Air India has announced four weekly non-stop flights between Delhi and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport, becoming the only airline to operate on the route. The service will begin on February 2, 2027, using Boeing 787-8 aircraft, strengthening connectivity between India and Japan. Osaka will become Air India’s second Japanese destination after Tokyo Haneda, which is served by daily flights from Delhi and four weekly services from Mumbai.
The Boeing 787-8 deployed on the new route will feature 18 full-flat beds in Business Class and 241 seats in Economy Class. Demand for travel to Japan continues to grow among Indian visitors, with more than 315,000 Indians travelling to the country in 2025, an increase of 35% over 2024 and nearly 80% above pre-pandemic levels, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. The new service aims to support growing tourism, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.
Akasa Air has commenced daily direct flights connecting Udaipur with Mumbai and Bengaluru, expanding its domestic network. The airline’s first flight departed Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur at 11.35 am on October 15, 2026, and arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru at 1.55 pm. Udaipur is Akasa Air’s second destination in Rajasthan after Jaipur, strengthening access to a key tourism and leisure market.
The launch was marked by a ceremonial lamp-lighting event at Maharana Pratap Airport, attended by Harjinder Singh Bhasin, Senior Vice President – Airports, Akasa Air, along with airline representatives and airport leadership. A special boarding pass was also presented to the inaugural flight’s first passenger. The new connections provide travellers from Udaipur with direct access to two major metropolitan hubs for business and leisure travel.
Etihad Guest and Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards programme have announced a loyalty partnership that will allow members to earn and redeem rewards across both airlines’ networks from spring 2027. Etihad Guest members will be able to earn miles on eligible Southwest flights and redeem them for reward travel across the airline’s network in the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Rapid Rewards members will similarly earn points on eligible Etihad flights and redeem them across Etihad’s international network.
Mark Potter, Managing Director of Etihad Guest, said the partnership would expand the programme’s portfolio of loyalty partners and strengthen Etihad’s presence across North America. He added that the collaboration would provide Etihad Guest members with greater access to destinations across the Americas while enabling Southwest customers to explore Etihad’s global network, including destinations such as Krabi, Zanzibar and Hanoi. The agreement is expected to broaden travel and rewards options for members of both loyalty programmes.