Air India to get 6 wide-body, 20 narrow-body aircrafts by end of 2026

Air India will add six wide-body Airbus A350-1000s and Boeing B787-9s, and at least 20 narrow-body aircrafts in its fleet by the end of 2026.

Moreover, the airline would also get two retrofitted Boeing B787-8s delivered by early 2026 and the entire fleet of B787-8s would undergo retrofitting which would be completed by mid-2027.

On the domestic side, 83 percent of the narrow-body fleet has undergone retrofitting, with the new livery and upgraded interiors.

Additionally, Air India Express, which is a subsidiary of Air India, is also moving ahead, with retrofits of 50 B737-8 aircrafts which would be completed by mid-2026.

P Balaji, Senior Vice President, Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Corporate Affairs, Air India, at a round table told reporters, “We are firmly on track for a historic upgrade of Air India’s long-haul product. By the end of next year, 60 percent of our wide-body aircraft will be new or refurbished to world-class standards. Customers will experience redesigned cabins, Wi-Fi-enabled aircraft, advanced IFE systems and improved comfort across every class of travel. This is complemented by upgraded lounges and a new F&B programme rolling out globally.”

With more aircrafts joining the fleet every month from February onwards, passengers would see more of the ‘New Air India’ on international routes.

The upgrade is not just on the outside, but for the interiors too. Passengers get new seating, updated entertainment screens, Wi-Fi, and a redesigned food and beverage program.

The airline is also focused on the expansion of its Premium Economy category, which gives travelers a comfortable option that sits between Business and Economy.

Air India now operates 76,000 Premium Economy seats every week, and this number will rise as the refreshed fleet grows.

Moreover, an international lounge, Maharaja Lounge at Terminal 3, has been opened by the airline and a new domestic lounge at Delhi T3 would also be opened in the second half of 2026.

Furthermore, San Francisco’s lounge is being rebuilt and would be completed by February 2026, while JFK’s lounge would come up by March 2026.

As per the company, in December 2023, the company’s overall Net Promoter Score sat at –19, but by September 2025, it had surged to 37, based on nearly 200,000 passenger responses every month.