Flag-carrier Air India has opened bookings for its annual ‘Great Escape Sale’, offering sharply reduced all-inclusive fares across more than 40 international destinations from 27 September to 3 October 2026. The promotion applies to flights originating in India as well as inbound itineraries from the UK, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Gulf, North America and Australia, with travel windows extending to 30 June 2027 (UK/Europe/Asia) and 31 March 2027 (USA/Canada/Australia). Discounts of up to 35 percent are available on key corporate routes such as Mumbai–London, Delhi–San Francisco and Bengaluru–Sydney, while logged-in Maharaja Club members receive a 50 percent waiver on convenience fees for direct-channel bookings. Both one-way and round-trip tickets qualify, provided travel is on Air India or Air India Express metal; codeshare flights are excluded. The sale is the first major commercial push since Air India began deploying new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with upgraded business-class cabins, and is timed to capture pent-up demand ahead of the winter festival season. Travel managers sourcing fares for trainee rotations, project kick-offs or long-lead conferences can lock in budgets well into Q2 FY 2027. However, the fine print includes blackout dates around Christmas–New Year and the March financial-year close. Additionally, name changes are prohibited and standard reissue penalties apply. Group bookings are ineligible, meaning corporates must ticket travellers individually—a factor to consider for mobility teams managing high-volume travel. Air India said inventory is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis across its website, mobile app, contact centre and authorised agents. With many global carriers also running autumn promotions, Indian companies have a short window to benchmark total cost of travel and hedging strategies before fares rebound.
Source: Air India – Exclusive Deals page
