Air India goes all in on loyalty war: Maharaja Club revamp speeds up upgrades, expands elite perks
At the heart of the revamp is a sharp reduction in points required for award flights and cabin upgrades across more than 90 per cent of the airline’s network
In a decisive bid to win back frequent flyers and sharpen its competitive edge, Air India on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its Maharaja Club loyalty programme, slashing redemption costs, easing upgrade rules, and extending elite privileges, marking one of the most aggressive customer-focused revamps in its recent transformation journey.
Rolling out from April 1, the changes aim to deliver higher value, greater flexibility, and faster rewards for over 10 million members globally, at a time when airlines are battling rising costs and intensifying competition on key domestic and international routes.
At the heart of the revamp is a sharp reduction in points required for award flights and cabin upgrades across more than 90 per cent of the airline’s network. Domestic award tickets will now start from just 1,500 Maharaja Points, while upgrades begin at 4,000 points, bringing redemptions within reach for a far wider base of travellers.
The airline has also standardised international redemption levels, a move expected to simplify planning for long-haul travel. One-way flights to Europe now begin at 35,000 points, while routes to the US and Australia start from 40,000 points. Canada redemptions open at 50,000 points. Economy class redemptions have seen an average reduction of nearly 30 per cent across most domestic and international routes, with business and premium economy fares also witnessing significant cuts.
The impact is particularly visible on high-demand sectors. For instance, Delhi-San Francisco redemptions have nearly halved, while routes such as Mumbai-Mauritius and Delhi-Jeddah have seen cuts exceeding 50 per cent. However, a small set of routes, including Delhi-London, have seen marginal increases, reflecting route-specific demand and pricing adjustments.
Beyond pricing, Air India has moved to address one of the biggest pain points for frequent flyers, rigidity in bookings. A new tier-based structure now allows Platinum members to cancel or reschedule award tickets free of cost up to two hours before departure, while Gold and Silver members get longer windows with similar flexibility. Crucially, cancelled bookings within these windows will see full points refunded, a shift designed to encourage more confident usage of loyalty points.
The airline has also lowered flight thresholds required for tier upgrades, making elite status more attainable. Platinum status now requires 60 flights instead of 90, while Gold and Silver thresholds have also been eased. This change is expected to benefit domestic and short-haul international flyers, who often struggled to climb tiers despite frequent travel.
In a notable expansion of benefits, Air India will now extend key privileges, priority check-in, boarding, baggage handling, and lounge access, to one companion travelling on the same booking as Platinum and Gold members. This move aligns the programme more closely with global best practices and enhances its appeal for family and business travellers.
Adding to the convenience, Maharaja Points earned on flights will now be credited within two hours or sooner, enabling near real-time tracking and redemption planning.
Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal said the changes were driven by sustained feedback from frequent flyers, signalling a shift towards a more responsive and globally benchmarked loyalty ecosystem.
