Air India has rolled out its ‘Easy Connect’ services from Amritsar, extending the Government of India’s hub-and-spoke aviation model and bringing international connectivity closer to travellers across Punjab. The launch marks a significant milestone in the nationwide rollout of the initiative, which was first announced in June 2026.
Under the Easy Connect programme, international passengers flying out of Amritsar can complete through check-in to their final destination and clear immigration formalities right at their home airport, then transfer through Delhi without needing to re-check baggage or switch terminals. This effectively lets travellers move through Delhi as international transit passengers, cutting out repeated procedures and easing the unfamiliarity that often comes with connecting through foreign airports.
Two daily flights connecting Amritsar to Delhi have been designated as Easy Connect services, a morning departure and a late-evening one, together enabling onward connections to 27 international destinations within four hours of touching down in Delhi. These destinations span the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, West Asia, and Southeast Asia, with the morning service tailored toward key European cities and the evening service aligned with long-haul connections to North America and Australia.
Speaking at the launch, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu framed the expansion as part of a broader vision to build an aviation network that reaches beyond major metros, extending global access to every region of the country. He noted that strengthening connectivity through Indian hubs deepens ties with Punjab’s global diaspora while opening new avenues for tourism and economic exchange.
Air India also confirmed it will become the first Indian carrier to implement the aviation ministry’s standard procedure for inbound hub-and-spoke operations, with an inbound Easy Connect model expected in Amritsar within the next two months. The airline is pursuing a phased nationwide expansion that will eventually bring similar services to cities including Ahmedabad, Goa, and Kochi, alongside Amritsar and Varanasi.
The initiative is designed to address a broader imbalance in India’s transit traffic, with the vast majority of the country’s long-haul connecting passengers currently routed through overseas hubs rather than domestic ones. By channeling more of this traffic through Indian airports, the programme aims to strengthen India’s position as a global aviation connector while offering travellers a more seamless, nationally integrated journey.