Air India has expanded its Maharaja Club loyalty programme, enabling members to earn and redeem Maharaja Points on flights operated by Air India Express across more than 55 destinations in South, Southeast and West Asia, in addition to Air India services.
The move is aimed at strengthening the value proposition of the Maharaja Club programme by integrating the growing Air India Express network into the loyalty ecosystem, allowing frequent flyers to earn and utilise points across both carriers.
Maharaja Club members can immediately start earning Maharaja Points and Tier Points on Air India Express-operated flights booked through Air India and Air India Express websites and mobile apps, as well as major travel agents.
Tier progression benefits
Under the expanded programme, Air India Express flights will also contribute towards members’ tier progression. Eligible flights will count towards both minimum flight requirements and Tier Points accumulation, helping members move faster to higher membership tiers.
Nipun Aggarwal said the integration addresses a long-standing expectation from frequent flyers while enhancing the value of Maharaja Points across the Air India Group network.
Air India, Chief Commercial Officer, Nipun Aggarwal, said, “Our focus is on continually expanding Maharaja Club in a way that ensures our loyal customers’ travel experiences across destinations contribute meaningfully to their relationship with the Air India group. The growing scale of the Air India Express network makes the introduction of accruals and redemptions on these flights both timely and important, addressing a long-standing expectation of our frequent flyers. It also reflects our aim to build Maharaja Points into a valuable currency over time.”
Earning Maharaja points
Members can accrue Maharaja Points on all Air India Express flights by entering their Maharaja Club ID at the time of booking. At present, points for Air India Express flights cannot be claimed retrospectively.
Customers can add their Maharaja Club ID while booking through Air India and Air India Express platforms, along with select online travel partners. However, adding or modifying membership IDs at airport counters or contact centres is currently not available.
The accrual framework will cover multiple fare categories, including special fares for senior citizens, students and armed forces personnel. Reward Points will be calculated based on base fare and fuel surcharge, with accrual rates aligned with Air India’s existing structure.
Redemption on codeshare flights
Maharaja Club members can currently redeem points for Air India Express-operated award flights that carry Air India’s ‘AI’ designator code under the codeshare arrangement between the two airlines.
For example, passengers searching for flights between Delhi and Guwahati on the Air India website or mobile app may find AI-coded flights operated by Air India Express, on which Maharaja Points can be redeemed.
More benefits planned
Air India said future phases of the integration will introduce additional benefits for Maharaja Club members travelling on Air India Express. These are expected to include priority check-in, priority boarding, Fly Prior services, seat selection and fee waivers on cancellations and rescheduling for eligible flights and services.