The Indian full-service carrier Air India (AI) is the country’s largest airline for international passengers flown. It has an enviable international route network with regular services to 39 foreign destinations. On the international front, the United States of America is the country most served by Air India. The Tata-owned carrier’s US network spans five destinations: Chicago, Newark, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Air India US flights are long-haul service offerings between India’s major cities and major US destinations.
The Indian flag carrier deploys a fleet of American long-range Boeing 777 widebodies to operate US flights. As more aircraft join its fast-growing fleet, Air India will penetrate the US market, adding new routes and enhancing frequencies in existing key routes.
Air India US flights originate from 3 Indian cities viz. Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru.
From Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai, AI travelers can catch nonstop flights to New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), and Newark (EWR). Likewise, the privatized flag carrier serves USA-bound traffic from its primary hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). AI customers jetting to America can enjoy direct flight options from Delhi to Newark, New York JFK, Washington Dulles, San Francisco, and Chicago O’Hare. Similarly, Air India US flights from Bengaluru land directly at San Francisco Airport.
Now let’s take a closer look at AI-operated US flights from each of the three airports.
1. Air India US flights from Mumbai
As stated above, Air India’s Mumbai hub features 3 US routes, i.e., New York JFK, San Francisco, and Newark. The Delhi-headquartered carrier added JFK as its third US destination from Mumbai on February 14, 2023, complementing its Newark and San Francisco services. It reinstated its Mumbai-JFK route after a gap of almost four years as part of its large global expansion. The resumption of the third nonstop Air India service between BOM and JFK supports the carrier’s concerted endeavor to develop a major hub in India’s commercial capital.
• Air India BOM- JFK flight
Air India flight AI119 operates Mumbai-New York service, departing BOM at 01:40 and arriving at JFK at 07:25. The 238-seat Boeing 777-200LR performs the nonstop New York JFK-bound flight in 15 hours 15 minutes.
The return flight AI116 departs from JFK at 11:55 and touches down in BOM at 11:55 the next day. With 14 hours and 30 minutes of travel, it is about 45 minutes shorter than AI119.
• Air India BOM-SFO flight
Out of Mumbai, the Indian carrier serves San Francisco three times a week (on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays). Air India inaugurated its first-ever long-haul service to the Golden City from Mumbai in December 2022.
A Boeing 777-200LR, performing flight AI179, completes an SFO-bound journey from Mumbai in 16 hours. It departs from BOM at 14:30 and arrives in San Francisco at 18:00.
The return flight AI180 is 17 hours and 25 minutes long. It has a scheduled departure at 21:00 and arrival at 02: 55 (+2 days).
• Air India BOM-Newark flight
The Delhi-based carrier has established service to New York Metropolitan area through JFK and Newark (EWR). JFK and EWR serve as a New York-area junction in Air India’s US flight network.
Unlike other Mumbai-US routes, the carrier utilizes Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to operate nonstop BOM-EWR service. With a scheduled takeoff at 01:45, Flight AI 191 flies continuously for 15 hours and 40 minutes before landing at EWR at 07:55.
Similarly, AI 144 performs the return journey at 14 hours and 50 minutes. The return flight is scheduled for takeoff from EWR at 12: 05 and landing at BOM at 12:25 the next day.
AI’s Boeing 777-300ER can accommodate 342 passengers in a 3-class layout (4 in First class, 35 in Business, and 303 in Economy).
2. Air India US flights from Delhi
As the carrier’s primary hub, Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) features AI’s all five routes to the US. Air India enjoys a fair share of India-US traffic by operating nonstop, long-haul flights from Delhi to New York (JFK and EWR), Chicago, San Francisco, and Chicago.
• Delhi-New York JFK flights
Only two carriers, i.e., Air India and American Airlines, offer direct connectivity on the Delhi-New York route. The Indian flagship airline entered the competitive US aviation market by launching flights to New York in 1993. Air India’s Delhi-New York JFK service caters to business/leisure/VFR traffic between India’s capital and Big Apple. The flight is scheduled as follows:
AI 201: Depart DEL at 02:20 and arrive at JFK at 07:35; travel duration-14 hours 45 minutes
AI102: Depart JFK at 13:30 and arrive in Delhi at 12:50 (the next day); travel duration-13 hour 50 minutes
Boeing 777-300ER serves Air India’s long-haul flight on the DEL-JFK segment.
• Delhi-Newark flights
Air India competes with US-based United Airlines on the Delhi-Newark route. AI’s nonstop flight from Delhi to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) lasts 14 hours 40 minutes on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. AI 105 has a scheduled departure from DEL at 02:25 and scheduled EWR arrival at 07:35.
AI passengers booking the return flight AI 106 will leave EWR at 12:00 and touch down in Delhi at 11:15 the next day.
• Delhi-Chicago
Air India first established an air bridge between Delhi and Chicago O’Hare on October 31, 2011. Its direct Delhi-Chicago service caters to the growing and vibrant community of the Indian diaspora in Windy City. Because Chicago is an important Indian population center, AI’s nonstop flights will mainly facilitate VFR travelers flying to/from India.
Air India’s Delhi-Chicago flight itinerary is scheduled as
Flight AI127 Delhi-Chicago O’Hare: 02:40-07:25; flight duration-15 hours 15 minutes
Flight AI126 Chicago O’Hare-Delhi: 12:00-12:45 (+1); flight duration-14 hour 15 minutes
Like in other Delhi-US routes, Tata-owned Air India uses the Boeing 777-300ER model to serve the Chicago segment.
• Delhi-San Francisco
Some Air India US flights from Delhi are scheduled for arrival at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). If you are searching for AI’s flight itinerary on the Delhi-San Francisco route, here’s the detail:
AI 173 DEL-SFO: 03:55-07:00; flight duration-15 hours 35 minutes
AI 174 SFO-DEL: 10:30-14:55 (+1); flight duration-15 hours 55 minutes
The aircraft model used in this segment is Boeing 777-200LR (Long Range).
• Delhi-Washington Dulles
The Indian flagship carrier added Washington (IAD) as its fifth US destination by launching direct flights from Delhi in 2017. At present, Air India utilizes Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to perform 15 hours 45 minutes-long flight journey from DEL to IAD.
The flight itinerary goes like this:
AI 103 DEL-IAD: 01:30-06:45; flight duration-15 hours 45 minutes
AI 174 IAD-DEL: 10:15-10:35 (+1); flight duration-13 hours 50 minutes
3. Air India US flights from Bengaluru
Both Mumbai and Delhi feature multiple AI routes to the US, but Bengaluru has direct connections only to San Francisco. After a brief pause, Air India resumed its longest nonstop services between Bengaluru (BLR) and San Francisco (SFO) in December 2022.
Both Bengaluru and San Francisco are dubbed ‘Silicon Valley’ owing to their large and flourishing high-tech and innovative culture. AI’s direct flight between two silicon valleys is one of the world’s longest flights, with a calculated distance of 8,688 miles and a duration of 17 hours and 55 minutes. To operate the BLR-SFO route is to link two cities located diametrically at opposite ends of the world.
Air India is the sole airline to offer direct connectivity in the sector. The Delhi giant relies on Boeing 777-200LR to operate ultra-long-haul service between the silicon valleys of the US and India. The route overflies the Russian airspace, cutting the flight duration by a few hours and reducing fuel burn and consumption.
Air India’s BLR-SFO flight follows the following schedule:
AI 175 BLR-SFO: 13:55-18:00; flight duration-16 hours 35 minutes
AI 176 SFO-BLR: 21:00-03:25 (+2); flight duration-17 hours 55 minutes
The Boeing 777 LR offers thrice weekly scheduled direct connectivity on this segment; on Fridays, Sundays, and Wednesdays. The direct BLR-SFO flights facilitate and foster BusinessBusiness, politics, and diplomacy between two fast-growing technological centers.
Air India US flights-future plan
Air India, the biggest operator of India-US flights, derives around 20% of its annual revenue from US operations. The airline has its eyes set firmly on the US market and seeks to add more destinations, such as Los Angeles and Houston. Air India will spread its wings further in the North American country as more jets join its fleet. The Tata-owned carrier is committed to solidifying its US presence while maintaining its top position on the India-US routes.
Other operators of India-US flights
Apart from Air India, US-based United Airlines and American Airlines provide nonstop connectivity between the two countries. Both US carriers consider India an important market and seek to penetrate this highly competitive market further.
United Airlines operates only the Delhi-Newark route, while American Airlines serves the New York JFK-Delhi segment. The Chicago-based carrier suspended its DEL-SFO and BOM-EWR services last year and DEL-CHI flights in early 2023. United won’t reinstate its daily, nonstop Delhi-Chicago service until October end.
