July 31, 2014 By Meghan Hunter
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Air India recently joined the Star Alliance. This means that you can book flights on Air India with airline miles from Star Alliance airlines, like United Airlines, Air Canada, and Avianca!
This is great news for folkswho want to use airline miles to travel toor aroundIndia!
Where Does Air India Fly Internationally?
Air India flies to several destinations in:
- North America
- Europe
- Asia
- Middle East
1. North America
Air India flies from the following North American cities:
- Chicago (ORD) – nonstop to Delhi
- New York (JFK) – nonstop to Delhi
- Newark (EWR) – nonstop to Mumbai
Soyou can fly nonstop to India from3 US airportsusing Star Alliance airline miles. The bolded cities above, Chicago and Newark, are United Airlines hubs which makes it easy to connect to other cities in the US.
How Many Award Seats Are Usually Available?
For nonstop flights from the US, the Chicago to Delhi flight usuallyhas 1 First Class award seat and 1 coachaward seat available per flight.
If you want to fly Business Class to India, the Newark to Mumbai flight usuallyhas 1 Business Class award seat.
If you search for flights far out in the future (like 2015), you can usuallyfind 2 coachseats on the New York (JFK) to Delhi and Newark to Mumbai flights.
But award seats keep on changing, so keep checking!
2. Europe
You can also connect to Air India via Europe or Asia. So you could book a United Airlines flight to Frankfurt and connect to an Air India flight to Delhi.
Air India flies to the following cities in Europe:
- Frankfurt (FRA) – to Delhi
- London (LHR) – to Delhi and Mumbai
- Birmingham (BHX) – to Delhi
- Paris (CDG) – to Delhi
- Milan (MXP) – to Delhi
- Rome (FCO) – to Delhi
Frankfurt is a major Star Alliance hub that allowseasy connections to other flights. You can usually find 1 Business Class and 2 coach award seats on the Frankfurt to Delhi flight.
You can usually find several coach, several Business Class, and 1 First Class award seats available on the London-Heathrow to Delhi flight. You can also find several coach and several Business Class award seatson the London-Heathrow to Mumbai flight.
3. Asia
Air India also flies to the following Asia cities:
- Bangkok (BKK) – to Delhi and Mumbai
- Hong Kong (HKG) – to Delhi
- Osaka (KIX) – to Delhi via Hong Kong
- Seoul (ICN) – to Delhi via Hong Kong
- Shanghai (PVG) – to Delhi
- Singapore (SIN) – to Delhi and Chennai
- Tokyo (NRT) – to Delhi
So you can fly from North America to India via Asia, throughStar Alliance hubs like Bangkok, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo.
Where Does Air India Fly in India?
One of the best things about Air India joining the Star Alliance is that it’s the 1st airline in India to join a major airline alliance. So folks can use airline miles to flyto smaller cities in India.
This means you can fly from Kansas City to Kochi, India or from Las Vegas to Lucknow, India on1 awardmileage ticket!
However, you might not be able to find award seats on Air India Express or Air India Regional flights.
Which Miles Can I Use to Fly Air India?
All Star Alliance airline programs have access to Air India award tickets! Here are some of the best programs:
1. United Airlines
Link: United Airlines Award Chart
You can fly withUnited Airlines miles from the USto Central Asia (India) for:
- 42,500 United Airlines miles 1-way in coach (85,000 round-trip)
- 80,000 United Airlines miles 1-way in Business Class (160,000 round-trip)
- 140,000 United Airlines miles 1-way in First Class (280,000 round-trip)
United Airlines does NOT chargefuel surcharges on award tickets, so this can be a good option.
You can earn United Airlines miles from thesecredit cards:
- Chase United MileagePlus Explorer Card
- Chase United Club card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Chase Ink Bold (no longer offered for new sign-ups_
- Chase Ink Plus
- Chase Freedom (IFtransferred to the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Bold, or Chase Ink Plus)
2. Air Canada Aeroplan
Link: Air Canada Award Chart
Between North America and the Indian subcontinent Aeroplan charges:
- 50,000 miles 1-way in coach (100,000 round-trip)
- 75,000 miles 1-way in Business Class (150,000 round-trip)
- 105,000 miles 1-way in First Class (210,000 round-trip)
Aeroplan doesNOTcollect fuel surcharges for tickets booked on Air India. So this is great for folkswith Aeroplan miles and American Express Membership Rewards points. Because American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan.
If you’d like to mix-and-match Star Alliance airlines on an award to India, Aeroplan does NOT chargefuel surcharges on the following partners:
- Air China
- Brussels Airlines
- EgyptAir
- Ethiopian
- EVA Air
- Singapore Airlines
- SWISS
- Turkish
- United
And there are low fuel surcharges on LOT.
So flying fromAustin, Texas, to Delhi, India, usingAeroplan miles would look like this:
- Flight 1 – United Airlines from Austin to San Francisco
- Flight 2 – EVA Air from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan
- Flight 3 – Air China from Taipei to Shanghai, China
- Flight 4 – Air India from Shanghai, China to Delhi, India
And you do NOT pay fuel surcharges!
The best way to earn Aeroplan miles is through American Express Membership Rewards, usingthe following cards:
- American Express Everyday and EveryDay Preferred
- Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express
- American Express Business Rewards Gold
- The Platinum Card from American Express
3. Avianca LifeMiles
Link: Avianca LifeMiles Award Chart
Avianca LifeMiles charges the following prices from North America to Central Asia (India):
- 40,000 miles 1-way in coach (80,000 round-trip)
- 65,000 miles 1-way in Business Class (130,000 round-trip)
- 92,500 miles 1-way in First Class (185,000 round-trip)
However, LifeMiles has several restrictions on their use, such as:
- You can NOT have different cabins on connecting itineraries (Soyou can NOTfly coach from Kansas City to Chicago and then Business Class from Chicago to Delhi)
- You are NOTallowed a stopover
- LifeMiles does NOTallow longer connections like other programs
However, if you just want a simple nonstop flight, LifeMiles’ prices are very reasonable and they do NOTcharge fuel surcharges.
You can earn LifeMiles with the US Bank LifeMiles Visaand top off accounts with their frequent sales on LifeMiles.
How Do I Search for Air India Flights?
Air India has just joined the Star Alliance, so not all websites (like United Airlines) will show available award seats yet. However, you can search for award seatson other websites and call United Airlines to book!
Thebest website for searching Air India awards is the Air Canada Aeroplan website. To use it, 1stcreate a free Aeroplan account.
TIP: After creating your account, add your Aeroplan number to AwardWallet, which makes it easy to log into your Aeroplan account with 1click for future use.
Searching for a Coach Seat
Once you have logged in, hover over “Use Your Miles” and click “Travel” to get to the award booking engine.
TIP: For nonstop flights from the US, theChicago to Delhi flight usually has 1 First Class seat and 1 coachseat available per flight.
If you want to fly Business Class to India, the Newark to Mumbai flight usuallyhas 1 Business Class seat.
The best way to search is to find the longest flights 1st, then add any domestic connections.
For example, 1stsearch for flights from Air India gateways like Chicago, New York, or Newark. Then search for flights to get to 1 of those cities.
You pay 50,000 Aeroplan Miles to fly coach 1-way from Chicago to Pune, India.
You could also use 42,500 United Airlines miles or 40,000 Avianca miles!
If you hadto connectto Chicago, you would use the Aeroplan or United Airlines websites to search for acoachaward seat to Chicago.
Searching for a Business Class or First Class Seat
You have to change the“Preferred Cabin”to “Business/First”to search for a Business Class or First Class award seat from Newark to Chennai, India.
You would pay 75,000 Aeroplan miles to fly 1-way from Newark to Chennai, India.
You could also use 80,000 United Airlines miles or 65,000 Avianca miles.
Is It Worth Using Miles for Domestic Air India Flights?
You pay 20,000 United Airlines miles to fly 1-way in coachwithin Central Asia (India) and 35,000 United Airlines miles 1-way for a Business Class ticket.
You pay 15,000 Avianca miles to fly 1-way in coachwithin Central Asia (India) and 30,000 Avianca miles to fly 1-way in Business Class.
You pay 50,000 Aeroplan miles to fly round-trip coach. And 75,000 miles round-trip in Business Class within India because they do not allow 1-way flights within India.
Airfare in India tends to be rather cheap, with most 1-way flights costing ~$100. Using 20,000 United Airline miles for a ~$100 ticket means you would only get a value of 0.5 cents per mile (~$100 cost of 1-way flight in India / 20,000 United Airline miles), which is very poor!
However, Air India offers a lot of domestic flights in India. So you can add domestic India flights to international Star Alliance award tickets for the same mileage price and just a few dollars in taxes.
Bottom Line
You can book flights on Air India using Star Alliance airlines miles, like United Airlines, Air Canada, and Avianca! So you canuse airline miles to travel to or around India!
You can fly nonstop from North America to India. You can also fly from North America via Europe or Asia.
You do NOT pay fuel surcharges when you use United Airlines, Air Canada or Avianca miles. But Avianca has a lot of restrictions when using miles.
The best website to search for award seatson Air India is the Air Canada website.
You can add domestic flights within India on Air India to an international Star Alliance award ticket for the same amount of miles.
More Topics
Points and Miles
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FAQs
Can I use Star Alliance miles on Air India? ›
The most popular way to redeem miles or points
With Star Alliance, you can redeem these for flights on any member airline, irrespective of where you earned them.
Free flights in business or first class start at around 25,000 miles and climb to well over 150,000 miles one-way. In most cases, the cost of a round-trip flight is approximately double what you see below. Region-based pricing: Some carriers have a region-based award chart with the lowest-level award prices published.
How many Chase points do I need to fly to India? ›The Flying Blue program is another option for award flights between the U.S. and India. One-way awards between the U.S. and India start at 35,000 miles in economy, 65,000 miles in premium economy and 95,000 miles in business.
Can you pay for seats with miles? ›AAdvantage® members may use miles to reserve seats for themselves and for other travelers. You can use miles to buy a seat for an existing flight reservation.
How much is 40000 flight miles worth? ›Airline miles to dollars: An overview
You should expect 40,000 miles to be worth about $493. $480.
How much are 100,000 United miles worth? 100,000 United miles are worth about $1,200.
Can I convert my Air Miles to cash? ›95 Cash Miles gets you $10 that can be used at checkout in $10 increments, up to $750 per Cash Account per day. Exceptions may apply. AIR MILES Cash Terms and Conditions. You can also use your Cash Miles towards eVouchers, available with participating Partners, up to $750 per Cash Account per day.
What are 60000 Air Miles worth? ›Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
How many dollars is 100000 Chase points? ›How much are 100,000 Chase points worth? When redeemed for cash back, 100,000 Chase points are worth $1,000. When redeemed for travel booked through Chase, 100,000 points are worth $1,500 if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or $1,250 with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
Which is the best airline to fly to India? ›- Qatar Airways.
- Atlantic virgin.
- Emirates.
- United Airlines.
- Airlines of Singapore.
- Etihad Airways.
- Delta airlines.
Can I use Chase Sapphire points for Air India? ›
If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to airline partners like United Airlines. And then book tickets on Air India or United Airlines to visit Delhi or Mumbai! You Can Visit the Taj Mahal and So Much More in India Using Chase Ultimate Rewards Points!
How many air miles do you need to upgrade to business class? ›If you wanted to upgrade your flights to business class, you could do so with 25,000 miles plus a $125 co-pay each way. Fortunately, you don't have to be a United Premier elite member to upgrade an economy ticket to business class using miles and a co-pay.
Can I book business class with Air Miles? ›Through AIR MILES Flights, you can choose between Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class, and First Class for your booking.
What is the average cost of a business class ticket? ›As with other tickets, the price of business class varies with dozens of factors, but in general you can expect the typical price of an international business class ticket to range from $3,000 to $5,000+.
Can you upgrade to first class using miles? ›Use miles to upgrade your economy ticket
One of the easiest ways for travelers without elite status to upgrade their seats to first or business class without paying the full cash price is by paying for the upgrade with miles.
The cheapest way to get a business or first-class ticket is to buy an economy ticket then buy an upgrade. You can either do this immediately after booking or look for last-minute upgrades as your travel date approaches. The price for premium cabin fares decreases as you get closer to departure.
Can I upgrade to business class at the airport? ›Realistically, it's a gamble and getting upgraded to business class at the airport is pretty rare. If luxury and extra legroom is really important to you, book it in advance. However, if you're perfectly willing to fly economy class, and willing to roll the dice, a last-minute upgrade can be the cheapest option.
Which airlines miles are worth the most? ›Alaska, Frontier and Southwest lead the way on cash value per mile.
How many flights will 50000 miles get you? ›50,000 American Airlines miles are worth $645, on average, which is the equivalent of at least one round-trip flight between New York and Los Angeles on American Airlines. AA miles are worth about 1.34 cents per mile, slightly less than average for a major airline.
How many dollars is 60000 miles? ›As a result, 60,000 Venture miles are worth $600 in travel rewards.
How many flights can you get with 100000 miles? ›
You can transfer 17,000 Venture miles to Aeroplan to become 12,750 miles. That's enough for a one-way flight in coach within the U.S. on United — a great option for quick flights that can sometimes be pricey. 100,000 Capital One miles is nearly enough for 6 one-way flights within the U.S. when booking through Aeroplan.
What happens when you reach 100000 miles? ›In all likelihood, your transmission fluid, oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and brake fluid will all require to be replaced during your 100,000 mile maintenance appointment.
Do airline miles expire? ›The answer depends on your airline. Some domestic airlines like Delta, Southwest and United let you keep your earned miles forever with no expiration date. Many international airline miles expire if your account is inactive for several years.
How do you convert AIR MILES to dollars? ›- What this means. With most frequent flyer programs, it is reasonable to expect to get at least 1.4 cents per mile value. ...
- Overview. With most frequent flyer programs, the value a person gets from airline miles depends entirely on how they're used. ...
- Methodology. ...
- Results. ...
- Applicability.
AIR MILES Cash (5,000 reward miles)
5,000 miles gets you just over $500 of free purchases at a number of locations (depending on what region you are in!)
Effective November 3, 2022, Sobeys and its affiliated banners in Ontario stores will no longer be part of the AIR MILES Reward Program. Western Canada: Effective September 22, Sobeys and its affiliated banners in Western Canada and select Ontario stores, will no longer be part of the AIR MILES Reward Program.
What is 75000 American Airlines miles worth? ›75,000 AAdvantage miles are worth an average of $1,005, according to WalletHub data. You will get the best value for your American Airlines AAdvantage miles when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
How many dollars is 10000 miles? ›How much are 10,000 American miles worth? 10,000 American miles are worth about $150.
How much is 70000 American Airlines miles worth? ›| Number of AAdvantage Miles | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 70,000 | $938 |
| 60,000 | $804 |
| 50,000 | $670 |
| 40,000 | $536 |
If your goal is to get or maintain a good credit score, two to three credit card accounts, in addition to other types of credit, are generally recommended. This combination may help you improve your credit mix. Lenders and creditors like to see a wide variety of credit types on your credit report.
How do I get 5x points on Chase travel? ›
Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Which month is cheapest to fly to India? ›High season is considered to be January, November and December. The cheapest month to fly from the United States is February.
Which is the most luxurious flight in India? ›Etihad's NY-Mumbai luxury flight world's most expensive at Rs 25 lakh | Latest News India - Hindustan Times.
Which is the most luxurious airlines in India? ›Vistara is India's new full-service and most luxurious domestic airline and is a Delhi-based joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons. This airline operates flights to 21 destinations in India, with a fleet of 11 Airbus A320-200 planes.
Which travel card is best in India? ›| Credit Card | Best For | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
| SBI Card ELITE | Low Forex Markup | 4/5 |
| HDFC Regalia | Travel booking with points | 4/5 |
| HDFC Bank Diners Club Privilege | Travel booking with points | 4/5 |
| Air India SBI Signature | Co-branded benefits (Air India) | 3.5/5 |
As of 2021, most USA credit cards are rejected on Amazon India as they require 3D secure technology to have the transaction approved online by the issuing bank and most US banks are not participating due to concerns with conversion friction of the anti-fraud technology.
Does Chase Sapphire card work in India? ›No, you are not eligible for a Chase Sapphire Preferred card if you live in India.
What is the cheapest way to upgrade to business class on economy? ›- Achieve Airline Elite Status. ...
- Receive Instant Upgrades When Purchasing Certain Fare Class Tickets.
- Upgrade Your Flight With Miles. ...
- Buy an Upgrade.
- Buy Discounted Business and First Class Fares. ...
- Upgrade With Miles on Partner Airlines.
- Purchase Business/First Class Award Tickets With Miles.
- Carry an Airline-Branded Credit Card.
- Get With the Program. If you are a regular traveller and you fly a lot, it's worth sticking to one airline and joining their frequent flyer program. ...
- Get A Branded Credit Card. ...
- Know Your Aircraft. ...
- Arrive Early. ...
- Volunteer To Sit This One Out. ...
- Ask For It. ...
- Fly Midweek or Redeye. ...
- Go Solo.
- Earn Airline Elite Status. Major airlines value loyalty. ...
- Redeem Miles and Points. ...
- Volunteer to be bumped on overbooked flights. ...
- Use an airline-branded credit card. ...
- Buy a last-minute upgrade. ...
- Follow The Crowds. ...
- Fly With a Generous Elite Friend. ...
- Travel Alone.
Can you sleep business class flights? ›
Business Class is fantastic if you need to be well-rested when you arrive. Business Class seats are always much more comfortable than those in Economy and many airlines offer seats that transform into fully-flat beds, so you can actually lie down and sleep during the flight.
Can regular people fly business class? ›But contrary to popular belief, anyone can purchase business class traveler tickets. Whether you are traveling through to visit family, visiting a different country for leisure, or flying across the Pacific on a business trip, you have the freedom to fly business class.
Is first class cheaper than business class? ›More Money, More Amenities
In general, first-class costs about twice as much as business class. But that can vary significantly by route and airline.
| Destination | First Class Ticket Price | Business Class Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. and Canada | $1,299 | Not Available |
| Africa | $4,999 | $3,999 |
| Asia | $3,999 | $3,199 |
| Australia | $4,999 | $3,999 |
Book as early as possible.
Time is the key to get the best Business & First Class deals as the prices are very high when you need to make a last-minute booking.
...
Alliance Air (India)
| IATA | ICAO | Callsign |
|---|---|---|
| 9I | LLR | ALLIED |
Star Alliance currently has 26 members, with Air India being the only Indian airline in the group.
Which alliance does Air India come under? ›To access the Star Alliance Lounge Access Policy visit.
Which alliance is Air India? ›Air India is the flag carrier of India and have an extensive domestic and international network. Air India joined the Star Alliance on 11 July 2014.
What is the difference between Alliance Air and Air India? ›Previously known as Air India Regional, Alliance Air, mainly operates flights under the Centre's Regional Connectivity Scheme, UDAN. It was founded in April 1996 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Indian Airlines; in February 2011, Indian Airlines merged with Air India.
Who is the real owner of Air India? ›
It is owned by Talace Private Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, after Air India Limited's former owner, the Government of India, completed the sale. Air India operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving 102 domestic and international destinations.
Who is the owner of Air India? ›Air India
Is Air India a 5 star airline? ›Air India is Certified as a 3-Star Airline for the quality of its airport and onboard product and staff service.
What is the strongest airline alliance? ›With an impressive 26 members, Star Alliance was founded in 1997 by Lufthansa, Air Canada, United Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Thai Airways. Today they service 1,300-plus airports (even more with their connection partners) and are the largest airline alliance in the world.
How safe is Air India? ›Air India is quite safe and reliable. Their services are comparable to the best of domestic players, its only the price which is higher in the class. So if you are getting a reasonable fare - you can go ahead with it. This is, after all, a Government carrier, with full services in place.
Does Air India use Boeing or Airbus? ›Presently, Air India operates a mixed fleet of over 140 Airbus and Boeing planes, including B777-200LR, B777-300ER, B787-800 Dreamliner, A319, A320, A320neo and A321 jets.
Does Alliance Air provide free food? ›NEW DELHI: Air India subsidiary Alliance Air would start charging for meals on board from tomorrow at a price ranging from Rs 40 to Rs 100. The airline, which operates 24 daily flights including linking Delhi to Port Blair and Bhubaneshwar, would, however, provide free drinking water to all passengers.
Is Air India a Boeing or Airbus? ›Air India operate a fleet of both narrow body and widebody aircraft with a fleet composed of Airbus A319, A320, A320neo, A321 as well as Boeing 777 and Boeing 787, making for a total of 113 aircraft.
Which airline is best in India? ›- Vistara. The newest addition to the Indian domestic market, Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines. ...
- Indigo. ...
- Air India. ...
- SpiceJet. ...
- AirAsia. ...
- GoAir (Now Go First) ...
- Air India Express. ...
- Alliance Air.
DALLAS — Tata Group-owned carrier Air India (AI) aims to grow its US network with the addition of two routes from Mumbai (BOM), starting with a San Francisco (SFO) service commencing December 15, 2022, and later with a New York (JFK) service beginning February 14, 2023.
How many stars does Air India have? ›
Air India Express is Certified as a 3-Star Low-Cost Airline for the quality of its airport and onboard product and staff service. Product rating includes cabin comfort, baggage / seat charges, buy onboard food & beverages, cabin cleanliness, and service rating is for cabin and ground staff.