Air India said on Monday it will deploy aircraft with new, retrofitted, or upgraded cabin interiors on more international routes under its Northern Summer Schedule 2026, increasing capacity and introducing premium products on several long-haul services.

The changes, announced in a statement by the airline, include higher frequencies to North America and East Asia, the introduction of premium economy and first class on select routes, and the use of newly delivered or refurbished widebody aircraft.

Between February and March, Air India will introduce Premium Economy on its Delhi–Tokyo (Haneda) route from Feb 14 by operating Boeing 787-9 aircraft in a three-class configuration, adding more than 2,400 seats per month. From March, frequencies will rise on Delhi–Toronto to 10 weekly flights, while services to Seoul (Incheon) and Shanghai will also increase, adding around 2,000 monthly seats on each route.

From July, Mumbai–London (Heathrow) flights will be operated by a mix of newly delivered Boeing 787-9s and retrofitted Boeing 787-8s, replacing the Boeing 777-300ER currently used on the route. At the same time, daily Delhi–Melbourne flights will be upgraded to Boeing 777-300ER aircraft featuring First Class, Business Class, and Economy seating, introducing the airline’s top-tier product on the route and adding nearly 4,000 seats per month.

Further changes from August include the introduction of Premium Economy on Bengaluru–London (Heathrow) flights using retrofitted 787-8 aircraft, meaning all Air India services to and from Heathrow will feature new cabin interiors. More than half of the carrier’s North America flights will also operate with new or upgraded cabins once the newly delivered 787-9s are deployed on the Delhi–Toronto route. In addition, select services to Birmingham and London (Gatwick) will see the return of First Class with the deployment of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Air India said it has begun retrofitting its legacy Boeing 787-8 fleet, with 26 aircraft scheduled to receive new interiors and the airline’s updated livery. The first two are expected to re-enter service in the coming weeks, with more to follow through 2026. The carrier also expects deliveries of three new Boeing 787-9s and two Airbus A350-1000 aircraft this year.

The expanded deployment of upgraded cabins, combined with additional frequencies and steady fleet induction, reflects Air India’s efforts to modernize its product offering and strengthen its position as a globally competitive full-service carrier, a strategy closely watched by passengers and aviation industry analysts alike.

Source: Air India Press Release