Winter flight schedule begins: Air India Express adds 40-plus new routes
By Siddharth VermaBusiness Correspondent, Peepals Bharat
Representative image: 穿着拖鞋一路小跑 / Pixabay
India's winter flight schedule began on October 25, 2026, with Air India Express adding over 40 routes and IndiGo starting a daily Pune-Bhubaneswar flight.
What Happened
India's winter flight schedule took effect on Sunday, 25 October 2026, and will run until Saturday, 27 March 2027. Airlines use the change of season to add, drop and retime routes. Air India Express said its winter plan, rolled out in phases from 25 October, will grow to about 585 daily flights and add more than 40 new routes, while IndiGo began a daily direct flight between Pune and Bhubaneswar from 25 October.
Key Facts
- Season: the winter schedule runs from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027, replacing the summer schedule.
- Air India Express plans about 585 daily flights, roughly 435 domestic and up to 150 international, across 65 stations and 220 routes, according to the airline.
- Its weekly flights are projected to rise from about 3,150 in summer 2026 to nearly 4,100 in winter.
- More than 40 new routes are planned; named additions include a daily Bengaluru-Kathmandu flight and twice-daily Chennai-Singapore services.
- IndiGo started a daily direct Pune-Bhubaneswar flight from 25 October.
- At Pune airport, airlines have taken 216 of the 235 daily slots available under the schedule approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), according to local reports.
- Kannur airport in Kerala begins the season with 186 weekly flight movements, 93 arrivals and 93 departures, according to one airport schedule listing; some services start later in the season.
Why It Matters
Twice a year, airlines in India file new timetables with the DGCA, the aviation regulator, for the summer and winter seasons. The winter schedule matters to travellers because it covers the busiest holiday period, from Diwali and the wedding season to Christmas and New Year. New routes and extra frequencies can mean more choice and sometimes lower fares on busy sectors, while dropped routes can leave smaller cities with fewer options.
Air India Express's plan is the largest change announced so far. A rise from about 3,150 to nearly 4,100 weekly flights is an increase of roughly 30%. Its new international routes, such as Bengaluru to Kathmandu and Chennai to Singapore, add direct links from southern cities that travellers would otherwise reach with a connection. The airline is rolling the routes out in phases, so passengers should check the start date of a particular flight before planning around it.
Direct links between second-tier cities are another part of the story. A daily Pune-Bhubaneswar flight connects a large IT and education hub in Maharashtra with the capital of Odisha without a change of plane. For students, workers and families who travel between the two cities, that saves time. Pune's slot numbers, with 216 of 235 daily slots taken, show how close some airports are to their limits during the busiest season.
| Winter schedule 2026-27 | Detail |
|---|---|
| Season | 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027 |
| Air India Express daily flights | About 585 (company plan) |
| Air India Express weekly flights | Nearly 4,100, up from about 3,150 |
| New IndiGo link | Pune-Bhubaneswar, daily from 25 October |
| Pune airport slots used | 216 of 235 daily |
Impact
Short-term: Passengers may see new departure times on routes they already use, as airlines retime flights for the winter. Anyone with an existing booking should check for schedule changes, and travellers on new routes should confirm the date each service begins.
Long-term: More direct flights between non-metro cities can support tourism, business travel and student movement across states. Airports close to their slot limits, such as Pune, may struggle to add more flights without new capacity.
Who is affected: Air travellers across India, especially those flying during the holiday season; residents of Pune, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kannur, whose connections change; airline and airport staff; and tour operators planning winter packages.
Key Takeaway
India's winter flight schedule, running from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027, brings new routes such as Pune-Bhubaneswar and a large expansion by Air India Express.
Questions and Answers
When does the 2026 winter flight schedule start and end?
It started on 25 October 2026 and runs until 27 March 2027. Airlines publish new timetables for this period, adding, dropping or retiming flights.
What new routes has Air India Express announced for winter 2026?
The airline says it will add more than 40 new routes, including a daily Bengaluru-Kathmandu flight and twice-daily Chennai-Singapore services, rolled out in phases from 25 October.
Is there a direct flight from Pune to Bhubaneswar?
Yes. IndiGo began a daily direct Pune-Bhubaneswar flight from 25 October 2026 under the winter schedule.
Should I check my existing booking?
Yes. Seasonal schedule changes often move departure times, so passengers with bookings from late October onward should check their flight times with the airline.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Siddharth Verma, Business CorrespondentCovers Business and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Siddharth Verma
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Siddharth Verma is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
