Air India has expanded its partner network sharply in 2025–26, and the airline now lists 24 codeshare partners along with nearly 100 interline agreements. This matters for Indian travelers because it gives them more one-ticket options, easier connections, and smoother baggage handling on international trips.
Introduction
Air India’s partnership push in 2025 and 2026 has strengthened its global reach across Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East, Australia and Asia. For Indian passengers, the big gain is simple: more cities, fewer stops, and better connectivity through one booking.
Background
Air India has been rebuilding its international network as part of its wider transformation plan. Instead of relying only on direct flights, the airline has used codeshare and interline agreements to link its own services with partner airlines.
A codeshare means one airline sells a flight operated by another airline under its own flight number. In simple terms, it helps passengers book one ticket and travel across multiple airlines more easily.
Key developments
Air India’s partner network in 2025–26 includes a long list of airlines across major regions. The confirmed partner names visible in the airline’s 2025–26 partnership materials include:
| Airline Name | Region / Group | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aegean Airlines | Europe | Partner airline |
| Aeroflot | Europe | Partner airline |
| Air Cambodia | Asia | Partner airline |
| Air China | Asia | Partner airline |
| Air Europa | Europe | Partner airline |
| Air France | Europe | Partner airline |
| Air Mauritius | Indian Ocean / Africa | Partner airline |
| Air Seychelles | Indian Ocean / Africa | Partner airline |
| Air Tanzania | Africa | Partner airline |
| Alaska Airlines | North America | Partner airline |
| Avianca Costa Rica | Latin America | Partner airline |
| Avianca Ecuador | Latin America | Partner airline |
| Azerbaijan Airlines | Europe / Asia | Partner airline |
| Bangkok Airways | Asia | Partner airline |
| Batik Air Malaysia | Asia | Partner airline |
| Biman Bangladesh Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| British Airways | Europe | Partner airline |
| Brussels Airlines | Europe | Partner airline |
| Bulgaria Air | Europe | Partner airline |
| Cathay Pacific | Asia | Partner airline |
| China Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| China Eastern Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| China Southern Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Condor | Europe | Partner airline |
| Cyprus Airways | Europe | Partner airline |
| Delta Air Lines | North America | Partner airline |
| Emirates | Middle East | Partner airline |
| Etihad Airways | Middle East | Partner airline |
| Fiji Airways | Oceania | Partner airline |
| Finnair | Europe | Partner airline |
| FlexFlight / World Ticket | Global | Partner airline |
| flydubai | Middle East | Partner airline |
| Garuda Indonesia | Asia | Partner airline |
| Gulf Air | Middle East | Partner airline |
| Hahn Air | Global | Partner airline |
| Hainan Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Hong Kong Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Iberia | Europe | Partner airline |
| ITA Airways | Europe | Partner airline |
| Japan Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Jeju Air | Asia | Partner airline |
| JetBlue | North America | Partner airline |
| Jetstar Australia | Oceania | Partner airline |
| Juneyao Air | Asia | Partner airline |
| Kam Air | Asia | Partner airline |
| KLM | Europe | Partner airline |
| KM Malta Airlines | Europe | Partner airline |
| Korean Air | Asia | Partner airline |
| Kuwait Airways | Middle East | Partner airline |
| Lufthansa City Airlines | Europe | Partner airline |
| Malaysia Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Maldivian | Indian Ocean / Asia | Partner airline |
| MIAT Mongolian Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Myanmar Airways International | Asia | Partner airline |
| Nepal Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Oman Air | Middle East | Partner airline |
| Philippine Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Qantas | Oceania | Partner airline |
| Qatar Airways | Middle East | Partner airline |
| Royal Brunei Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Royal Jordanian | Middle East | Partner airline |
| RwandAir | Africa | Partner airline |
| Scandinavian Airlines | Europe | Partner airline |
| Scoot | Asia | Partner airline |
| Shenzhen Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| South African Airways | Africa | Partner airline |
| Starlux Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Thai Airways | Asia | Partner airline |
| Turkish Airlines | Europe / Middle East | Partner airline |
| Uganda Airlines | Africa | Partner airline |
| United Airlines | North America | Partner airline |
| Uzbekistan Airways | Asia | Partner airline |
| Vietnam Airlines | Asia | Partner airline |
| Virgin Atlantic | Europe | Partner airline |
| WestJet | North America | Partner airline |
Recent new agreements
Along with the broader partner list, Air India also signed or expanded several notable deals in 2025–26. These included partnerships with Kenya Airways, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, Air Mauritius, Saudia, and Uzbekistan Airways.
These newer agreements are especially important because they improved access to key travel markets such as Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf region.
Impact on Indian passengers
For Indian flyers, the biggest advantage is better connectivity without the stress of separate bookings. This is useful for business travel, family visits, studies, tourism and long-haul trips.
It also helps passengers from smaller Indian cities, because many can now connect through major hubs like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to reach more overseas destinations. For example, a traveller can book one journey across Air India and a partner airline instead of managing two separate tickets.
The airline industry also benefits because codeshares help airlines fill seats more efficiently and expand market reach without adding too many aircraft immediately.
What it means for aviation
Air India’s expanded partner network shows that the airline is using partnerships as a core part of its growth strategy. This is important at a time when airlines want to grow fast but also keep operations efficient.
For India, this means stronger global air links, better tourism flows and more support for outbound business travel. It also makes Air India more competitive against other global carriers that already use wide partnership networks.
Outlook
More codeshare and interline additions are likely in the coming months as Air India continues to widen its international network. The airline may also deepen some existing partnerships with more routes, better timing coordination and improved transit options.
If the momentum continues, Indian passengers can expect more destinations to become bookable under Air India’s network in a single ticket format.
Conclusion
Air India’s 2025–26 partnership expansion is one of the airline’s most important network moves in recent years. With 24 codeshare partners and nearly 100 interline agreements, the carrier is giving Indian travellers more choice, better links and easier global travel.
