Air India Express has been ranked among India’s top four brand movers in October 2026 by YouGov BrandIndex, reflecting improvements in consumer perceptions across five key measures as the airline expands its network and modernises its fleet.
The monthly rankings track changes in consumer perceptions of more than 500 brands in India, identifying those recording the most significant improvements across key brand health indicators.
Air India Express registered gains in Buzz, Reputation, Recommend, Consideration and Current Customer, indicating positive momentum in brand awareness, reputation and customer advocacy.
Fleet modernisation and customer experience
The recognition comes as the airline focuses on strengthening its customer proposition through network expansion, fleet modernisation and improvements in the travel experience.
The airline has reported a significant improvement in its Net Promoter Score (NPS), a measure of customer satisfaction and willingness to recommend a brand. More than two-thirds of its fleet now comprises brand-new aircraft, supporting its efforts to improve the passenger experience.
Air India Express is also using distinctive initiatives to differentiate its brand. Its Tales of India aircraft tail art programme showcases the country’s cultural diversity, while Gourmair, its inflight dining experience, draws inspiration from India’s regional cuisines and flavours.
These initiatives form part of the airline’s broader effort to build a distinct identity while offering passengers a more differentiated travel experience.
Largest-ever winter schedule
The brand recognition coincides with the launch of Air India Express’s largest-ever winter schedule, which began on October 25, 2026.
The airline plans to progressively increase operations to around 585 daily flights, comprising approximately 435 domestic and up to 150 international departures.
The expanded schedule will be supported by a fleet of more than 105 aircraft and is expected to strengthen connectivity across India and key international markets in South Asia, Southeast Asia and West Asia.
The additional flights will offer passengers more travel options and improve connectivity across the airline’s domestic and international network.
Competition intensifies in aviation
The ranking comes amid intensifying competition in India’s aviation market, where airlines are expanding capacity and investing in fleet upgrades and customer experience to attract passengers.
For Air India Express, the combination of improving consumer perception, fleet expansion and a larger winter schedule provides an opportunity to strengthen its position in the market.
However, sustaining the brand momentum will depend on the airline’s ability to translate improved consumer sentiment into customer retention, repeat bookings and consistent service delivery as operations expand.