India continues its transformation under Vihaan.AI, its five-year programme to build a world-class global airline while retaining the warmth of Indian hospitality.
Air India Chief Customer Experience Officer Rajesh Dogra said, “Receiving this global recognition for the Maharaja Lounge is a proud milestone for Air India. We sincerely thank our customers for their trust and loyalty, and our teams and partners whose commitment has helped bring this vision to life. As we continue our transformation journey, we remain focused on delivering world-class experiences that showcase the very best of Indian hospitality in aviation industry.”
Designed around the modern traveler
Spread across 16,000 sq. ft., the Maharaja Lounge is designed around a philosophy of thoughtful zoning, creating dedicated environments for work, dining, relaxation and social interaction.
Conceptualised by global design studio Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), the lounge combines heritage-inspired elements with contemporary design and Air India’s refreshed brand identity. It features curated furnishings, circadian lighting designed to support traveller well-being and artworks celebrating India’s cultural heritage.
The lounge offers premium guests separate Business and First Class sections, with several distinctive spaces designed around different travel needs.
These include The Aviators’ Bar, The Globetrotter’s Study, the Serenity Area, the Crystal Bar in the First Class section and Sleep Suites.
The varied spaces are designed to give travellers flexibility — from quiet relaxation and focused work to socialising and premium dining.
Part of Air India’s transformation
The FAB 2026 recognition marks another milestone in Air India’s broader customer experience transformation.
The airline is investing across multiple touchpoints, including fleet modernisation, cabin upgrades and an enhanced food and beverage offering. Its fleet expansion includes new Airbus A350 aircraft, new line-fit Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and retrofitted narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
The Maharaja Lounge forms an important part of this strategy, extending Air India’s premium proposition beyond the aircraft and into the airport experience.
With the new lounge, Air India is seeking to establish a differentiated hospitality proposition that combines international standards with elements of Indian design, culture and service.
The recognition at the FAB Awards signals growing global recognition for the airline’s efforts to reposition the Air India brand and deliver a more seamless premium experience across the passenger journey.