Inside Air India’s Maharaja Club: Rewards, benefits and experiences beyond flying

The Maharaja Club really shows how Air India is thinking beyond just flights and positioning itself as a lifestyle and travel ecosystem.

How to Earn Maharaja Points
- Flights: Air India, Air India Express, and Star Alliance partners.
- Hotels & Travel: IHG Hotels & Resorts, Booking.com, Avis.
- Luxury & Retail: The Bicester Collection, Audi.
- Banking & Finance: HSBC, Kotak Mahindra Bank.
- Everyday spending across 100+ partners worldwide.
- New members get 1,000 bonus points on their first flight.
- Points never expire, giving flexibility to build rewards over time.

How to Redeem
- Award flights: from 1,500 points (Air India Express) or 2,500 points (Air India).
- Cabin upgrades: starting at 4,500 points.
- Cash + Points option for flexibility.
- Ability to purchase extra points if you’re just short.
- Simplified missing-points claims via boarding pass uploads.

Premium Privileges
- Complimentary inflight Wi-Fi on select aircraft.
- Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide.
- Priority check-in, boarding, and connections.
- Extra baggage allowance, seat selection, upgrade vouchers.
- Waivers on change/cancellation fees depending on tier.

Family Pool
- Combine points with family members into a single account.
- Makes saving for holidays or upgrades faster and more rewarding.

Recognition
- Named “Program of the Year” for Middle East & Asia Pacific at the Freddie Awards 2026, a major loyalty industry honor.

This is a smart move by Air India — loyalty programs are increasingly about lifestyle integration rather than just miles. Maharaja Club is clearly designed to compete with global heavyweights like Emirates Skywards or Lufthansa Miles & More by offering everyday earning opportunities and family pooling.