Strengthening its presence further in Maharashtra, Air India Express, India’s first international value airline, inaugurated its operations from Nagpur. The airline now operates twice-daily flights between Nagpur and Bengaluru, its largest hub, enhancing connectivity and offering greater convenience to travellers.
The inaugural flight from Nagpur took off at 10:00 hrs and landed in Bengaluru at 12:05 hrs, while the first flight from Bengaluru to Nagpur departed at 07:25 hrs and arrived at 09:30 hrs. To commemorate the occasion, a special ceremony was held at Nagpur’s Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, where the first guests received a celebratory boarding pass.
Speaking about the launch, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said, “With the commencement of our operations from Nagpur today, alongside our upcoming launch from the new Navi Mumbai International Airport, we are further strengthening our presence across Maharashtra. These additions reinforce our focus on enhancing connectivity between non-metro cities and our major hubs, particularly Bengaluru, which continues to grow as our key domestic hub. This expanded network enables guests to enjoy seamless one-stop access across India, the Gulf, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. As we scale our network, we look forward to welcoming more travellers to ‘Xplore More, and Xpress More’ with Air India Express.”
From Nagpur, the airline offers one-stop connectivity to 29 domestic destinations and seven international destinations. Across Maharashtra, Air India Express operates over 130 weekly direct flights from Mumbai and over 90 weekly direct flights from Pune. The airline will also begin direct flights from Navi Mumbai to Bengaluru and Delhi from 25th December 2025.
Bengaluru continues to serve as an important hub for the airline, with over 530 weekly direct flights, including services to recently launched destinations such as Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jodhpur, and Udaipur. The airline has also recently introduced direct flights from Bengaluru to Bangkok, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh.
In addition to rapidly expanding its domestic network, Air India Express also announced a significant cultural milestone today – as the Official Travel Partner for the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, the airline is proud to be associated with one of India’s most iconic cultural events, which begins today and runs until 10 December 2025. To promote tourism to the region, the airline is offering a 15% discount on flights to and from Dimapur for travel until 15 December 2025, using the promo code HORNBILL on it’s website and mobile app. The airline has set up a Hornbill themed photobooth for travellers arriving at Dimapur Airport and a community art canvas inspired by traditional motifs at the Kisama Heritage Village festival site. Guests and social media fans and followers are invited to participate in a contest to win free flights by uploading destination photographs on Instagram, Facebook, or X, tagging @airindiax and using #XploreMore.
The airline recently unveiled its latest brand campaign ‘Xplore More, Xpress More’, encouraging travellers to immerse themselves in local culture and discover new experiences. The airline also unveiled the new cabin experience on its Boeing 737-8 aircraft recently. The upgraded cabin features seats with superior padding, wider armrests, and best-in-class legroom ranging from 29 to 38 inches. Each seat is equipped with in-seat USB charging ports, the cabins have ovens installed to serve hot ‘Gourmair’ meals, refreshed interiors with brand-new carpets, and advanced Boeing Sky Interior mood lighting, creating a modern, warm, and welcoming ambience that reflects the airline’s commitment to a comfortable and memorable flying experience.
The airline’s ‘Tales of India’ initiative celebrates the country’s artistic and cultural diversity through tail arts inspired by regional traditions and crafts. The initiative brings to life over 50 indigenous arts from 25 states, featuring on each of the airline’s new aircraft, including iconic Warli painting, exquisite Himroo and Paithani weaves from Maharashtra.
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