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Winter Schedule 2026: New International Flights From India, From Hanoi to Zurich

Mumbai-Hanoi, Guwahati-Bangkok, Bengaluru-Zurich and Mumbai-Toronto lead the new winter routes. The full list of additions, cuts and restorations.

Raj ·Founder & Editor
Published in Travel · 5 min read ·
World map centred on India with glowing flight paths to Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, showing new winter routes
World map centred on India with glowing flight paths to Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, showing new winter routes
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    The aviation industry's winter schedule starts in the last week of October, and this year it brings plenty of new options for Indian flyers. After a summer in which Air India and IndiGo cut international flying because of a spike in jet fuel prices linked to the West Asia conflict, airlines are now bringing routes back and adding new ones. These include a first international route from Northeast India, a new Swiss link from Bengaluru, and a seasonal non-stop from Mumbai to Toronto.

    Here is a roundup of the confirmed and scheduled additions, and what they mean for your travel plans. All schedules are subject to regulatory approvals and can change, so always check with the airline before booking connections or hotels.

    Southeast Asia: Hanoi, Bangkok and new gateways

    IndiGo, Mumbai-Hanoi (daily from October 25). IndiGo will start a daily direct service between Mumbai and Hanoi, making Mumbai its third Indian gateway to Vietnam's capital after Delhi and Kolkata. According to the schedule published with the announcement, 6E 1637 leaves Mumbai at 4:15 am and lands in Hanoi at 10:00 am local time. The return, 6E 1638, leaves Hanoi at 7:05 pm and reaches Mumbai at 11:05 pm. The route can also be booked in IndiGoStretch, IndiGo's business cabin.

    IndiGo, Guwahati-Bangkok (from October 27). This is a milestone for the Northeast. IndiGo says it marks the start of its international operations from Guwahati and of direct international operations from Northeast India. After an inaugural flight on October 27, the route runs twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from October 31. The Guwahati-Bangkok flight departs at 6:15 pm and arrives at 10:45 pm local time.

    IndiGo, Gaya-Bangkok (from October 26). This route creates a direct air link between Bodh Gaya, one of Buddhism's holiest sites, and Thailand.

    Air India Express additions. According to AeroRoutes, Air India Express has scheduled these new international routes for the winter season:

    • Kochi-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi from October 25 (4 weekly)
    • Visakhapatnam-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi from October 27 (2 weekly)
    • Amritsar-Abu Dhabi from October 25 (3 weekly)
    • Chandigarh-Sharjah from October 26 (4 weekly, with a break from December 1 to January 31)
    • Mangaluru-Ras Al Khaimah from October 26 (2 weekly)
    • Mumbai-Kuwait City from October 27 (3 weekly)

    The Hindu reports that Air India Express will also add a Bengaluru-Kathmandu route seven times a week, and Mangaluru-Kuwait three times a week.

    Europe: a new Swiss link for South India

    SWISS, Bengaluru-Zurich (from October 28). Swiss International Air Lines will launch non-stop flights between Bengaluru and Zurich five days a week, according to The Hindu. The route offers onward connections across the Lufthansa Group network in Europe and North America. With it, Bengaluru will have direct flights to six European cities, including Frankfurt, Munich, London, Paris and Amsterdam.

    Air India's European network is also coming back, mostly at slightly lower frequencies than before the cuts. According to a Travel Market News report based on Cirium data and Firstpost's analysis, Delhi-Paris goes to once daily (down from twice), while Copenhagen, Milan, Rome, Zurich and Vienna services are restored at varying weekly frequencies.

    North America: Toronto expands, San Francisco is trimmed

    Air India, Mumbai-Toronto (from October 25). Air India will operate a seasonal three-times-weekly non-stop between Mumbai and Toronto from October 25, 2026, to March 26, 2027, using upgraded Boeing 777-300ERs with First, Business and Economy cabins. The airline says it will be the only carrier flying the route non-stop this winter. Flight AI193 departs Mumbai at 4:00 am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

    Air India will also run Delhi-Toronto 10 times weekly, seven of them on its brand-new Boeing 787-9, and Delhi-Vancouver 7 times weekly. That adds up to 20 weekly flights between India and Canada this winter.

    Delhi-San Francisco is trimmed. Air India had planned 10 weekly flights, but AeroRoutes reported on October 13 that recent filings cut that to 4-6 weekly for much of the winter, with return flights routed via Kolkata or Vienna in different periods. If you are flying to the Bay Area, check your booking for schedule changes.

    According to the Cirium-based reporting, Air India is not resuming Chicago this winter. Mumbai-New York JFK returns to daily, and Newark is scaled back.

    Australia and other notable returns

    • Qantas, Bengaluru-Sydney. Qantas suspended the route from August to late October because of high fuel prices. The Hindu reports that it is likely to restart later this month.
    • Air India Melbourne and Sydney. According to Cirium-based reports, Melbourne goes up to as many as 11 weekly flights on the Boeing 777, and Sydney returns to daily.
    • IndiGo's Southeast Asia restarts. Langkawi, Krabi, Hong Kong and Shanghai are set to resume, while Ho Chi Minh City is not returning for now.
    • IndiGo's leased widebodies are leaving. IndiGo is returning its damp-leased Norse Atlantic widebodies by the end of October. Its Amsterdam service continues on IndiGo's own A321XLR aircraft, while some other long-haul routes flown with the leased aircraft are being cancelled.

    IndiGo has also announced Mumbai-Dar es Salaam flights, reported to start daily from November 20.

    Mumbai flyers: no Navi Mumbai shift this winter

    There was one possible disruption for Mumbai's international travellers. Adani Airports Holdings had asked airlines to move 33% of their international flights from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) by October 25. According to the Hindustan Times, that partial shift has been deferred to the summer schedule starting March 2027, after airlines objected. The airport operator has said historical slots will be respected and there will be no slot changes in the winter schedule.

    For now, your Mumbai international flight should leave from where it always has. NMIA itself began international operations in July with an Air India Express service to Abu Dhabi.

    How to use the new routes

    1. Compare new and old routings. A new non-stop, such as Mumbai-Toronto or Bengaluru-Zurich, can save hours over a connection via the Gulf or Europe, but non-stop fares are often higher in the first season.
    2. Watch for launch fares. Airlines sometimes offer introductory fares on new routes. Book directly or through trusted agents and read the fare rules.
    3. Check visas before you buy. Vietnam requires an e-visa for Indians. Thailand now offers Indians 30 days visa-free for tourism. Canada, the US and the Schengen area all require visas applied for well in advance.
    4. Expect changes. Several of these routes are marked "subject to regulatory approvals", and fuel costs remain high. Avoid non-refundable hotel bookings that depend on a brand-new flight until it is operating.

    Sources

    IndiGoFlight routesWinter scheduleAir IndiaAir India ExpressInternational travelAviation newsSWISS
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    Written by Raj

    Founder & Editor

    I write HorizonDesk: practical, no-hype articles on technology, money, business and the vehicles we drive. Everything here is something I’ve researched, tested or wanted explained clearly myself.

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