Air India to launch new international routes to Hanoi and Tokyo from Delhi and Mumbai

Air India on Thursday announced the launch of two new international routes as part of its continued expansion across Asia introducing nonstop flights to Hanoi in Vietnam and Tokyo in JapanThe airline said it will begin nonstop services between Delhi and Hanoi from May 1 2026 making Hanoi its second destination in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh CityAdditionally Air India will launch nonstop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo Haneda starting June 15 2026 expanding its connectivity to Tokyo alongside its existing services from DelhiDelhindashHanoi flights to operate five times a weekThe new DelhindashHanoi service will operate five times a week complementing Air Indiarsquos existing daily flights to Ho Chi Minh CityAccording to the airline the two routes will allow travellers to plan openjaw itineraries enabling passengers to enter Vietnam through Hanoi and depart from Ho Chi Minh City or vice versaAir India will deploy its Airbus A320neo aircraft on the route offering Business Class Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins The new service will add 7028 seats per month between India and VietnamFlights to Vietnam will also provide convenient onward connections across Air Indiarsquos domestic and international network including destinations in the United Kingdom and EuropeMumbaindashTokyo flights to strengthen Japan connectivityThe new MumbaindashTokyo Haneda service will operate four times a week using Air Indiarsquos Boeing 7878 Dreamliner aircraftThe expansion follows the airlinersquos recent move to increase frequency on the DelhindashTokyo Haneda route from four weekly flights to daily services Since February 14 2026 Air India has also upgraded aircraft on the route to the Boeing 7879 Dreamliner introducing Premium Economy cabins for the first timePassengers travelling on these services will experience upgraded cabin interiors modern inflight entertainment systems WiFi connectivity and refreshed onboard meal and beverage optionsCodeshare partnership expands travel within JapanAir India also offers expanded connectivity in Japan through its codeshare partnership with All Nippon Airways a fellow member of the Star AllianceThrough this partnership travellers arriving at Tokyo Haneda Airport can connect onward to six major Japanese cities mdash Fukuoka Hiroshima Nagoya Okinawa Osaka and SapporoDemand from Indian travellers driving expansionCommenting on the expansion Nipun Aggarwal Chief Commercial Officer at Air India said the airline has significantly expanded its network across Southeast Asia and the Far East since its privatisationJapan and Vietnam have both emerged as fastgrowing destinations for Indian travellers while Indiarsquos economic and commercial ties with both nations continue to deepen he said adding that the new routes will support tourism business travel and trade between the countriesAccording to the Japan National Tourism Organization more than 315 lakh Indians visited Japan in 2025 marking a 35 per cent increase over 2024 and nearly 80 per cent growth compared to prepandemic levelsMeanwhile Vietnam continues to gain popularity among leisure and corporate travellers due to strong tourism growth and rising Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions MICE activity The country recorded over 20 million international visitors in 2025 making it the thirdmost visited destination in Southeast Asia