"Air India Opens Delhi–Hanoi and Mumbai–Tokyo: What the New Routes Mean for Your Itinerary"

Two route launches from Air India's summer schedule deserve a place in your trip planning, because both change the practical shape of popular itineraries rather than merely adding a line to a route map.

Delhi–Hanoi, non-stop, five times weekly

Since 1 May, Air India has flown non-stop between Delhi and Hanoi, making the Vietnamese capital its second gateway in the country after Ho Chi Minh City. The service operates five times a week on the A320neo with Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.

What it means: the open-jaw itinerary we recommend for Vietnam — fly into Hanoi, travel south overland, fly home from Ho Chi Minh City, or the reverse — now works entirely on non-stop flights in both directions. That routing saves a full day of backtracking on a seven-night trip and has until now required either a low-cost carrier or a connection. Competition on the Delhi–Hanoi pair should also discipline fares in both directions; watch the ₹14,000–22,000 return band we quoted in our Vietnam cost guide, and pounce when sales dip below it.

Mumbai–Tokyo Haneda, four times weekly

From 15 June, Air India connects Mumbai and Tokyo Haneda non-stop four times a week on the Boeing 787-8 — the first direct Japan link for western India in years. It joins the Delhi–Tokyo service, which has grown to daily and, since February, operates with the newer 787-9 cabins, introducing Premium Economy on the route. Onward connections to six Japanese cities are available through the codeshare with All Nippon Airways.

What it means: Japan planning from Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and the west no longer routes through Delhi or a Gulf hub, which trims four to six hours off the journey. Haneda, rather than Narita, is the arrival airport travellers should want — it sits thirty minutes from central Tokyo rather than ninety. For cherry-blossom season, when every seat sells months out, a second Indian gateway meaningfully improves the odds of sane fares. Our Japan guide covers the trip itself, e-visa included.

The broader pattern

Air India is deploying new and retrofitted aircraft across its long-haul network through 2026 — Mumbai–London Heathrow moves to the new 787-9s, Delhi–Melbourne gains First Class, and frequencies to Toronto, Seoul and Shanghai have all increased. For travellers, the practical translation is simple: more seats to more places from more Indian cities, which is the quiet force that keeps fares honest.

Routes and schedules verified against Air India's official announcements at publication. Airlines adjust schedules seasonally — confirm days of operation when booking.